Page 54 of Beyond the Faerie Gate

Jaromir

Rose is staring at us both with wide, spooked eyes, like she expects us to burst into rage again at any moment. She has been since Kitarni made us stop.

She’s not used to the violence that fae enjoy. Shit, she’s barely used to the idea of being a fae.

But when I saw the redcap taking advantage of her, I couldn’t stop myself.

Rose is innocent. Lorcan is decidedly not. Redcaps don’t do the sweet, gentle coaxing Rose deserves from her first lover. They fuck. Hard. And they’re not normally picky about how public it is. Of all the males in her Guard, Lorcan is the least suitable to introduce Rose to intimacy.

“I would never have let her get hurt,” the redcap objects. “Besides, a little blood always makes fucking more fun.”

I rest my case.

My nostrils flare as I catch the scent of her desire. It was heavy in the room before, coating the air with a sweetness I wanted to gulp down like wine, but it’s tainted now with shock and fear. The bookcase they were pressed against shimmers with fae dust. Her fae dust. Proof of her desire.

Beneath my skin, the Call, which flared bright during our fight, is still drawn tight with the lingering vestiges of her terror.

“Why are you so wet?” she whispers, staring at me.

I blink at her. Did she just…?

“So you can speak Fae,” Drystan growls, echoing my thoughts.

Rose’s eyes dart towards him, and her body collapses in on itself. Her posture is so submissive that her words throw me for a second.

“And I darn socks very well, thank you very much.”

Oh, she might look meek, but those words were fire.

Did Drystan just… snort? “When exactly were you planning on telling us?”

Rose looks at Kitarni, as if looking for support, and the high priestess gives her a subtle nod.

“When you stopped keeping everything from me.”

Lorcan grins, the expression making him look even more terrifying than normal. “Our little Rose has thorns,” he singsongs.

Kitarni clears her throat, drawing our attention back to her. “I’ll go and pack supplies for our trip.”

“Trip?” I ask.

Rose nods. “We’re going to find my last Guard. He’s being held captive south of here.”

So she can sense us now? Relief hits me hard. Now, if she’s separated from us, she’ll be able to find her way back.

I hold out a hand for Rose to take as Kitarni slips away, and I swear I don’t even breathe until she slips her tiny palm in mine, allowing me to lead her over to the sofa. As she sits down, the damned redcap takes a seat on the arm beside her and begins playing with her hair, leaving her other side free for me. I eye him with suspicion as I take the spot and start inspecting her for wounds.

My mind flicks back to her earlier question, and I realise we never answered her.

“We’re wet because we made a bargain with a kelpie to get to you before Caed did,” I explain, sighing in relief when I don’t come across any obvious injuries. “When you suddenly seemed to jump across the realm, we were worried that something had happened to you.”

Rose lets go of my hand, and I mourn the loss for a second before her fingers start exploring the bandage wrapped around it. She works the knot at the base of my wrist, loosening it before I realise what she’s doing.

“You want to see your mark?” I ask.

She bites her lip. “I want to know why you keep it covered up. Kitarni said you all have them, but Lorcan is the only one who has his on display. You two hide them.”

“I thought you’d be scared,” I mutter, as she pulls away the final piece of fabric and exposes the delicate lines of the skull and rose on my palm.

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