Page 46 of The Fae Girl 1

Every time I thought I was over it, every time I thought I might be getting free, it all came flooding back. I could hear his voice whispering poison into my ear. I could feel the wetness of his spit on me all over again.

And with every repeat it was worse.

“Wanna talk about it?” Indi asked as she got up and moved to sit beside the fireplace opposite me.

“No.” I replied not looking at her. Having them watch, having them witness this made my shame so much worse.

“A problem shared is a problem halved.” Mira said cheerfully and I glared at her.

“I used to have nightmares.” Indi said. “I was at Eastden.”

Mira gasped at the name.

“It was an awful battle.” Mira said to me. “So many people died…” She stopped talking as she looked at Indi’s blank face.

“Itwasawful.” Indi said. “It’s the worst battle I’ve ever been in. Worst day of my life. Almost everyone in my battalion died. We were on the Northern Gate, we saw the Magars before they even started the attack but we were outnumbered from the start.”

“What happened?” I asked.

“They slaughtered us. Twenty thousand people dead. The whole city was sacked.” Indi shrugged her voice devoid of any emotion.

“How did you survive?” Mira asked.

“I don’t know. I almost didn’t. We got cut off, there were five of us. I remember the spectrals attack and then there’s just darkness. I don’t remember anything till I woke up weeks later. I just remember the fighting before.”

“That’s awful.” Mira said before turning to me. “Was that what your dream was about? A battle you were in back in your world?”

I looked between them then looked away.

To explain it made me sound pathetic. Pathetic and worthless. I bit my tongue and said nothing. The initial panic had gone and now I was falling into the familiar exhaustion of emotions.

I sat back in the chair, watching the flames flickering away.

Picking up the stringlet I played almost subconsciously while hoping the day would come soon so I could distract myself. Hell, I’d even take a day full of Marke going on about me being the god damn High King’s possession if it took my mind off of this.

Mira sighed and got up to stoke the fire. “I’m going to tell the guards to make sure we have a big breakfast.” She said but no one replied. No one reacted.

Indi sat opposite me, watching the flames as though she too was lost in the horror of her memories.

Where Nela was I didn’t know but in this moment I didn’t care. If they all disappeared, if they all got up and walked out I don’t think I’d have noticed.

I was too lost in my own head.

We sat waiting for Nela. We’d both felt the crystal warm as she’d sent the message through it. That she was coming. That she had an update for us.

“Well?” Jelric asked as before she’d even shut the door.

“The maid is a bit of a simpleton.” She said as she poured herself a drink.

Jelric raised an eyebrow.

“He meant about the Fae girl.” I replied.

“Alice.” Jelric corrected me. “We need the girl to trust us and that started with using her name.”

I walked over to pour myself a drink too. I was getting sick of his lectures, even if the logic behind them made some sense.

“She has nightmares.” Nela stated.

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