Page 99 of Owned By the Fae
It nods thoughtfully.
‘I think you should ... keep them close to you. When you’re awake, I mean. I think they’re helping us.’
‘Helping us how?’
Its eyes don’t leave the small plant. ‘I had been getting weaker, as you know. This binding saps my strength with every moment. I thought I might not ... have long before I faded away.’
‘It’s that strong?’ I exclaim. ‘Why didn’t you tell me? I could have ... told Varrik. He doesn’t want yougone. Perhaps he would have changed it.’
‘You think he’d have believed adeceitful human?’ It gives me an incredulous look. ‘We each have our ... trials here. I didn’t want to add to yours. But since Kallum has been bringing the flowers, the conjure isn’t affecting my power as much.’
‘I’ll keep them close then,’ I promise, but I can see it barely hears me, its attention taken completely by the little yellow flower in front of it that it’s gently caressing.
We stay like that for a long time before I’m drawn back into the waking world with the sun.
Dane isnext to me on the bed when I open my eyes. He's early. I suppose he wants to get it out of the way. He doesn't say aword. He just raises my nightgown and spreads my legs, settling between them. He pushes in gently, and I find that, for once, I'm already wet for him. He also takes me calmly. Slowly. Gently. His gaze doesn’t leave my face, and I don't like it.
I'd rather he turned me over and ignored me than whatever this is. It’s as if he's making love to me, but that's not right because he doesn't love me.
He loves Fiana.
I try not to look into his eyes even when he cups my face and surges forward. Even when he becomes frustrated that I'm not looking at him in whatever way he wants me to.
My muscles ache from Fiana’s favored pain conjures, but I don’t show it. It’s not as if anyone can do anything to help. Next to Varrik, Fiana might be the strongest Skilled in the Fold as I can’t really count the Harbinger at the moment. I can just imagine Dane’s incredulous reaction if I said something about her visits as well.
When Dane is finished, he pulls my clothes down to hide me from his view again. He looks at me pensively.
‘Did Kal tell you about the amulet?’ he asks.
I nod.
‘I’m trying to sort through Varrik’s wards to see if I can find a way to use the Gate without his permission.’
My eyes search his. I didn’t realize he was trying toactivelyhelp still. Since Fiana got back, I assumed he didn’t have the time.
‘How did you do it when you escaped before? I know you used it. You must have made it work for you. How?’
‘I don’t know,’ I answer, a brittle laugh bubbling up at his disbelieving expression. ‘The Harbinger did it.’
Does he think I’m lying?
‘If I knew exactly how it did it, don’t you think I’d tell you? I went in. I set the fire. I willed the Gate to open, and the Harbinger made it so.’
‘I didn’t mean to imply that you weren’t telling the truth. I’m sorry, Lia,’ he says quietly, and then he turns toward the door without waiting for a response.
But as he passes the table, he knocks the pile of books on it, and a piece of paper flutters to the floor. He picks it up and frowns at it.
‘What is this?’
I flaunt Fiana’s rules as I get out of bed. She never comes while Dane is still here anyway. I look at the paper.
‘Just the map that Grey and Kal found in Varrik’s study the other night. I don’t think it’s a way out of here, and without the key, we don’t know where it is or where it leads.’
I realize that he hasn’t seen it yet. We haven’t all been together since Fiana returned. I was going to show it to him, but ... ‘It slipped my mind.’
He stares at it, and his brows rise. ‘I think ...’ He glances at me. ‘This is the Light Realm, Lia.’ He sounds in awe. ‘I’m sure of it.’
I look down at the parchment. ‘So ... the Light Realm is the place to start?’ I shake my head. ‘But then where does it go? And what’s the point of it? The Light Realm is impossible to get to. Why would he care about this?’
