Page 78 of Accidental Fae (Fae War Chronicles 1)

“What is yer’ name?” the husband questions.

“Ember,” I reply without thinking. Truth be told, I probably shouldn’t just be telling anyone that.

“I’m Griffin, this is my mate, Laoise.”

“Nice to meet you both.”

“Why were ye’ out there half nekkid?” Laoise questions. “Were ye’ harmed?”

“I was traveling with someone.” Little Seamus begins to fuss, so I hand him to his mother. Without hesitation, she pulls out a swollen breast and offers it to the baby.

“Were they killed, then?”

“No. Or—I don’t think so. I need to get back out there. I can return your dress.” Truthfully, I never planned on staying, so I really shouldn’t have accepted it. I was just so grateful to feel warm.

“I won’t hear of it. Ye’ll keep the dress. Looks right on you.”

“Ye’ really shouldn’t be traveling alone in these woods, ’tis not safe. Royal guards patrol regularly.”

“You are hiding from the king?”

Laoise snorts. “Who isn’t? We need Rafferty to come back, to save us from this.”

“Rafferty allowed Taranus to take over in the first place!” Griffin argues. “He should have killed the little twit the moment he began questioning orders!”

“You know Rafferty?”

Both eyes turn to me.

“Who’s askin’?” Laoise questions.

“That’s who I was traveling with. Rafferty. Big, muscled man, scar on the side of his face.”

Laoise gasps. “He’salive?”

“Yes.”

“We assumed he’d be dead by now. That Taranus would have killed him.”

I shake my head. “He’s alive.” Closing my eyes, I clasp my hands together. “Or he was. We were attacked.”

“Where did the two of ye’ meet?”

“The castle. I helped break him out, and he rescued me from—well, from Taranus.”

Griffin woots and I jump. “I knew the bastard was too hard to kill!”

I don’t bother to point out to him that he was just blaming Rafferty, because he looks so genuinely pleased I wonder if his anger was perhaps grief.

“How long ago was he captured?”

“Few months,” Griffin replies. “We had just left the camp to find a place to settle for the babe to be born. Got word of it days later. They swooped in, de-winged him right in front of the entire camp.”

It’s my turn to be shocked now. My heart breaks for the man who’s risked everything to help me. Who swore to keep me safe. “They cut his wings off?”

“Not just anyone,” Griffin replies. “His own brother did it.”

“Taranus,” I growl his name. I may not have been here long, but even I can see what a plague he is on this world. “He could be injured. I really need to find him. To make sure he’s okay. He was wearing nothing but a torn pair of shorts.”

---