Page 22 of The Fae Girl 1

“I can’t answer that. I’m not Fae.” Marke replied.

I closed my eyes, palmed them with my hands and sighed. They really were mad. The whole lot of them.

Around me I heard laughing and looked up at the sound. Fain and the two soldiers were clearly enjoying a joke. I could still smell his scent on the cloak and the fact that it didn’t repulse me, that it did quite the opposite made more than a little irritated.

“Tell me this. Why does everyone keep saying I belong to the High King?” I asked.

“About six hundred years ago they passed a law that any Fae that came into this world would become property of the High King.”

“Property?” I repeated in disgust.

“It’s not as bad as it sounds.” Marke said. “There used to be a lot of Fae back then and not all of them good. It was a time of civil war and any minor king would give his right arm to have a Fae in his pocket. Too many people were dying. The High Council decided it needed to be controlled.”

“So you think I’m the High King’s property?”

“You are.” He said meeting my now angry face. “Do you realise how many people would be after you if they knew of your existence? Do you realise the war you would bring? You saw how Lord Ghosh reacted to you. There hasn’t been any Fae in this world for over a hundred years. King Yannis would burn half his kingdom just to get his fingers on you.”

I shook my head and looked away. Marke was mad. They were all mad.

“Why does everyone want a Fae so bad?” I muttered. “What are they supposed to do that’s so great?”

“Fae have magic within their bones. Within their soul. They don’t have to use a receptacle to channel it. It’s in their very essence. Their power is unmatched even by the greatest Magi.”

I swallowed at that. “I don’t have magic. I’m not magic. Do you really think I’d let you all tie me up and drag me wherever if I had magic.” I half hissed.

“That’s because you don’t know how to use it yet. You’ve already performed some magic, but it was instinctual. You just need to learn how to be magic that’s all.”

“I haven’t performed magic.” I said crossing my arms. “If I could actually do magic why on earth would I have let you tie me up like that?”

“How do you think you got here in the first place?” He replied.

“I didn’t magic myself here.” I said through gritted teeth.

“And how do you think you got those ropes off your wrist back in Ghosh’s hall? They didn’t break apart by themselves.”

“I, that, that wasn’t me.” I said thinking back to it, remembering how angry I’d been but little else besides it.

“The sooner you stop fighting what you are the better it will be for you. No one wants to treat you like this.” Marke said gesturing to the rope around my ankles. “If you cooperate then you’ll be treated with kindness.”

“Sure. Because High Prince Fain is all about kindness.” I muttered glancing over at him.

“He’s not as bad as he seems.” Marke stated.

“He tied me to a horse and dragged me halfway across the country.” I snapped.

Marke just shook his head slightly in response.

“You should get some rest. Both of you.” Ridley said across the now dwindling fire. “We’ve got another hard day of riding tomorrow and neither of you are used to it.”

I could feel Fain’s gaze on me as Ridley spoke and I glared at him. It felt like he’d known I’d been talking about him. The way he looked at me, that hate in his eyes made my stomach contort and the colour drain from my face despite my determination not to show he had any effect on me.

I gritted my teeth and looked away.

Turning my back to them and to Marke as well I pulled Prince Fain’s cloak up like a blanket and tried to get comfortable on the rough, hard ground.

If I slept at all it’d be a miracle.

By the time morning came I was not only stiff from all the riding but from the hard, uncomfortable position I’d somehow curled myself up into. My feet felt like ice blocks but at least it numbed the pain of all the cuts. I doubted I’d be able to walk without hobbling even to where the horse was tethered.

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