“I can get Ansgar back,” I uttered another attempt, hoping that his memory might re-jiggle the friendship we once shared. “That's why we’re here, we need to speak to the royal family.”
“And what business does the cursed one have with the Fear Gorta?” A voice echoed distant, forcing the close-by branches to shatter with contempt.
I turned to find its origin and my heart dropped in my stomach. Approaching us, I found a man who looked so much like Ansgar that I had to blink a few times and settle myself, forcing my mind to understand the similarities. The same golden-brown locks, almost the same height, though Ansgar might be an inch or two taller, the same bandolier across a bare chest and grey trousers, the bronze skin gleaming in the sunset. Even the jawline resembled that of my mate, with harsh cheekbones to elongate his features.
“Are you the new keeper?” I immediately asked, disregarding his question.
“Matthyaz,” the male introduced himself while stepping closer to us. By the time he reached Rhylan, his hand moved speedily to his bandolier and grabbed a knife, placing it to Rhylan’s heart so smoothly, that he made the threat look like a dance.
“I am Anwen,” I replied, introducing myself and showing no consideration towards Rhylan’s situation. The fucker deserved it and I encountered joy at the sight of the frozen old fae, standing threatened by an earthling.
“I am aware of who you are, mortal,” he replied with a speck of loathing, though his eyes did not shift from the main target. “Mistake me not for my cousin, you will not find any amiable being in my district.”
Before I found time to respond, he continued. “If you value your life, I suggest you leave within an instant. I find myself disinclined to give you any longer.”
“Cousin? You are Ansgar’s cousin?” It made so much sense, the similarities between the two and his stance. Close to royalty. His chin remained parallel to the ground at all times, a perfect commanding posture and he did not sketch a movement out of place, nothing that was not probably calculated a hundred times before being made.
Matthyaz risked a quick glance towards me, showing a dash of surprise towards my inability to understand or accept his warning. I had met my fair share of fae and faeries of all kinds and a few intimidating words would not dissuade me from my mission.
“Matthyaz, I need your help. You might not know who I am, but I lived here when—”
“Spare me your dramatics, human.” I did not have a chance to explain when his voice cut me off without a second thought. Clearly, what I had to say did not matter to him. “I know who you are, what you did, and what you are now planning. So let me feed you a piece of information you clearly have no idea about since you dare show your face in this district.”
If his tone of voice turned into a weapon, I would be long dead. Even Rhylan sensed it and tried to take a step back, to get closer to me but the keeper’s dagger must have pierced his chest because I heard a distinct groan coming out from Rhylan’s throat. And he stopped shifting, keeping his position intact.
“I know all about your little adventure with my cousin, how you managed to sneak in the kingdom and tricked him into betraying his kin, offering his life foryou.” He pronounced the words slowly, looking me up and down, scanning every part of me and surely finding it lacking. His eyes said what his lips did not. That Ansgar had been a fool to get involved with me when they probably had so much prettier girls back at home. It made me feel small, unworthy and brought out every insecurity I ever had. If a guy like him looked at me with such disgust, what did Ansgar initially think of me? Did he also see me as a worthless human?
“Anwen…” Rhylan’s voice shook me from thought, probably sensing my dismay. “There is no need to be disrespectful,” he said to Matthyaz, who disregarded him and continued.
“The queen has issued a curse order on you. If you even make contact with a being from the Earth Kingdom, they have the right to kill you and claim the murder as payment from the prince’s dissipated energy. Not that it would do any good…” he groaned, reminding me again of my worth.
“Take me to see the queen.” The words sounded like an order and even my eyes widened in surprise at the strength I uttered them with.
It was Faelar who replied this time, her tone pitiful. “Anwen, the only reason you are not dead is because I ordered them to stand down. You are in no position to request anything. The best thing would be to leave,” she nodded, expecting me to copy her movement and do exactly what she asked.
“You ordered them?”
I must have had such a puzzled face that she allowed the explanation. “I am part of the sjorka elders now.”
Within the year, she changed from the young female I giggled and took strolls in the forest with, into a leader. Her appearance made so much more sense now, the extra beading on her neck, used not for decoration, but for marking rank.
“What happened to Karem?” I remembered the grumpy voice of her grandfather every time he saw us together. He had been the one who wanted to force me out of the forest, Ansgar once told me, warning me to be mindful when visiting Faelar’s cabin.
“He dines with the goddess,” the keeper replied in her stead. “Along with thousands of others who died because of the decrepit state of this district,” he added. Matthyaz did not say the words but I understood them nonetheless.All to save me.
“I am so sorry—” I wanted to say so much more, I wanted to cry, to scream, to apologise, to stand there and receive all the hate I deserved. I did none of that, just remained paralysed, shifting my head from Ansgar’s cousin to Faelar and back again.
“Rhylan,” I called for the fae standing in front of me, who had kept so surprisingly quiet during this exchange. “Give me the pouch,” I ordered.
If he wanted to object, he kept it well hidden and slowly, so slowly, weary of the dagger keeping him in place, moved a hand to reach his jacket pocket and took out the pouch containing Ansgar’s hair. The one I begged for him over and over to let me keep, yet he rejected my every offer on each occasion.
I eagerly snatched it from his hands and took the three steps separating me from Matthyaz, and at the sight of Rhylan’s bleeding chest, something in me broke. Even though he had been a bastard who enchanted my best friend, even though he took my love away from me, I could not see him suffering. I don't know what possessed me to do so, but I shoved the keeper’s hand away, forcing him to release Rhylan’s chest. It must have left a big scratch across his torso, because the old fae’s hands immediately went to cover the wound, but at least I knew he healed quickly. A stabbing in the heart on the other hand might not have been such awalk in the park.
Without giving Matthyaz a chance to protest, I shoved the pouch in his hand, forcing him to shift his attention from the bleeding dagger to the offering, and pierced him with my gaze until he opened it.
“What is this?” he asked even though the answer looked evident.
“Your cousin's hair, apparently,” I replied and urged Faelar to come closer and take a look. To my surprise and gratitude, she hurried to do so. I did not give them time to ask questions, I wanted to offer them all the answers and try to bring them on my side. While I did so, Rhylan stood behind me, accepting his role as a secondary player in this discourse. Even though I could not see him, I felt him behind me, guarding my back and knew that if it came to it, he would protect me with his life, even though I was the one managing the situation. A wave of pride echoed through me, I could not help to hope that he shared the feeling.
