I struggled with an intake of breath. He stood and started toward me, about to speak again, just as the door swung open and then his face flushed with anger.
“Elfreda!” Steed was through the door and to me in two long strides. He grabbed me at the waist, picking me up and spinning me like a child, my cloak swirling behind me. The shock and exuberance of his greeting was too much and I couldn’t help but let out a breathless laugh. He put me down but kept me close, his hands still at my waist.
“Steed.” I was almost winded. “What are you doing here?”
He glanced at Chevelle then, who still plainly wore irritation, and his carefree smile dissolved. “I was heading to Bray and ran across some trackers.” Chevelle’s eyes flicked to my face and then back to Steed. Steed dropped his hands from my waist as he looked back at me. “I saw the horses out front and couldn’t resist. Knew you’d be missing me.”
I tried to smile but the thought of trackers had taken the thrill of the unexpected visitor. The vision of flames was threatening again.
Chevelle threw on his cloak and hooded his head. “Stay here,” he ordered me, quite directly, as he gestured toward Steed, who turned and followed him outside.
I wasn’t sure how long they’d be gone. I went to one of the small windows on the front wall and peered cautiously out. They were nowhere to be seen but the sights of the village distracted me in just a few short moments. It was so unlike home.
Night gave the dark stones an even darker appearance and the light of the fires hit the moisture from the snow, making them look glossy. In the mist, it reminded me of polished onyx. Fires lit each walkway and building I could see. I wasn’t sure how late it was but several villagers outside were loud and boisterous. They seemed to all be dressed in black. A few of the men had large silver breastplates and wrist cuffs. Most wore leather, laced tight against their muscular bodies. Few of them were thin or petite as the elves I was used to seeing. These were strong, like Chevelle and Steed. All had dark hair as well. And then I saw red hair. Ruby.
I cursed. She was approaching the house and I was alone. Part of me wondered if I was fast enough to get to my room and close myself in before she came in. I hadn’t made up my mind before the door opened beside me.
She purred. “Well, well. Alone are we?” She was smiling wickedly. She came closer, so close I became even more uncomfortable. “Let’s talk…”
She leaned in as she spoke and I thought I saw something glisten in the air between us. I was frozen there as she kept coming. I wasn’t sure she didn’t plan on kissing me but I couldn’t move away…
“Stop!” Chevelle’s voice was angry as she was whisked away from me, laughing. Her red curls brushed my face on their way past.
“Just having a little fun, Vattier.” Her voice was calm, full of humor.
It sounded as if she were far away. Or as if I were in a tunnel. Chevelle was still talking to her, an angry rumble, and then at once they were gone. My head swirled and I felt off balance. I started to stumble and a strong hand was on my arm.
“Easy there, Honeysuckle.” Steed’s voice beside me cleared my head a bit.
“What happened?” I asked, confused. My mouth tingled.
“A little fairy dust. Breath of the siren.”
“Wha?” My tongue was thick. Steed chuckled.
“Intoxicating, isn’t it?” I could hear the smile in his voice. My nose tingled and I scrunched it up a little then giggled at the feeling.
I shook my head, trying to clear it. “Fairy breath?” He laughed again.
“Red. She’s a half breed.” I was confused but wasn’t sure that was what my face showed. “How do you feel?”
“Weird.”
“Yes, that’s normal.”
“Hot,” I said, unclasping my cloak and tossing it off behind me. I swayed.
“Maybe you should sit down,” he warned.
Yes, that was a good idea. “Half breed?” I asked, unable to form full sentences.
“Half fairy, half elf.” He sat in a chair as he started to answer and I kept moving past the bench where I intended to land and crawled on his lap, curling my feet up, knees to my chest. His voice seemed mesmerizing as he continued, “Her mother was a fairy from the West. Fiery one, her.”
I wrapped my arms around my legs, holding my knees tight, and placed my chin there to make a headrest. “Tell me more.” It was all I could do to pay attention to his words, but I was fascinated.
“Her father was a dark elf. When her mother died during childbirth, he left her here in the village. I suppose it was for the best, really, since she can’t fly. The fairies would have tormented her. She’s still a bit of an outcast though…” He was still talking as I struggled to catch up in my head.