“Are they all the Fae Guard?” I whispered to Tyran. I’d seen most of the towering males at one point or another. They were always quiet but never failed to offer a stiff nod. Tyran smiled and squeezed my shoulder as if he found me adorable. But I was terrified. My pulse rocketed the closer we got. The sight of the clothing was giving me hard-core anxiety. Roark and Sabine had been a part of this wicked-looking group.
“No, some are at the portals and others are protecting the civilian Fae. Rian is their First.”
“What does that mean, first?”
“First Fae. According to my research,” Ty muttered. He said that a lot. He had some obsession researching all sorts of random human shit. How he researched exactly was still a mystery. “In your human world, the equivalent is similar to a captain or a major. He doles out orders.”
My mouth popped open. Sabine’s sly title for Rian made more sense now. I had no idea that there was a legitimate name for his position. I just knew he led them.
Their gazes collectively settled on me, each one nodding once before returning to their blank staring. I smiled awkwardly and wiggled my fingers back at them. They fell into a formation around Ty, Conan, Cora, Rian, and me as we stepped through the wall. Rian nodded up at the guards at the top.
We began trekking, and Tyran filled me in on Elvin-Fae history. “The Elvin are the only other powerful Unnatural species left in Faerie due to a treaty many years ago. Their Leader has not recently set foot within our boundary. Unlike Fae, Elvin pass down the position through bloodline. It was his mother who led before she was murdered.” A twinge of empathy entered my chest. Tyran turned a warning look at me. “Don’t fall for it. I mentioned his way with women. He uses that to his advantage. He is a—” He paused, lost for words.
Cora interjected. “A rake.”
My lips twitched at the old-fashioned word for player.
Conan slid his arm around Cora’s waist and pulled her to his side. His quick turn to jealousy made me want to laugh. At the same time, I couldn’t help but feel the sting of their cuteness. A part of me wished for someone to need me like that. I forced my thoughts elsewhere as the wind picked up, reflecting my tumultuous thoughts.
A splat hit my nose. Startled, I craned my neck. The sky churned a dark grey. “Shit.”
I took a deep breath, reining in my emotions. I swallowed hard and tapped into my training. I dipped into my well, slowly and carefully pouring just enough out. I forced the rain to stop. Since the sky was darkening with the coming night, I hoped no one noticed the turning clouds. Thankfully, I didn’t feel any more water droplets.
The three guards in front of us came to a stop, all reaching behind them to the sharp daggers holstered at the small of their backs. As I glanced at the rest of the guards, a shiver of fear shot through me at the intimidating sight surrounding us. One of the guards had a large broadsword. Another had a wicked curved sword. There was even an ax holder. These guys looked dangerous.
It made me mull over how much danger I’d been in with Sabine. Added to that was a bit of grudging admiration at her being a woman equal to these intimidating males.
The squeaking of wheels and footsteps filtered through the forest, and I got on my toes to look over one of the guard's shoulders—something I’d never had to do at my height. A lavish red carriage came into sight, seemingly pulled by nothing. As it approached, I realized little beings were pushing it forward from the bottom. The handful of guards surrounding it were covered from shoulder to toe in black with red embroidery. They gazed at the group with hostility. Most startling was that every single one was female.
The four large, golden wheels came to a smooth stop. Flourishing carved emblems adorned the carriage. The red felt of the curtains shifted before a guard stepped forward and opened them in a dramatic swoosh. My mouth almost dropped open.
The interior was pure red. Pillows surrounded a large comfortable-looking bench that faced outward. The lavish coach wasn’t what threw me off, though. Nope. It was the outline of two naked women sprawled on the plush bench with a large shadow leaning indolently between them. The shadow moved, and the dim lighting offered by the sky shone on his face as he removed himself from the carriage in a smooth motion.
Air left my body when he fully emerged. I realized then why this man had so many women at his beck and call. His hair was long, and a golden piece of it fell in front of golden eyes that promised sensual pleasure. He grinned, and his gaze raked me from head to toe.
“Aren’t you a savory morsel? You would make a great addition to my harem.”
My lip curled in distaste. This guy was full of himself. Man, I hoped those women wore earmuffs to cancel out his voice. Or maybe they just let themselves be blinded by his godlike looks.
I felt Tyran and Rian tense at my sides, and I narrowed my eyes at him. His eyes flicked to Cora, and as his heavy-lidded gaze slid over her, his grin widened. Conan bared his teeth and pushed himself in front of her. The Elvin leader threw his head back, and a deep laugh exploded out of him.
Classic pretty-boy attitude. Felt like he was owed something, so he went around like everything was his playground. Got everything he wanted and knew it, too. I wondered where his underlying issues stemmed.
The newly risen cynic in me rose to the forefront, and I scoffed, crossing my arms. Stepping
