Anya notices our confused looks. “It’s what the fae call their land. You’ll get used to the faerie language in time. But for now, eat. Everything besides the faerie fruit is human-friendly.”
She doesn’t need to say so twice. Akari and I practically pounce at the table and each pick up a piece of food that is closest to us. Akari chooses what looks like a slice of cheese, while I nab a chunk of cold, brown meat. It looks like a tiny slice of steak, but as it practically melts on my tongue, I know instantly it is not from any animal on earth. It’s gamey yet flaky, slightly salty but sweet, and leaves a tantalizing tingle on my tongue as I swallow it down.
“Mmmm,” I moan, pointing out the meat to Akari. “Mmhmm! S’good!”
Akari tries a piece too, and I laugh as her eyes roll back in pleasure.
“Wow!” she gasps as she swallows her piece, too. “Try the cheese! It’s divine!”
I do, and it is. We fill our bellies quickly as Anya, who had returned to the tent wall, watches on from the shadows. I spy a pitcher of water and pour cups for both Akari and me. Even the water is different. It has a slight, citrusy tang to it that leaves me feeling all kinds of refreshed.
“Maybe being sold to the fae will be worth it after all,” I suggest casually. “If we get to eat like this for the rest of our lives, I will die a lucky woman. A very large one at that.”
Akari giggles, and I’m sure I hear a sound of amusement from Anya’s shadowy corner, too. With my belly full, I find I have more pressing and urgent matters to attend to.
“Uh, Anya? Any chance there is a bush I can squat behind? Or a bucket I can hover over?”
Anya flat-out laughs at that.
“We have toilets here,” she assures me, gesturing towards a row of porta-loos on the other side of the tent. “You’ll find we Firsts have introduced many human inventions to Faezgard.”
We take barely a second to process this before we make a mad dash towards them. My bladder, the traitorous bitch, knows where we are headed and makes its insistence known tenfold. But fuck if I’m about to piss myself with fae present.
I open the closest porta-loo and don ’t even bother to lock it as it automatically swings closed behind me. I lift the skirts of my dress and pull my knickers down in an urgent dance, and then finally, blissful release. I fuckingmoanas my bladder empties. Gods, it’s such a relief.
After, I wash my hands in the small basin provided. As I’m drying my hands and absent-mindedly perusing my reflection in the mirror, the door opens and I meet the desperate eyes of Platinum. She recoils as our eyes meet, then scowls before letting the door swing closed and scuttles off to find an empty loo. I huff out a laugh and pray like fuck she pees herself. Am I cruel for the thought? Absolutely. But if anyone could take going down a peg, it was the perfectly pretty and petite blonde.
I realize there are probably a dozen more women in desperate need of the toilet, so I finish drying my hands quickly and step out. I almost slam the door into another woman’s face as she reaches for the handle of my porta-loo.
“Sorry!” I squeak, but she completely ignores me as she dashes inside. “Ok, then.”
As I wait for Akari to finish up, Platinum exits her loo… completely dry and poised. Oh well. Her eyes thin as she looks at me, and I smile and twinkle my fingers in a mocking wave right back. She tosses her ponytail over her shoulder and walks away without a second glance.
Akari finally exits her loo. She frowns at my grin.
“What’s got you in such good spirits?” she asks.
I can’t help but huff out a laugh. “Well, my bladder is empty and I feel so light I could float to the roof of this tent.” Akari snorts but nods, as if she understands the feeling.
We head back towards Anya’s shadows, and I notice she’s nicked some beanbags from somewhere and has them laid at her feet.
I fall ungracefully into one of them.
“Where’s yours?” I ask, indicating the seat that has sucked me down like quicksand.
“We are not permitted to sit,” Anya replies.
I look around curiously and spy other women dressed similarly to Anya’s loose, nondescript clothes, though some dresses are black, like hers, and others are white. I wonder what the difference in color means.
“That’s… unfair,” I say, tempted to get off my beanbag so she doesn’t feel left out.
Is if sensing my thoughts, Anya quickly says, “Don’t lose your comfort on my account. Rest while you can. Your trials have just begun.”
“Trials?” Akari asks. “Like whatever that was out on the stage?”
Anya nods sagely. “The Culling.” At our expectant looks, Anya continues. “When they separate the weak and infertile from the strong. Any Chosen not able to bear children or are sickly and likely to die beforetheir fae owner gets their worth from them are discarded and divided among the Courts for the more basic duties.”
My mind reels.
