“Oh, well yes, that would do.” She smiled at me as she licked another arrow. “You see, my dear, being a one of a kind… well, as far as I know… has its benefits. Though they weren’t always benefits. Ooh, in the beginning it was bad… but well, that’s the long version, isn’t it? No gory details.” She winked at Steed. “I am, how should I put it… venomous.”
I gasped. It was her expected response. “Yes, yes. I know.” She held her tongue out for me to examine. As she pressed another arrow against it, tiny slits opened up and released a translucent liquid. “Not really venom, per se, all fairies have it. A chemical to help break down their food. Just that mine is toxic to many. Not to worry though, I have pretty good control of it now. Nasty, poisonous stuff.” She laughed again, “You know, that’s what Chevelle thought I intended the first time I dusted you.” I recalled the panic in his voice before he whisked her away. Ugh, what a night. This one hadn’t gone a lot better.
“Ruby, please take Frey back to the house.” Chevelle was standing behind us. I was too exhausted to jump. She glanced back at him, not at all surprised he was there.
Her face crinkled. “Didn’t go well?” He didn’t respond but was obviously frustrated. I couldn’t tell if it was with Ruby or whatever hadn't gone well. Or the idiotic offspring of his parent’s murderer who tried to seduce him in a drunken stupor. It didn’t matter, I was being removed again.
Ruby rambled about all of the difficulties of and uses for venom on our way back. She’d gotten so involved in her stories I thought she must have forgotten I was there. Her last words confirmed it. “No one knew to check. How would they? I mean a new… species. A new breed. And lethal. Poison to her mother. They couldn’t even know that was what happened until the others. Until the pattern became patent and they found the source.”
Poison. To her mother.
Chapter Twelve
Unexpected Company
My dreams were wicked that night, all venom and wolves, snakes and beasts, death and fire. I woke in my bed, light filtered in through the window. The door was open and I could see Chevelle sitting in the front room. I was hesitant to face him.
I stayed there, awake, and ran back through the events of the night, the stories. I turned my head to bury it in a pillow when embarrassment flooded me again and a small black object on the side table caught my attention. I picked it up to examine. A small bird, carved of stone. A hawk. Of onyx.
I knew at once it was what Chevelle had been working on, carving. And then I recognized the stone, the large black stone that pummeled my face for days, and I couldn’t help but snicker. I remembered the tiny hawk he had made with magic and my disappointment when it had turned back to the dull gray rock. He had carved me this symbol with his own hands.
Now I was completely ashamed of my actions the previous night. Completely.
I closed my hand around it and noticed the painting on my wrist. A hawk. I knew I had to face him. This might be a peace offering. I stood and walked into the main room, clutching the figure in my fist for courage.
He was not alone.
A statuesque elf with chalcedony hair and eyes rose as I came into view. Not in the respectful, a lady entered the room way, but in a way that led me to believe he wasn’t happy to have me, or anyone, find him there. He held a long staff, gripped so tightly his knuckles whitened, and he was dressed in casual traveling clothes that didn’t seem to fit his posture.
I found myself questioning whether it were a disguise, and then I chastised myself for wandering around in ridiculous thoughts so often. They were watching me. Stupid brain fog.
I stood there for a moment, unsure if I should leave the room after I had so obviously interrupted or pretend I had a mission and make my way to Ruby’s room. I clearly wasn’t welcome there. Neither spoke. I lowered my gaze to the floor and took the shortest route to Ruby’s door, closing it behind me after a hasty entry.
I heard Chevelle speak to his guest. Asher, he had called him. Why couldn’t I have heard them before I came out of my room? Ugh. He was leaving. I thought Chevelle was trying to persuade him in some way, but the man was short and cold in his responses. Quiet, too. I imagined he didn’t want me to hear them. Paranoia. I heard the front door close as I flopped on the bed.
I jolted upright when Ruby’s door opened a few seconds later. It was Chevelle. My courage was gone again. He seemed to be waiting for me to speak. I tried, “I’m sorry I interrupted…” He nodded. Did he mean I had interrupted or it was okay? Ugh. Why did it tear me up so bad just to be around him?
He walked slowly toward the bed, glancing around at Ruby’s things on the shelves and walls, and then beside me. I hadn’t even noticed anything was there. I hurriedly peeked down to see what it was. Nothing of consequence, I was glad. And then he sat on the bed beside me. I forced myself to continue breathing and kept my gaze down, knowing a flush was coming.
He reached out and placed a hand under my chin, bringing my face up to meet his. The flush that followed was not from embarrassment. Heat flooded my neck as he spoke my name. “Frey.”