Page 137 of The Fae Girl 1

I blinked. She agreed? She didn’t think I belonged to the High King just like every other person in this damn place did?

“And keeping you like this, it won’t help.” She stated. “All it will do is put you at more risk.”

“How so?” I asked.

She gave me a bitter smile that made me shiver. “You’re forbidden fruit Alice. Right now you’re the most valuable prize in the kingdom and every lord, every king knows it. If Uther thinks he can keep you safe under lock and key forever then he’s a fool.”

My stomach dropped. “You mean I’m in more danger?”

“Yes.”

I shut my eyes. That old fear coiled inside me. “What do I do? How do stop this?”

She met my gaze. “You can’t Alice. That’s the point.”

I got up, stormed to the window, opened the curtains and stared out. Below the castle was alive. People going about their day. Soldiers walking along the battlements. It was like last night never happened.

“I won’t be kept like this. I won’t be controlled like this.” I said loud enough for her to hear.

“You can’t run.” She said quietly. “If you try, even I will have to stop you.”

“I know.” I said turning back. Thinking back to the threat of the collar. I didn’t fully understand what it was but I understood enough to know I wasn’t going to risk it.

I just needed to figure out a plan. Figure out a way of showing Uther that I wasn’t his to own. His to control. I would force him to treat me with respect.

Even if it killed me.

Idon’t know if I was an idiot, or if I was naïve, but I expected him to check on me.

No, I’ll admit I wanted him to.

I spent the next few days in my rooms. I was fully healed. At least physically. But mentally I wanted the time out.

Nela and Indi stayed close, as if we were friends now and not prisoner and guards.

Mira flitted about, obviously torn between guilt and relief, because she’d spent the entire attack in the Great Hall. Safe. Or as safe as everyone else had been.

And yet, he didn’t show.

If he asked about me, if he enquired even once, I didn’t know but his absence said it all. That the kiss was nothing. That that whole moment meant nothing to him.

On the third day I made Nela resume our training. I was done moping. I was done hiding. And I wasn’t about to lose any strength I’d gained.

Jelric however kept putting off my lessons, like he didn’t want to face me, like he was too embarrassed. Did it bother me? Yes, I think it did. It wasn’t his shame to bear. It wasn’t his burden either. He still served the High King and I’d seen enough of their interactions to know he wouldn’t challenge Uther.

So yes, deep down I resented it, resented his current treatment, even if I understood it on some level.

As we walked back from the training pits after a particularly gruelling session I paused. Nela had taken the left turn not the right. We never took the left.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

She turned with a smirk. “I thought we could get out of these thick walls for a bit.”

“What?” I frowned.

Indi was grinning too. Like they’d planned this.

“Where are we going?” I asked again.

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