Page 124 of Owned By the Fae
I stay in front with Lia, and the others trail behind us. I notice that one of the fae males keeps looking back, specifically at Grey.
He sees me noticing and says something to his friend.
‘What is it?’ I ask.
‘Your friend there,’ he murmurs. ‘Is his name ... Grenele?’
‘Grey,’ I say, but the name is too close to be a coincidence.
Could Grey be right? Does he know this place? Is he known here?
Neither of them speaks again as they lead us down forest trails, and it's not long before we exit the trees, which give way to meadows and farmland where crops are being tilled.
I can see a town in the valley below us and, beyond that, an imposing walled city on top of the next hill.
‘Is that where we're going?’ I ask.
The taller one nods.
‘How did we get here?’ I hear Dane ask. ‘The jewel was meant to take us to the Light Realm, and the map was to lead us tothe entrance to the Underhill. If opening the Breach and coming here was so simple, why the map? Why cut it up and hide it? Why make it at all? It doesn’t make sense.’
We’re led into a small village with colorful buildings and fountains, plants everywhere, and …fae.
My mouth drops open. So many fae. I stare at a female walking by with a babe on her hip, never having seen one so tiny before.
But we don't stop. We're brought up the hill to the walled city I saw from the ridge. They take us under the raised portcullis.
‘Everyone here's fae,’ Grey whispers, and I nod.
‘They look different from us, though.’
We try not to stare. Their eyes are violet. They don't look exactly like any of the fae of Varrik’s fold.
I feel eyes on Lia, and I draw her closer as fae stop in the street to gape at us, speaking openly about the human in my arms. One or two look angry.
We’re taken through an elaborate wooden door and directly into a white marble room with stone floors and golden filigree throughout the plasterwork in the ceiling. It's intricate and bright, with color everywhere.
Fae mill around the room, murmuring in small groups. All are dressed more finely than the ones outside.
‘What is the meaning of this?’ a voice echoes through the room.
Beyond the fae crowd, I see five chairs on a high dais. Three are empty, but the other two are taken up by a female and a male. They're dressed in elaborate silks and dripping in jewels.
‘They wear clothes like Varrik,’ Dane says, and I nod, keeping my arms tightly around Lia.
I don’t like the way these fae are looking at her and I note that both Grey and Dane have inched their way closer to her, too.She’s in the middle of us now, and I keep my eyes scanning the room in case anyone should try to harm her.
We’re all being stared at now, but the eyes definitely linger on Lia more than us.
‘Who are these odd-looking fae? And is thata human?’ The male on the dais asks, his distaste palpable as he stands up and squints down at us as we’re brought forward.
He and the female councilor look quite a bit older than many of the others here. The female raises a hand toward the male fae in placation.
‘Don’t jump to conclusions, Brakil,’ she scolds the other fae. ‘Bring them closer so they may explain themselves.’
We're led to the vacant area in front of the platform where the council members sit, and they both look down their noses at us, their gazes lingering on Lia as the others’ are.
‘I am Isbeth, first councilor of the Five,’ the female says coldly. ‘And you are?’
