Of Curses and Courtship Teaser
Excerpt from Chapter Three! In which the fae prince gets a drink with the secret, cursed fae.
No. I will not have a drink with you. You refer to me as a lady; some say ladies should not entertain the idea of having drinks with strange men. You’re the most peculiar of all, my good sir.
I know exactly what you are.
That’s what I should have said, but my wisdom was lost somewhere between grabbing the apples and locking eyes with the stranger.
Ladies such as my stepsisters are not permitted to spend time in taverns, but while I have many restrictions, my stepmother no longer cares what I do outside the house. She has two perfectly eligible daughters to attend to, and ensuring they find their match is more important than my having a clean reputation.
No one thinks twice when I stroll into the tavern, even though an ethereal stranger accompanies me.
This is him in his mortal form. How will he appear when his glamour drops?
My glamour is weak, just enough to blend in with the mortals, but like most of my magic, I have little control over it. It’s far easier to remain hidden. I’ve never been comfortable with my fae form, even a stolen glimpse in the looking glass. The purple sheen of my eyes, my ears sticking out of my hair, and the glow about my skin…
It feels so unlike me.
His friend settles in at a table near ours, and I sit alone with the white-haired fae.
“You have yet to tell me your name,” I say.
He lifts a brow. “And you have yet to tell me yours.”
Never give a high fae your name. That’s what I was taught, but is it still true when I am a fae myself?
The hairs on my arms stand upright, goose bumps scattering across my flesh. “Perhaps that’s for the best. You have an air of mystery about you. Is it so terrible that I wish to match it?”
“Terrible is not the word I would use.” He drags a finger over the dirty table and lifts a hand, inspecting it. “Perhaps we should order our drinks instead of exchanging names.”
Drinking with a strange fae is the exact behavior Lady Ashbridge would want me to avoid. And yet, in a moment of rebellion…
“All right.” I clear my throat. “Two pints of ale, and I’ll be gone.”
“You mean two pints each, I’m sure.”
I narrow my eyes. “One for me. However much you drink is none of my business.”
He leans in. The action is sharp and quick, as is the look in his eye. “You are a fae, are you not? One drink will do nothing—”
No. How does he know? He can’t—and the others certainly can’t. My stomach sours.
“Hush!” I clap a hand over his mouth.
Beneath my hand, his lips twitch as if he wishes to let out another round of boisterous laughter.
“You don’t know what you’re saying,” I whisper with venom dripping from my tone, “nor do you know the consequences of someone overhearing.”
He says nothing, and I let my hand drop. Relief evades me. My shoulders tense as I lean back.
His friend moves to stand, but the white-haired stranger waves a hand. “I’m in no danger.”
“Ha.” I scoff. “That’s what you think.”
He laughs again, but I’m no longer charmed by the sound. It’s almost as if he’s laughing at me—or perhaps not, but it’s challenging to get along with someone who is so openly threatening my way of life.
If anyone in Far Water knows what I am… No. I can’t begin to imagine the outcome. There’s a reason my father taught me to hide.
“I’ll keep your secret,” he says. “It’s only that I did not realize it was meant to be a secret. My apologies.”
Of course, a fae does not understand. He may not even realize I’m a halfling. This fae doesn’t have the answers I’m looking for if he cannot begin to understand me. “Well… it is.”
He tilts his head to the side. “May I ask why?”
“I’m sure you know why.” I lift a shoulder. “The mortals here dislike your kind—my kind, I suppose. Besides, I am a mere halfling. I have as much of a claim to this mortal-run land as anyone does.”
Halflings have a terrible reputation with the mortals and Sun Fae alike. I’m the only thing a mortal fears more than the fae—all thanks to a bloody prophecy.
Recognition flickers across his features.
“I suppose that’s true.” He folds his hands on the table as our drinks are delivered. “And you believe I don’t have a right to be here?”
I pull a pint closer, wrapping my hands around the frosted glass. “I’m not the one who makes the rules.”
“But you agree with those who do?”
What a complicated question. Following the rules of this land keeps me safe, and I’ve always done so without question, until now.
“It’s not my place to disagree with them.” I lift the glass to my lips. “They claim to make rules for our safety, and I don’t pretend to know more about safety than those in power.”
“You don’t give yourself the credit you deserve.” His lips quirk up on one side. “Halflings, like you, are the bridge between two lands. In other places, places so far you cannot imagine, they walk freely between fae and mortal lands alike. Tell me, have you ever felt an urge to snatch a mortal babe?”
“I beg your pardon.” My eyes widen, and I set the pint down with a thud. “Of course, I haven’t.”
“Then what makes you think I have?”
The tales of fae stealing babes have been spread around for so long, and by so many mouths, that it’s considered more than a myth. It is our reality—or, perhaps not, if this fae is to be believed.
I shake my head. “Then what, pray tell, is happening to our children?”
“The same thing that’s happening to ours—and it isn’t only the children who are in danger, little halfling.”
The almighty, immortal fae… their children are in trouble, too? Fear prickles at the back of my neck. “I don’t understand.”
“Ah. Perhaps that is for the best.” He smiles, but it’s not real, not like the times I made him laugh. The mirth doesn’t quite meet his eyes. “Let us change the subject.”
“Yes, let us.” I lift my drink, guzzling as much as possible.
If this stranger intends to bring me into topics I don’t understand, I’ll need the ale to get through the evening. This is what I get for extending kindness to a stranger.
“Do the people of this town treat you without compassion?” he asks.
My lips twist into a wry smile. “That doesn’t feel like a change of subject.”
“I find it hard to change the subject when I’m curious about you. It’s rare for me to meet people such as yourself.”
Of course, it is. Considering the prophecy and rumors, halflings often hide their nature.
My jaw clenches. “On the contrary, most here are kind to me. They’re my friends and neighbors, and I grew up with them.”
His shoulders slump. “That’s good to hear.”
His relief seems genuine. Perhaps he is not an unkind man, even if he is peculiar.
“You know far too much about me.” I drain the rest of my drink. “Tell me something about yourself.”
He gestures for another round. “There’s not much to know about me.”
I scoff. “I don’t believe that for a moment.”
Before someone can serve us, an older neighbor approaches with two pints.
“Ophelia!” Tom grins at me as he sets down the glasses. “Didn’t think I’d see you tonight.”
“I wasn’t planning on being in attendance.” I smile weakly, gesturing to the drinks. “What’s this?”
The fae lifts a brow at me.
“Just a little pick-me-up for ya.” Tom’s gaze lingers on the fae. “You two be safe.”
“We will,” I say.
Once we’re alone again, the fae leans in, his eyes sparkling. “You’re right. The people here adore you.”
“Tom is a drunk who enjoys spending too much gold. His attention is nothing.” My cheeks blaze as I lift the cold pint to my lips. “I would still like to know about you. You haven’t told me a thing.”
“Fine.” His jaw ticks. “I’m a student of arcane magic. Does that itch the scratch of curiosity, or would you like to know more?”
He is a magician, then. I’ve heard tales of the fae magicians, the illusions they play with, and the intellect they carry. This strange fae may be curious about me, but I’m just as interested in him.
I tilt my head to the side. “Most would like to know about arcane magic. Is it similar to the witches? I know many witches.”
“Not quite.”
“Closer to a sorcerer?” I whisper, knowing his keen ears will pick up the question.
“No.” He wets his lips and leans in, his eyes sparkling. “Not like that at all, but if you wish to go somewhere private… I can show you what my magic is capable of.”