Heart of the Fae (The Otherworld #1)(73)

“And none that I believe.”

“Is that so?”

“You are far too smart a man to be bought, even by the MacNara twins who appear to be intelligent and manipulative people. You don’t want to harm Stone; you practiced with him like an old friend and teased him quite mercilessly. And if you wanted to drag me back to Unseelie with you, why haven’t you? Why wait until your mother summoned me?” She tilted her chin up, refusing to be cowed by this dark man.

“Ever so brave,” he whispered. “You are a remarkable little human. Did you know that? There are few who would dare stand up to me in such a way, but you didn’t even flinch. You are quite the match for him.”

“For who?”

“No one.”

She arched a brow. “Really? That’s what you have to say?”

“No one, everyone, someone.” He shrugged. “There are plenty of people of whom I could be speaking. The long and short of it is that you need to go back home before he finds out where you’ve gone.”

“Stone?”

“Yes.”

“You—” she bit her lip. “You know him?”

“No one knows him.”

“But you know him more than most.”

“Yes.”

“Perhaps you might answer a few questions for me.”

Bran’s raven eye narrowed. He crossed his arms over his chest and the bird eye looked her up and down. He was measuring her or trying to see a way through her lies. Finally, he waved a hand for her to continue.

“Your mother made me look in the scrying bowl. There were faeries that the Seelies used for slaves. Branded, mistreated, living out their lives as if they were not worth even the slightest of things. Is this true, or was this some kind of Unseelie trick?”

He snorted. “The Seelie like to make their people labor until they break. They believe in bloodlines and power more than respect. Don’t let them fool you. They preach honor and then stab each other in the back.”

“Is Stone treating the faeries on the isle like slaves?”

“Do you think he is?”

She pondered the question before shaking her head. “I don’t think so. I’ve seen no behavior that might support such an accusation. But I do not see him often, and secrets hide in the shadows.”

“I know Stone well enough to say that he’s not treating them like anything. He’s a solitary creature. Rare for a Fae.”

“Is it?”

“We’re creatures who like the company of others. Even the Unseelie enjoy each other’s company. Stone has never been like that. They say he used to tent away from his men on the battlefield. He was the first to reach enemy lines, and the first the enemy found if they came looking in the night.”

“And now?”

Bran cocked his head to the side. “Ask a more direct question.”

“Is he the same man now as he was back then?”

“No, but not in the way you think. He has become harder and softer with time.”

“How is that possible?” She wanted to know the answer so much it burned in her belly.

He shook his head. “That’s a story I can’t tell you. You must ask him if you want to know that badly.”

“How can I ask him? I rarely see him!”

“That might change soon.” Mischief and hidden knowledge sparkled in his eyes.

“You know something I don’t know.”

“I always know something humans don’t know. You’re a lucky little thing to be living in a time of such burgeoning change.”

Sorcha’s mind raced to keep up with the Unseelie Fae. His words made little sense, but she knew he mostly spoke in riddles. There was something he didn’t want to tell her. Something she needed to figure out for herself.

“Are you lying?”

“I cannot lie.”

“Are you hiding the truth?”

Bran’s face split in a jagged edged smile. His raven eye locked upon her gaze while the other glanced away. “Faeries always hide the truth. It’s too easy if we don’t.”

“I would argue it’s much better if you don’t hide the truth. You might get the results you want.”

“Where’s the fun in that? It’s better if the ending is chosen by free will rather than our own design.”

“Why get involved if you don’t have a specific ending you want to see?” Sorcha shook her head, knowing he wouldn’t answer her question. “Can you open the portal, Bran? I’d like to go home.”

“Home?” He tilted his head to the side again. “Curious choice of words.”

“Slip of the tongue. My home is with my sisters.”

“Perhaps now, but not for long.” He nodded at the portal. “All you have to do is see through the glamour, and you can go home.”

“How am I supposed to—ah.” She pulled the hag stone from between her breasts and placed it against her eye.

The stone turned to a watery portal through the small hole in the hag stone. Light shimmered from its surface. The ivy beyond had not been pulled back, leaving the room obscured and difficult to see, but it was there.

She knew it was.

“Thank you,” she said as she turned.