Page 90 of Given to the Fae
Perhaps she does trust me more than I thought. I feel a pang deep in my chest as I turn toward her, draping my arm around her and hearing her soft sigh.
Though my own slumber doesn’t come, I close my eyes and relax until I hear the others returning to their room next to ours awhile later.
I feel her stir beside me. She stiffens when she feels my arm around her waist but soon calms when I don’t move it.
‘About the things I said before, do you know what it could be?’ she murmurs, not looking at me.
‘Are you feeling yourself now?’
‘Yes,’ she whispers. ‘Nothing like yesterday.’
I need her to tell me the rest of her story, the things she’s keeping close.
‘Let me think on it,’ I say after a beat, ‘but you must tell me if anything else happens, and I’ll help if you feel like that again.’ I squeeze her shoulder gently. ‘You don’t want to be feeling that wayout therealone. Not many males will ask questions if a beautiful female wants them. All right?’
Her answering snort is soft, and I take hold of her shoulder firmly, turning her to face me and noting that she comes willingly.
‘I know you don’t think yourself attractive,’ I say and watch as she cringes in on herself.
My eyes narrow. She thinks I’m playing some cruel game with her.
‘Bryn.’
She glances up at me, her eyes surprisingly angry.
‘I mean it. I don’t care what others have told you. You need to understand that you are looked at and you are coveted even without the bracelet. You will be in danger if you’re alone when...ifit happens again.’
‘That isn’t true,’ she whispers. ‘It can’t be.’
‘Why?’ I ask impatiently, ‘because masters have told you things to make you feel small and stupid, ugly and useless?’
Her bottom lip trembles.
‘They say those things to many of the slaves. It’s a way of keeping them from fighting back, Bryn.’
She lets out a caustic laugh.
‘There’s no need for them to do that. There is no fighting back for us, Jak.’
‘They also do it because words can hurt and punish as surely as the lash. Tell me you will let me know of even the smallest change.’
‘I will,’ she says, and I narrow my eyes because I don’t believe her.
‘Promise it.’
‘I promise,’ she says, her eyes widening a little.
‘It’s binding when you make an agreement with a fae,’ I tell her and it’s only half a lie. ‘I mean it, Bryn.’
‘Fine,’ she grates out. ‘I’ll tell you.’
I give her shoulder a squeeze and get up from the bed.
There’s a knock at the door and Morgan comes into our small room.
‘The lunar celebrations will begin soon. We thought to join them.’
He looks at Bryn, and I know this is for her because Morgan rarely makes decisions with thoughts of diversion and entertainment in mind.
