Page 75 of Given to the Fae
She hobbles over to me, and I glance up at the fae males who are being embroiled in an argument with the cart driver.
Morgan is the only one who’s looking at me, but he’s trying not to, and I see that they’re intentionally keeping me behind them, as if pretending that I wasn’t part of what happened.
I get to my knees, and the old woman reaches down a hand, taking mine in her bony grip. She squeezes my fingers gently.
‘Never seen one of you before,’ she says with a mostly toothless smile. She taps the side of her nose as she gives the fae males a quick look. ‘Best go, girl, before the market warden decides it was your fault.’
She gestures at an imperious-looking pearlescent-skinned demon with silver wings folded down over her shoulders to form a cloak who’s making her way through the crowd toward us.
I nod and get to my feet with a grimace just as Locke snarls at the cart driver that he was driving too fast. Others are nodding and the warden waves her clawed hand in a flippant gesture as soon as she sees that Locke is a mage as well.
Locke nods and begins walking away with his horse. Jak and Morgan follow, and Morgan motions for me to stay behind his mount.
I do it, keeping my gait slow to ensure no one thinks I’m trying to flee the scene.
We turn a corner into a quiet street, and I think Locke is going to give me a tongue lashing, but all he does is throw a bundle at me.
‘Change.’
I blink at him, but he’s already turning away, as are the others. They create a barrier so that no one can see past them, and I roll my eyes. I’m a slave. I have no modesty.
But then I unroll the bundle and gasp, understanding why they’re hiding me. There are breeches and a black shirt with a matching tunic and boots.
I pull the dress off, looking around to make sure no one’s watching because, if anyone sees what I’m doing, I’ll be flayed alive and hung from the city gibbets for the crows, and even Locke won’t be able to protect me.
I throw the shirt over my head and put the breeches on, buttoning them. Everything fits as if it was made for me, even the boots, and soon I’m standing in the street looking nothing like a slave at first glance.
But I’m human. It’s easy to see.
‘I’m finished,’ I say.
Locke turns back to me, his eyes surveying my garb with a critical eye. He seems satisfied.
‘The bracelet.’
I pick up the dress and delve into the pocket, finding it and holding it out to him.
‘Put it on, Bryn.’
I slip it over my hand, and I hear Morgan’s low exclamation.
I look up at him in question.
‘She looks fae. Her ears.’
I touch my ears and my mouth drops open. The tips feel pointed!
‘Even her eyes are changed. Look. Deep violet like ours are when we aren’t dulling them.’
‘Where did you find an illusion medallion?’ Morgan whispers in awe. ‘They’re illegal these days.’
Locke snorts. ‘So are black fights, but you seem to find those easily enough. You just have to know where to look.’
His assessing eyes move over me, and I can’t help but wonder, as I look at my smooth unscarred wrists, if he likes the way I look like this. But his eyes move away from me quickly.
‘Keep it on unless I tell you to remove it, and, for fuck’s sake, call us by our names,’ he says impatiently. ‘Now, let’s go or we really will miss the Gate.’
My mind is alive with ideas. With a fae artifact that can change my appearance, I could go anywhere. I could do anything. This is the best chance I’ve ever had to escape and I have somewhere to go. The Light Realm.
