Page 17 of Given to the Fae
Only thoughts of how weak it’ll make me look in front of the others keeps the food from making a reappearance.
It’s only happened twice. Perhaps there was some reason why the fae males weren’t harmed. Perhaps they’re Kismet, too. Perhaps they have some magick that keeps them safe, a charm or a conjure.
I glance at Jak, still plodding behind the cart on his horse while he scans the trees.
I’ve never heard of any others, but there must be…or at leasthave been…for there to be a name for what I am...mustn’t there? I latch onto that thought. There’s a reason. There has to be. The other explanation is too terrifying to contemplate seriously, and Bere was hurt when he slapped me last night.
It worked on Bere.
That thought alone succeeds in calming me down before I start breathing too fast and lose consciousness. I’ve always made sure that I’ve been alone when that happens. It’s a rarity, but it’s yet another weakness I have to keep secret so that it isn’t exploited somehow.
We keep going at a steady pace for a few hours. At midday, the fae don’t stop, but they do eat a light meal while they sit atop their horses. Even the bulls are allowed to partake, I suppose because they’re being forced to walk. Bell, Ila, and I get nothing, not even water.
And then I see it. The stone circle rises ominously out of the hill ahead. We’ll be going through the Breach again soon. I clench my fists, hoping that I don’t hear all those awful sounds again, or feel as if I’m going to die.
‘Get ready. It should be soon. We’re lucky we got here in time. Any later and we’d have had to wait until tomorrow.’ Bere laughs. ‘And by the looks of the females, I doubt they’d survive another night out here!’
The guffaws have Bell and Ila surreptitiously clutching each other’s hands where no one can see but me, and I raise a brow at Bell. She’s not usually one to be friendly, after all. She narrows her eyes in response and says nothing.
I look around for Jak though I don’t know why I can’t simply forget about him. I find him closer than I expect. His horse is at my back and he’s watching me. Our eyes lock and I hear it, the whistle of the Bridge opening. My stomach does a summersault and something must show in my expression, because he frowns at me. I twist away quickly.
We move forward, the cart bouncing hard over the path as the terrain begins to get rougher near to the Ring. I breathe deeply through my nose as it passes under the carved stone arc. At first, I think that the last trip was a one-off, but then I hear them.
Whispers assail me, moving as if they’re coming from tiny creatures flying around my ears. Are they Dark Realm? Ghosts of those who’ve been lost to the Breach?
I put my hands over my ears and cower in the cart, not caring if anyone sees. The sounds get louder, screeching and screaming. They become deafening and my head feels as if it’s going to split open. I think I scream as well, and then all goes dark.
The next soundsmy ears pick up are fae in origin. ‘Gate Sickness,’ are the first words I hear clearly as I open my eyes and sit up. I’m still in the cart. Ila and Bell are staring. I jump as ahand darts through the bars to turn my head roughly. I cringe when I see it’s Bere, lowering my eyes immediately.
What’s your name, girl?’
‘Bryn, my lord.’
‘You,’ he points at Bell.
‘Bell, my lord,’ she murmurs breathily.
Bere snarls at her. ‘I mean, is Bryn this female’s name, you half-witted cunt.’
‘Aye, my lord,’ Bell mutters, no longer acting the seductress.
‘How many fingers, Bryn?’
I look at the hand that’s in front of me. ‘Two, my lord.’
‘Where are you being taken?’ he asks, letting go of me finally.
‘To market, my lord.’
‘Whose cock is the biggest you’ve had?’
‘Yours, my lord,’ I answer without hesitation, thankful that I’ve woken with my wits intact.
Bere chuckles and then guffaws. ‘She’s well enough,’ he announces. ‘Locke, have two of the men take her to the healer.’
‘Aye,’ his second murmurs, not looking at me.
I glance around and see that we’re in a stable. The two bulls have been put in separate stalls and have been fitted with iron collars and chains. Both are eating meat and aren’t focusing on anything but the food in front of them.
