Page 124 of A Dance With Fire
Why did they have a safe house near humans, anyway?
They’d said it was disguised as a bed-and-breakfast, an inn, and was run by humans. It was easier to hide in plain sight rather than risk every safe house being within the woods, since soldiers combed solitary places more often than they did human locales. While it made sense, Shula still couldn’t breathe past the nerves.
Death. Fire. Ashes. Water burning down her throat.
She grasped at her neck as if she meant to ease the pressure there, taking in gasping breaths.
They were hidden behind the tree line, staring at the back door of the safe house. It looked like any regular human building. A cabin-like structure made of stone and oak logs and glass windows. Candle and oil light glow from within, illuminating the sight of the humans inside.
They all had their hoods up, covering their ears and obvious Fae features from anyone who could be looking out at them.
Valerio stepped out of the shadows first, a blur as he dashed towards the back door, his fist rapping across the wood in a three-note tune.
Shula held her breath as the door opened to reveal a short, rotund human woman wearing drab, brown clothing and a dirty apron. Her frizzy hair was held behind a wool cap, and even in the darkness, Shula could make out the flush on the older woman’s round cheeks.
She stepped outside and looked side to side before gesturing wildly at Valerio to walk inside.
“Come on.” Clay’s hand grabbed her elbow, but the touch wasn’t calming. If anything, him dragging her forward quickly made her all the more nervous.
But she went, one forced step after another until they were all inside the house, the door closing behind them.
Shula took in her surroundings almost immediately. Born of years of instincts and hiding, of being near humans. She looked for possible exits, for soldiers, for iron, anything that would threaten harm.
A cozy interior snagged her attention. Candles dripped down their tapers, oil lamps cast dull glows against the walls from where they hung. They were in a kitchen, a hearth burning hotly with a cauldron over it. Scents of a delicious, home cooked meal wafted through her nostrils, making her stomach growl loudly.
There was one other human in the kitchen with the older woman. She was a young girl, no older than seventeen with smooth features and pretty eyes, hair pulled back into a white cap. Her eyes widened as she took in their small group of Fae, nearly bugging out of her head as Valerio lowered his hood to reveal his pointed ears.
The older woman bowed low. “Prince,” she greeted. “I have the suite available with two adjoining rooms and a shared bath. The rest of the rooms are taken… I—”
Valerio placed his palm on the woman’s shoulder. Her body went rigid, but Shula didn’t scent any fear. “How full is it?”
“The suite is the last room. We’re full of travelers and—” She trailed off, her eyes darting to the floor.
“And?” Valerio prompted.
“Prince, there is a soldier staying.”
Valerio didn’t even flinch, even when Shula’s heart seemed to beat itself bloody against her chest.
“We will stay in our rooms. It is just for the night. Possibly two.”
The woman worried at her apron. “I’ll sneak you in through the secret entrance, prince.” She pulled out of his hold and turned to the young maid. “Filomena, prepare a hot meal for our guests.”
The maid nodded vigorously and set about preparing everything while the older woman led them deeper into the kitchen where she shoved aside a rickety wooden shelf that held pots and pans. Behind it, she pressed a pattern against the brick, and it opened to reveal a dark stairwell. The woman grabbed an oil lamp, hiked up the hem of her skirt, and climbed.
They followed after her. The stairwell stank of wetness and mold, though it wasn’t overly unpleasant.
“Can she be trusted?” Valerio asked, his voice whispering through the darkness.
“Filomena? Of course. She may look young and impressionable, but I have never known one as loyal as she. Your presence will be a well-kept secret, I promise you that.”
Shula wasn’t inclined to be sure, but Valerio hummed. She supposed if they trusted this human enough to keep them hidden, then they could trust the young maid.
At the top of the stairs, a scraping sounded, and the woman pushed open a doorway. The oil lamp disappeared inside, and they followed into the suite she’d spoken about.
Shula’s eyes adjusted well in the darkness, but even so, lamps were quickly lit all around. There seemed to be no other entrance or exit save for the one they’d just come from, and no windows, either.
It was a secret room, built to seem as if it wasn’t there at all.
