I bit my lip. “But I don’t know where it is.”
He stopped walking and raised an eyebrow. “So how were you planning to get to your room tonight?”
“I thought I would find someone who would be able to tell me where it is,” I said, my accidental stupidity apparent. “But then I got lost and saw Erien spying on those men, and, well, you know the rest.”
Rafe laughed again, a deep, warm sound. “You really are very amusing, Aurora. I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun as I have since I was fortunate enough to stumble across you in Oblek’s dungeon.”
I whirled on him. “Fun! Are you mad? I’ve been almost killed three times since yesterday, and you think it’s fun?”
Rafe’s eyebrows scrunched together as we resumed walking. “Except for the Shadow Guard in the forest, you weren’t really in much danger. Oblek’s guards are useless, and Larney and Gothero are fools. I wouldn’t have let anything happen to you, Aurora. I really wish you would trust me.”
“I do trust you, Rafe. It’s just that there is so much that has happened, I really don’t know where to start.”
“I met with your granduncle when I got here, and he told me what he discovered about you.” He kept his voice low. “I knew there was a reason I couldn’t sense your magic.”
My eyes widened. “He told you about the amulet?”
Rafe nodded. “Your granduncle knows that your secret is safe with me.”
I was relieved that I didn’t have to lie to him. Uncle Gabriel must really trust him a lot if he had told him who I was.
“What will happen to Larney and Gothero?”
“That depends on Silverthorne, but I suspect they will be made examples of and hanged as traitors.”
“Hanged! But they didn’t actually kill him, they were only planning to.”
“True,” said Rafe, “but what if they had succeeded? This way it will deter anyone from trying to plot against the duke again.”
I was unsettled. The justice system here was swift and cruel. One mistake, and you could be hanged the next day. Not that I didn’t think what they did was wrong, and they should be locked up and made to pay for their crimes. But hanging? I thought it was a bit harsh.
Rafe stopped outside a stout oak door. “The kitchen is through here. I’m sure you will manage to find someone to show you where your room is.”
“Thank you.”
He bowed. “I will take your leave, Aurora.”
“You’re going right now?” I blurted out, much to my dismay.
Rafe raised his eyebrows, but the humor hadn’t left his eyes. “Miss me already?”
I huffed and crossed my arms in front of me. “No, I was just wondering.”
Rafe chuckled. “Well, in that case, I’m sure we will cross paths again. I cannot take the risk of anyone seeing me. Although most here are loyal to the duke, there are also those who would sell me out to Morgana in a heartbeat.”
“Who are you really?” My curiosity was getting the better of me.
Rafe hesitated as he threw me a pointed look. “It’s better that you don’t know for now.”
My eyes narrowed. “Better for whom?” He was really good at evading questions about himself. He now knew everything about me, who I was, and that I was a fae-mage, but I knew absolutely nothing about him. “How come you’re always in the right place at the right time?”
He shrugged. “Just luck, I guess.”
He still hadn’t answered any of my questions, just masterfully skirted around them. My mind shot to another strange coincidence. “How did you get here so fast? I got here this morning, and I was traveling on a flying horse. Kalen said it would take five to seven days to travel over the mountains.”
Rafe’s gaze sharpened. “There are various shortcuts through the mountains if you know where to look. If you had stayed in Pixie Bush as I had told you to, I could have shown you.”
My eyes widened. “What kind of shortcuts?”
“Over the years, the fae created magical gateways, passages of sorts that are strewn all over the place.”
“Like the one I came through from the other world?”
“Something like that. Some gateways are small stops, closer in range, and much easier to use. Some are farther away and can also be just one way. I’ve used the one through the mountains countless times. There aren’t that many left; some don’t even work anymore. But the remaining ones come in handy in my line of work.”
I raised my eyebrows. “So what is your line of work? Are you an outlaw, an assassin, or a sword-for-hire kind of guy?”
Rafe’s eyes narrowed to ice chips. “You, my dear Aurora, ask too many questions.”
What had I said?
He paused for a moment, seeming to consider his words carefully. “No, I am not an assassin, nor do I sell my sword to the highest bidder. I am wanted by the Illiadorian Guard for helping those who cannot help themselves.”
My eyes lit up. “So you’re an outlaw then, like Robin Hood?” I knew he had some good qualities apart from being dangerous and devastatingly handsome.
Rafe scrunched his eyebrows. “Robin who?”
I stifled a laugh.
He shrugged. “Does it really matter who I am?”
“I guess not,” I said, dropping the topic. I would ask Uncle Gabriel about him later if he didn’t want to tell me right now.
“I really have to leave now, Aurora.” He put on the hood of his cloak. “I just wanted to make sure you were all right.”
“Will I see you again?” I was sure I was blushing as soon as the words left my mouth.
Rafe gave me a dashing smile. “I certainly hope so. Don’t get into any more trouble until I get back.”
“I will definitely give it my best shot,” I retorted with a grin. “But I can’t make any promises.”
Rafe laughed, his eyes crinkling slightly in the corners. “I would expect nothing less.” He bowed low and kissed my hand, his eyes never once leaving my face.
