**ASH**
Staring at Hayden I begin to wonder, is he bluffing? He absolutely could be. But if he's not, if *she is* in fact *pregnant -* if she has even *lain* with him, with this *fool - I will take her life.*
I will have to.
A pain like a hot iron bar lodging into my chest nearly robs me of breath as I think on it. Of killing her. Somewhere inside of me, I know that doing so will not *only* end her...it will end me. I will be...empty. Because somehow she has burrowed inside of me and I cannot get her out. Ha! I don't even want to.
*This is what you've wanted all along.*
*This is what you've needed to happen!*
And...if she is with child - *Hayden's child*, since I know that it *cannot* be the king's - I will kill *him* too.
But if she is not pregnant, and this *ass* is simply toying with me, I will take her to Fury Rekyr and keep her there for as long as she suits my pleasure.
I clamp my eyes shut with the grotesque realization that she was never meant for me. Even to keep her - as a human - she would surely grow old and die right before my eyes.
*There are magics that might change her.*
*Of course, there are.*
*But they are never cheap.*
“Don’t be sad,” Hayden goes on. “I know you fancied her, but she truly was only a whore.”
Okay no.
She was never a whore.
“If you hurt her-”
“I did not hurt her,” Hayden chimes. “Not this time. This time she hurt me.”
Turning to face him slowly, I shield my power, drawing it in from around the room. His eyes flash with something I can’t decipher. Resentment, perhaps? Jealousy?
*She hurt you?*
“I find that hard to believe, given that you have no soul.” Then losing my smile I say, “We shall see what your father thinks of this.”
Does he truly expect me to believe that he desired her beyond that of a sexual fantasy?
“Oh no,” Hayden chuckles. “We won’t. Because if you tell him that I tried to - that I fucked her, I will tell him that you did too. Then he will have no choice but to order her execution and maybe even yours.” Then stepping up close to me, he whispers, “And, you did fuck her, didn’t you?”
I clench my teeth and refrain from replying to him, but my silence seems to be answer enough.
“You may be stronger than me, friend, but it is I who holds all the power here.” Hayden chuckles. “So, think of this as a favor. One I do for you, and for your whore. Better my child than yours, eh?”
My fists tighten at my sides, begging to knock his wine-stained teeth from his mouth.
He knows.
At the very least, he suspects.
“Supper should be interesting. See to it that you aren’t late.” Hayden snickers.
I keep myself silent as he leaves the room.
I need to speak to Daphne.
My entire body quakes with anticipation. I know that I cannot leave again until tonight when all are asleep. If I leave now, I will surely be followed and I am not quite ready to lay all my cards on the table.
Whether Daphne was with Hayden or not, remains to be seen. I shouldn’t believe him just because he says it is so. I had Dionie watching her. Surely, he would have sent word. No, Hayden must be lying.
Just picturing Daphne beneath that human whelp is enough to boil my insides out.
I knew I was gone too long!
I knew it!
Could she have been so heartbroken in my absence that she might turn to Prince Hayden for comfort?
The jealousy that piles inside of my heart is making me cross-eyed.
I am burning with rage and there is only one person that can squelch the hysteria inside of me.
Daphne.
But I will have to wait. This must be done properly. One thing is for certain. It is no longer safe in the Mortal Realm for my sweet little peasant, and I’ll be taking her home after all. Home to Castle Fury.
To Faery.
And then, when we are settled under the protection of Rekyr Mountain, I will tell her about her sister. And about the fate of the remaining Myrhs.
**DAPHNE**
We have been riding all day, only stopping once to rest and attend our more private, personal, duties. At first, we rode hard. Once we arrived at the top of the mountain, we slowed to a trot as not to injure the horses on the climb down.
Now, it seems we are finally reaching level ground. Strangely enough, the forest seems alive with color and brightly frosted moonlight. A butterfly floats past me in the dark, and I giggle at the bright neon speckles of her wings.
“Hello Madame Butterfly,” I say, as she momentarily rests upon my shoulder.
We’ve been riding in silence the entire way, unless you count Petra’s soft snoring as she sleeps against Dionie’s chest. Even in the dim light, it’s hard to miss the blush upon his face.
“You like her, don’t you?” I coo.
Pulling Delago up next to me, he sighs. “Petra?”
I nod and he tilts his head with a smirk. “Aye. I suppose I do. But she’s not for me. We are of different flesh.”
I laugh. “I’m not going to pretend to know what that means. But I will say, I think she likes you too.”
His blush deepens, and he shifts in his seat. “She’s meant for more than I can give her. I am a soldier. I never know how many days I might have left. Better a fanciful heart than a broken one.”
I frown, my chest suddenly aching. “That’s no way to live.”
Suddenly, Trielle freezes, bucking enough for me to yelp and latch on. Delago, stops as well, and I swear I hear him growl.
“Quiet,” Dionie says softly. Then, shaking Petra awake, he slides down from the steed’s back and draws his sword.
Glancing around in a dizzying frenzy, I attempt to steady my heartbeat.
Again, I hear a growl. But this time it is obviously not the horse.
“Dionie,” I gasp in fear as three pair of yellow eyes shine amidst the trees,
“Wolves,” he says, widening his stance and raising arms. “When I give the word, the two of you are to ride off.”
It is then that something miraculous happens yet again. The trees sway. They whisper.
They speak to me.
*Friend.*
*They will not hurt you child.*
*They are...*
*...friend.*
“Daphne, are you listening?” Petra snaps. “Come on!”
“No,” I say, getting down from my horse.
I sidestep Dionie’s hand as he tries to grab me and step toward the eyes in the woods.
“Daphne, I am sworn to protect you! Damn it!”
“Come friends,” I say, reaching out with one hand.
In the back of my mind, I know how crazy I look. I can hear Dionie and Petra as they panic at my back.
I glare at them, and they fall silent, their mouths open in shock.
Then I turn back to see a white wolf standing before me.
She is large and beautiful. With soft luminous fur that blows with the breeze of the trees.
Friend.
She kneels, much like Trielle did, and I reach out to pet her.
“You’re not trying to harm us, are you?” I coo. “You are guardians of these woods. And so beautiful,” I say as she licks my face.
“Goddess,” Dionie hisses behind me.
“I thank you for your service,” I say to the wolf, not really knowing why.
“Are you certain, you’re not a witch?” I hear Petra say as the wolf disappears back into the trees.
Just as quickly as they were there, now they are gone, and I cannot help but feel a little sorrow at their departure.
“I am not a witch,” I smile as I pull myself back upon the saddle with Trielle’s help.
“Horses kneel for you. Wolves kneel for you. I’m beginning to think we ought to kneel as well.” Petra comments as we ride through what seems to be the last thick of evergreens.
“Don’t be silly, Petra. I’m only a girl,” I say softly. “Just a farmer’s daughter.”