Page 44 of Hopeless Realm
For a brief moment, while his soft lips press against mine, his earnest eyes shining down on me, I believe him.
“I saw you shudder in. How quickly can you make it to the Western Mountains?” A fae covered in thick blood stumbles up to Ryder, breathing hard with terror in his eyes.
Ah yes, not everything is as tragic as it seems. Wrong once again, my prince.
Chapter Thirteen
Nefarious
The time passes. I sit at a small, secluded table. My hands are folded neatly on the wooden tabletop as I wait for Ryder to return. This is ridiculous. I should be plotting Tristan’s death right now. Rallying the Armed Seven. Or at the very least having sex.
But no. Here I sit.
Waiting.
The Western Mountains are giant territory. Not even the nix have the balls to go there apparently. Ryder assured me he’d be back in an hour at the most. It’s been precisely forty-three minutes according to the taunting clock tower. It ticks the time away without care. It spirals anxiety into me with each passing sweep of its churning hand.
The sun’s setting. The rush of people that crowded the street when we first arrived has dwindled down to only a few merchants loading up their carts to head home. The sky gives off waves of deep orange and pretty blues as nightfall threatens the horizon.
My eyes shift over every minor detail as I dwell on the burden of things I should be doing instead of waiting here in silence.
“Psst … ”
Ryder’s pale hair peeks out from behind a building and he nods me over in the most secretive of ways.
My eyes narrow on him but I stay seated, my legs crossed tightly with impatience.
“Would you come here? What do I have to do to get you to come?” A knowing smirk taunts his lips and I have to suppress an eye roll.
I stand and slowly walk over to his hiding spot. He’s secluded here behind the iron buildings.
Miles of open fields surround us, as if the small village was dropped down in the middle of the country without much thought. A single towering barn is the only structure standing for miles and miles. Wind creaks through it, threating to tear it down with the next mediocre gust.
“I have a gift for you.” Excitement shines in his clear blue eyes, pushing away the anxious feeling dwelling within me and replacing it with anticipation.
Another gift? He seems to like giving me things and it causes a warm feeling to spread through my chest every time he does.
Is he trying to buy my affection?
Because he probably can.
“Is it a unicorn?” I ask in a whisper. I wish I could say I’m joking. His excitement is tearing through me, though, and I fully believe Ryder has enough syphins to purchase a unicorn.
Confusion shadows his features and he tilts his head at me.
“Unicorns aren’t real, Kara.”
My lips purse hard as he completely destroys my childhood with that single statement.
“Of course, how fucking stupid of me.”
A smirk tilts his lips as he steps into the old barn. It’s in shambles. The roof has holes in it large enough to let a person fall through, and the scraps of wood surrounding the outer walls stand with a distinct slant. If a bird lands on this barn the whole thing is sure to go tumbling down.
The heavy clumping sound of hooves hitting dirt emits through the evening air.
Even though it isn’t like my prince to lie, it’s a unicorn. I just know it.
An onyx colored snout brushes open the swaying barn door. Long talons rake across the dry dirt. The creature that stands before me exudes power. Its glistening scales shine, and fierce silver eyes look right into my soul. Two horns spiral off from the top of its head in glinting colors of white and gray. A long, pale mane catches the wind, giving the serene animal an even more beautiful, but deadly appearance.
