Page 31 of Hunt the Dusk
Chapter 11
There was a market beyond the gate, a colorful cobbled courtyard of stalls filled with music and delicious smells and surrounded by majestic thick-limbed trees. The evergreen canopy drooped to provide cover from a sky heavy with storm clouds fit to burst.
But the chill was kept at bay by several fire pits that spat and crackled, blasting heat around the courtyard.
Half-blood fae milled about, trading and chatting. Some sat at round picnic tables eating and drinking. They looked human until examined closely, and then I caught the flick of a tail, the silver glimmer of wings, or the tip of a blackened talon. Most were dressed in winter wear, but a few males were topless with dark brown slacks so tight that they didn’t leave much to the imagination.
“Bloody hell,” Edwin said.
Holly let out a low whistle.
“Satyrs,” Merry said in a hushed tone. “They can charm the pants off anyone when they play their chosen instrument.”
I squinted my eyes and caught the impression of hooves where their boots should be.
“I’m assuming we’re not talking about theinstrumentbetween their legs?” Padma said.
“You assume correctly.”
As interesting as this all was, we were here to see whoever was in charge. “We need to find the pavilion.”
I strode toward the nearest stall, slowing my pace as the stall owner raised his voice at his customer.
“I said four coppers and a silver, and you know it.”
“You never said anything about silver,” the patron said.
“You calling me a liar?” The stall keeper’s stocky form expanded even further, and horns sprouted from his head.
The guy, unperturbed by the display, waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, put your horns away, you fool.” He rooted in his apron pocket and dug out more coins. “Take it. Your mead is worth it.”
“Damn straight it is,” the horned fae huffed.
They must have felt me staring because they both looked over at me.
“You don’t belong here,” the horned guy said.
“I know. We have an audience with the high clan leader. We’re looking for the pavilion.”
The guy in the apron answered. “If the pavilion knows you’re coming, you’ll find it. Just follow the moss road over there.” He pointed behind us where the metal gates should be, but when I looked, the gates were gone and in their place was a road coated in vibrant green moss.
“What the…” Padma shook her head. “This place is making my head hurt.”
“Let’s just get this over with,” Edwin said, leading the way.
Merry lingered for a moment, her heart in her eyes as she took in the market once more.
“You coming?” I nudged her lightly.
“Yes, yes, let’s go.”
Stepping onto the path was like standing on an escalator. I wasn’t sure if we were moving or if it was, but in the next moment, we were standing at the bottom of a set of steps leading to a white pavilion dusted with frost and hung with holly heavy with bright red berries.
“Wow,” Holly said.
It certainly was. But then, what did we expect from the home of the fae trapped here? Faerie was closed off, and those that had made it out before the fae world had been quarantined had done their best to replicate their home here in our world. Most purebloods and half-bloods lived in the Evergreen, a densely forested area to the south of the city. But there were other smaller communities like this one.
“Do we just go in?” Holly asked.
