Page 59 of Beyond the Faerie Gate

“Come on, I have it all set up!”

“Are you sure we should be doing—?”

My protest is cut off as Lore blinks us again.

This time, when I open my eyes, I’m at the top of an immensely tall tree, bundled between Lore’s chest and the spiky branches at my back.

“I wanted you to see this,” Lore blurts, excitedly. “Look, everything from that gap in the trees there to this waterfall is my court.”

I frown. “What court is that?”

“The Court of Blades, naturally. A minor court within the Autumn Court.”

I try to follow his finger, but if I’m honest, this high in the trees, all I can see is… trees.

“You don’t like?”

I bite my lip. “I can’t really see much of it,” I admit.

He pouts like I’ve just ruined his entire evening, and I find myself smiling, despite myself. “It looks very majestic.”

He shrugs against me, blinking us down from the tree and onto a blanket spread out by the side of a small waterfall. “It doesn’t matter if you don’t. I’ll just burn it down.”

He says it so matter-of-factly that I don’t doubt him. This male would burn down the world if I asked him to, and he’d consider it a fun evening.

Lore pulls me down until I’m sitting in his lap. My redcap doesn’t seem like he can stop touching me as he hugs me against his chest with one arm and reaches for a glass of wine with the other. He holds the liquid to my lips, resisting my attempts to take it from him until I give up and just accept it.

I’ve never been a big drinker, and I have no idea how strong fae alcohol is, so I take my first sip with an overabundance of caution.

Bubbles erupt on my tongue, filling my mouth with effervescent sweetness. Whatever is in that glass is nicer than any wine I’ve ever drunk before, and I lick my lips, hating the idea of wasting a single drop.

“What is this?” I wonder, taking a second, larger mouthful.

“Fae wine,” Lore grins. “I had a feeling you’d like it. It entrances mortals, you know. Makes them mad from cravings.”

I swallow my mouthful and look at him. “But not me, right?”

He smirks, stroking a hand through my hair affectionately. “I wouldn’t mind entrancing you, pet. But unfortunately, this won’t do it.”

I look around us on the blanket, trying to see where he’s taken us. There’s nothing around besides the forest and the water, and I frown.

“I thought the Fomorians used the water?”

“They do.”

“So why are we here?” Isn’t this dangerous?

Lore leans back. “If they come along, I get to kill something, and you can admire my prowess like a good little pet.” He must sense I’m not entirely reassured because he grins. “Scared?”

“Yes.” I have no qualms about admitting it. “They just killed me a few days ago.”

It’s surreal to say that aloud. I died, and now I’ll do anything to avoid repeating the experience.

His eyes darken to a deep blood-red colour, and a dangerous glint enters them. “I know.”

A nagging suspicion enters my mind. “You aren’t… We aren’t here as bait, are we?”

He raises my glass to my lips again, eyes alight with mischief. “Why on earth would I use you to lure some of our deadliest natural enemies to my door?”

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