Page 32 of The Iron Fae
“Should I be offended that you didn’t trust me enough to tell me, love?” Rowan trudges up beside me.
If anyone should be offended, it’s probably me. Kai didn’t really have a right to share my personal information with Rowan.
“Why is he coming again?” I say with heavy sarcasm. Rowan laughs, bumping me playfully with his shoulders.
“Two pairs of hands protecting our Mortal Queen are better than one,” Kai suggests.
“This is why I need this done.” I shrug. “I don’t want anyone tohaveto do the protecting.”
“Oh, you’re never going to escape that.” Rowan reminds me. “You’re a queen. You’re royalty. Someone is always going to be trying to protect you. While someone else is also always trying to kill you.”
Damn.
The three of us, all incredibly casually dressed, turn toward the front doors of the long hallway that runs the length of the castle. I run through Rowan’s quick tour of the castle trying to distinguish where the portals might be. He didn’t mention any that I know of.
“Where are your portals? Do you not have a hallway filled with them like the Shadow Court?”
“No. Oh, most certainly not. Mother frowns upon such heavy traveling. She says it only creates more Shadow Fae.” Kai tilts his head from side to side contemplating the idea. “She isn’t totally wrong.” He offers a smile.
“Our portals are mostly spread amongst the forest, the one we walked to on your first visit here. You fell right into my arms that day. Do you remember that?” Rowan nudges me with his elbow again.
“Yes, I do.”
“Well, she’s certainly fallen back out of your arms since then.” Kai reaches for the large iron doors. He does nothing more than wave his hand before they swing wide. “We talked about this. You’ve got to back off.”
“I’m not touching her.” He scoffs. “I told you I wasn’t going to touch her.” Rowan points his long lashes at me, batting them. “Unless she asks.”
“I probably won’t be doing that anytime soon.” I suggest, as casually as I can.
“A shame.”
“Ignore him,” Kai adjusts his own backpack. “He wasn’t raised to have the manners it takes to be heir.”
Kai’s jab feels more like the cutting slash of a blade. Rowan walks through the doors, letting them close loudly behind us without even showing his offense. Though, the tips of his ears, poking out of his braids do turn a brilliant red.
This is going to be a long trip.
“So,” I clear my throat. I watch my steps carefully, as I maneuver the couple of steps down to the stone path that leads to the woods. My ankles still mildly hold the pain of my fall from grace last night. “How do I make sure I don’t randomly go through a portal?”
“Well they’re clearly marked.” Kai says, reluctantly adding. “For Fae eyes.”
“Little Mortal eyes may have trouble making out the markings between the trees. So just step where we step and—Briar! What did you do to your head?” Rowan stops behind me. He reaches for the goose egg, from the night before that’s appeared since my head met the innerworkings of my closet in such a personal way, stopping himself before his hand touches it.
My hand trails up into my hair, rubbing it gently. The knot is still tender to every brush of my fingers.
“Is it that bad? That big?” I breathe. Maybe I should have looked in the mirror better if it’s that noticeable.
“You have a second head growing on your head.” Rowan lifts his chin, examining it.
“Stop looking at it. I’m fine.” I step away.
Two warm hands clasp my arms, holding me in my spot. Kai’s eyebrows turn to one as he scrunches them together. “You’re bruised. Who did this to you?”
I slither out from his hands, swatting him away as he tries to reach for me again. A blush creeps up my neck. And now I have to tell them that I did it to myself?
“Just forget about it. We have places to go.” I take a step. In the same heartbeat both Kai and Rowan dart from behind me to form a new wall in front of me. I cross my arms over my chest. “Seriously?”
“Seriously,” Kai deadpans.
