Chapter 23: Chapter Twenty-Three

I was invited by Finn to watch a dueling match between members of different races, according to Finn, it was the best way for me to understand the parts of other races that were not written in books and to get the real them, I needed to see them when all their inhibitions were low, and I could see them in their primal levels.

I agreed with Finn but what I failed to ask for was for him to get someone to escort me, since I forgot that, I had to go all on my own and this I did lowly, hoping not to run into anybody else other than my mate and best friend, the only two men I was still comfortable with even though they were not comfortable with each other. They were slowly learning for my sake though.

I mean it wouldn’t be so hard since they were aware that I was going to watch the crudely set up fights and so would be on their way to meet up with me.

“I smell a little rabbit.” A voice said from the shadows on the stairs which I had just started descending from. “A rabbit of mixed origin. Could it be the one I came to find? I ask myself but I will not know until a sample it.” The voice continued as my heart started beating out of sync because of fear. The Wild fae, people that were trying to kill my mother, Oh, principal Freddy was going to wish for death when I tell my father about the danger he had placed me in.

When the Wild fae started talking, I remembered the story my father told me about the Wild faes. When the Wild fae announce their presence to somebody, they either refer to the person as an equal, someone higher or lower. If it was an equal, they use words like pack and kind, if it was higher, they refer to the person as a predator, like a wolf, lion, and the like but if it is lower or they felt like attacking, it was customary in Faery to give the person a warning beforehand, they refer to the person as a prey. A rabbit or deer.

To avoid the attack, you were to refuse their words immediately canceling their right to hunt you.

When the shadows started moving immediately after the words of the individual, the story flashed into my head, and I quickly rushed out the words. “I revoke your offer and I am not interested in being your prey.”

The shadow paused as a chuckle started. “Good job princess. I should have known better than to believe the words of people when they said you were inexperienced in all things regarding faery.” A handsome man stepped out of the shadows, he seemed like he was in his early twenties, and he bowed to me, when he straightened I realized that he was not hiding in the shadows, the shadows were him, they clung to his skin and his person as if they were a part of him.

“Iris…” Finn's panicked voice said from afar as he rushed up the stairs coming from the direction of a huge bonfire that was a little far off.

As soon as he got up to the stairs, he placed himself in between me and the guy with the shadows dancing on his skin.

“You should relax, she passed the test. If she had not, you wouldn’t have seen her for a very long time.” The man grinned, looking more sinister with his eyes shaded.

“You are not welcomed on the school building, even if you were invited. She is on the school building right now so that would have meant that you disobeyed the rules of the game thereby making your hunt null and void. You don’t want her parents after you for going against the rules of the game set down by Faery herself.”

The man agreed with Finn words with a nod. “Children of these days are taught well. That is a good thing, anyway, I am invited, and I would like to participate the bonfire if you don’t mind. You children should remain safe.” With those words the shadows rushed out of his skin and when it cleared like it was smoke, the man was gone.

“Who the hell is that man, he looks too old to be a student or the son of a ruler.” I asked Finn, shaken a little. I had already captured enough to understand what would have happened if I didn’t say those words, I didn’t need an explanation.

“He isn’t an heir; he is a king in his own right.” Finn sighed and he wrapped his arm across my shoulder and pulled me into his side while his eyes looked around quickly as if he was searching for other hidden dangers.

“King of the wild fae?” I asked.

“No, there are no such thing as wild fae, we only have the wild hunt. He is not the king of wild hunt although he was raised there, he is the king of the almost extinct shadow fae, a race he had been ruling for close to three hundred years now.” Finn explained as my heart stuttered.

I did know about him, I just don’t remember what I had learned, something in me felt a kinship with him, what was going on?

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“I don’t get why you would invite Iris and not take responsibility for bringing her here.” Cirdan gritted at Finn, I sat down in between the two boys who were glowering at each other and looked like they would soon throw all caution to the winds and fight.

Well, there goes their tentative truce which they had called.

“Guys, please don’t fight…” I tried to talk, and they just talk over me like I was not there. The nerve on the two of them!

“In case you didn’t realize, I was planning this whole thing since it is the job of your council to just declare and agree on something, but it wouldn’t give them much credit, they leave it to my team to see it through.

“And you let that affect Iris because?” Cirdan asked.

Placing two fingers into my mouth, I blew a shrill whistle into the air, the noise stopped a lot of conversation between people, but I did into care about that. I was more concerned with the two knuckleheads in front of me.

“That is it. I don’t know why you two think you are the appointed minister in caring about Iris life and seem to think it is okay to take cheap shots at each other, but this stops right now. Neither of you are leaving my life and if you cannot coexist then I will stay away from both of you, do I make myself clear?” I complained.

“You would not.” Finn started.

My eyes narrowed at the dare. Cirdan frowned at Finn. “She would, you saying otherwise just means that you don’t know her.”

And he used it to take another shot at Finn! I was done with both of them, at least for this evening.

I stormed past both of them in anger, ignoring their calls. And because they were calling my name, others became aware that I was the hybrid heir which they came for.

When I spotted two familiar blond-haired, blue-eyed guys, I hurried to them and sat down in between them.

They paused their conversation and looked at me. “Hey guys, mind if I remain here with you, Cirdan is acting like a jerk.”

“Of course.” Vane agreed immediately. “Just don’t fall in love with me at the end of the evening, I don’t want to deal with an angry Folk.”

I snorted. “In your dreams, wolfie.”

Well, I didn’t fall for Vane or Vine by the end of the evening, but I did bond with them in a different way.