Page 83 of The Fae Girl 1

“Right, like I’m some sort of robot.” I said. “I’m not going to just stop being who I am, to lie down and let you all walk all over me, use me.”

He half stared me down before sighing. “Stop fighting.” He said before walking away.

I watched him go, wanting to say something clever back but I had nothing.

I clenched my fists. Shut my eyes. Tried to calm my temper.

This whole thing was a nightmare.

I just wanted to get away, to go home, to be free of all these people and the way they looked at me, treated me, spoke about me.

I sat back on the sofa staring at my hands. I hadn’t even meant to do it so why was everyone treating me like I’d intentionally set off a damn bomb?

Jelric sunk down into the seat opposite me. Watching.

“What?” I asked.

“I get your frustrated.” He said.

“Oh really?”

“This must all seem very strange, very alien to you.”

I shook my head. What did he know about it? “Please don’t.” I said.

“Don’t what?” He asked.

“Try and sympathise like you understand, like you even know what I’m going through.”

He sighed. “I’m here if you want to talk.”

“I don’t.” I said folding my arms.

“Fine. But promise me you won’t do magic, won’t try to channel it outside of our lessons.”

“I won’t.”

“Promise Alice.”

“Fine I promise.” I said.

“I don’t want to see you collared.” He stated. “It’s a cruel thing, a brutal thing. And trust me when I say it, you do not want to be collared either.”

“How can you serve him? The High King? If he’s so cruel? How can you stand beside him, helping him?”

“He’s not cruel. He’s a good king, a good ruler.” Jelric stated. “But you have to understand that ruling means doing things, making decisions that aren’t always nice. High King Uther is at war. He’s been at war for five years. Hundreds of thousands of his people have been butchered. Innocent people. He makes decisions based on what will help his people, what will save them, and if it means sacrificing a few to ensure that, then he will, every time.”

I gulped. “So I’m the sacrifice am I?” I replied.

“Your freedom is.”

I shook my head. Easy for him to say he could live his life how he wanted.

He got up, patting the book. “Start studying Alice, prove you’re worth the effort.”

Istormed away from the room. Down the corridor. Down into the Lower Castle. That damn girl was starting to give me a serious headache.

“What’s up with you?” Ridley asked no doubt seeing the scowl on my face.

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