Page 94 of Owned By the Fae
‘This map must be important if it was broken into bits and hidden on different worlds,’ she says.
She thinks for a moment. ‘And that they were encased in iron as well. It doesn’t make sense … unless they weren’t meant for the creatures of the Dark Realms, but for humans.’
‘Agreed. But where does it lead? And why does Varrik want to go there?’
Her brow furrows as she turns the page over and stares at the writing on the other side.
‘This was in a book close by. We can't read it. It's in some magickal code.’
‘Dane?’ she asks.
‘Maybe. Perhaps show him when he next comes to you? You’re likely to see him first.’
She doesn't answer and I look at her closely. There are dark rings under her eyes, and it appears as if she hasn't been sleeping. I take her hand and squeeze it gently.
‘We're going to get you out of here,’ I say. ‘I promise.’
She nods almost absently.
‘You should go,’ she says. ‘Dane will probably be here soon. He's only visited me once today, and you know Varrik’s orders.’
She goes back to the chair and stares despondently into the fire. Grey and I look at each other worriedly.
‘We need to get her away from here as soon as we can guarantee success,’ I whisper to him, and he nods emphatically, his worried eyes surveying our female.
Chapter Eleven
Lia
I'm sitting on the bed, staring at the yellow flowers in the drawer next to it. There are ten of them inside, all brought to me by Kallum over the past days. I can’t stop thinking about them, something niggling at me as my eyes drift over the petals and when I touch them. I hold one in my hands, trying to work out what’s so special about it. But it just looks like any other flower to me. There’s nothing that makes it stand out specifically.
I hear muffled voices in the hall outside my door and drop the flower back into the drawer, closing it quietly and moving away from it. I think it’s best if my little collection isn’t common knowledge, considering how Grith reacted to them when he found my drawer full of them all those years ago. I’d always assumed he’d been jealous that someone was giving me gifts and had destroyed them to be cruel, but now I’m not so sure, or, at least, perhaps it wasn’tjustthat. He certainly was thorough about ensuring he burned every single one to ash and searched my room for them every day over the days that followed before I escaped.
I look up as my door opens to see Jak, and I smile. I haven’t seen him since he healed me, that day that Dane ... I’ve lost trackof how many days ago that was. When he didn’t return, I sort of wondered if perhaps he’d felt put upon by having to deal with the human’s many injuries, which had smarted a bit because I thought we were on our way to becoming friends. Because of that, I find myself a bit wary as he enters, wondering why he’s here.
‘Are you well?’ he asks, looking as if he thinks I might not be.
I nod, and he frowns.
‘I’m sorry I haven’t come to look in on you.’ He glances away. ‘Healer Skith told me ... I wasn’t permitted to see you now that he’s taken over yourcare.’
His last word is said with such animosity that I’m certain he knows what Skith’s brand of care looks like.
‘I snuck away, so I won’t have long before he begins to wonder where I’ve got to.’
Jak surveys me slowly as he talks. ‘You look tired,’ he remarks, his brow furrowing as he peers at me carefully.
I chuckle. ‘A lack of sleep is the least of my worries.’
He winces and looks concerned. ‘I heard about Varrik’s orders ... Is there anything I can bring you? If you want anything,anything at all, you need only ask me.’
‘Do you mean that?’ I ask, a bit overcome by his generosity.
In the fold, a place where I’m despised, an offer like this is more rare and more precious than anything I can think of. Never have I been given such a promise.
‘Of course,’ he replies readily. ‘After everything, I’d like to think that we’re friends, Lia. Anything.Herbs. Teas.’
He says those last words meaningfully, and I give him a small smile. He would risk Varrik’s wrath to ensure I wasn’t bred against my wishes. I’m glad I don’t have to ask that of him.
