Page 31 of Beyond the Faerie Gate

“I just know,” Rose shrugs, suddenly interested in her plate.

“Can you use that knowledge to find them?” I ask. “It should feel like a pull.”

Our oaths connect us to her. It’s not as strong as a mate bond, but it should work the same.

She chews slowly, considering it. “I’m not sure.”

Drystan scoffs, and I raise my brows at him before turning back to her. “It should be like an awareness.” I struggle to describe the feeling. “A pull in your gut.”

Maybe this is asking too much. She hasn’t grown up with her magic, hasn’t learned to distinguish the threads of her own power from those bound to protect her. Damn it, she hasn’t even discovered what her powers are yet.

But we need more hands to protect her.

A shield appears over the door, and I hurry to dispel it before either of them can notice. At least, unlike us, Rose won’t start losing control of her powers now that she’s found her mates. Her connection to Danu keeps her magic stable, which should give her time to get used to her magic without it bursting out of her.

That’s the one thing which won’t give her away.

Unfortunately, her Guard doesn’t have the same advantage. I have no idea what powers the others possess, but I have a feeling I’m going to be banishing shields left, right, and centre until she cements the bond between us. For the first time, I find myself wishing my power was something more subtle, like enchanting.

I switch to speaking in fae, hating myself for excluding her even as I console myself that I’m trying not to scare her.

“We should head for Elfhame. There are ways into the city from Lake Orvendel—”

Drystan scoffs. “You honestly think they won’t have the lake locked down? No. She needs a crash course in finding her Guards, and she needs to do it now. With any luck, they’re already on their way. I have no idea how they’re not here already given the strength of her Call last night.”

At least I wasn’t the only one who slept poorly.

“Well, we can’t linger here,” I grumble.

The longer we stay, the more risk of Rose being discovered. Life on the road isn’t going to be easy for her, but it’s safer.

“Agreed.” Drystan is already halfway to the door, hand resting on the handle. “We gather supplies today and head out by nightfall. If we keep moving, we stand less chance of being caught.”

“I’ll visit the bank and get some money out.” I can’t allow him to be the only one financing this whole thing. “I’ll see about getting Rose a horse—”

“She can’t ride.” Drystan rolls his eyes. “Did you see the way she tensed up the second I pulled her up on Blizzard? Or her awful dismount?”

For a second, I wonder who Blizzard is, before I realise it must be the name of his horse.

“I’ll ride with her again,” he continues, reverting to English once more. “You might need to shift if trouble finds us, and she won’t be able to control a horse by herself.”

“Fine, but I want to teach Rose to use glamour before we leave,” I retort. “She shouldn’t be without that basic magic, at least.”

“Hurry up.”

Without even saying goodbye, Drystan wrenches open the door and strides out, leaving Rose and me alone. She finished her breakfast while we argued, and she stares at me with wild eyes as she waits to see what I have planned for her.

I hesitate for a second before drawing her out of her chair and over to the large, oval-shaped mirror on the wall. My hands rest gently on her shoulders—careful to avoid her wings—as I try to line her up so her whole body is visible.

The teal dress sheaths her frame like it was made for her, and the thin fabric shows me exactly when her nipples start to pebble beneath it. It takes all my concentration to look away and angle my hips so she can’t accidentally brush against the erection that just won’t go down in her presence.

She’s staring into her own violet eyes like she doesn’t recognise herself. I suppose she probably doesn’t. When she lets out a long sigh, I offer her a soft smile.

“I love your eyes,” I murmur. “But they’re a mark of who you are. I need you to put all your focus into imagining them as they were before.”

“What will that accomplish?” she asks.

“Glamour is an illusion,” I explain. “It’s the simplest form of magic, and all fae can use it to varying extents. All you need is a clear intention. So if you can imagine your old eyes and hold that image there in your mind, you should be able to glamour yourself.”

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