The Dark Fae (The World of Fae #1)(16)

CHAPTER 8





Alicia wouldn’t tell Ritasia what she had done to Deveron to solicit his promise he’d get even with her, though she was amused his sister would be so intrigued. “I swear whatever it is that you have done, you have gotten him wrapped tightly around your finger. You pull the string, and he’ll come running,” Ritasia said.

“Nonsense. He’s a dark fae. He has no interest in a human.”

“But you’re not exactly all human, are you? Maybe that’s what intrigues him most about you.”

“My father must have been fae.”

“Yes. Did he stay with your mother?”

“Only until I was five.” No matter how many times she told herself she didn’t care, she did. Even now her heart felt like a block of cement, and her eyes grew tearful.

Ritasia nodded. “It would be difficult to ignore his own kind for very long. Or maybe…” She rubbed her hands, seemingly deep in thought as she squinted her eyes and stared at the ground.

“What?”

Ritasia faced Alicia. “Maybe, he worried for you and your mother’s safety. Maybe he abandoned you to keep his kind from learning about you.”

Deep down, Alicia had always resented her father for leaving her mother and her. But what if he did it to protect them from the vindictiveness of the fae? Then he was a hero, not a villain. He’d left the ones he’d loved to protect them.

“Maybe you’re right.” She hoped Ritasia was. And now she was truly determined to locate her father.

“Sure,” Ritasia said, patting her hand. “You know I am. What do you remember about him? Did he wear a medallion?”

“No. Not that I could remember anyway. I was only five.”

“Well, I wouldn’t think he was a royal fae. What color was his hair? Blond like yours?”

“No. Dark like yours and Deveron’s.”

Ritasia frowned. “He couldn’t have been from the Denkar.”

“I don’t think so. He called them—you—barbarians.”

“Unless he was one of us and was angered that we might kill you.”

“I hadn’t thought of that. Would he be related to you then?”

Ritasia smiled. “No, most likely not. There are tons of lines in the Denkar that are not related to us. Just like in the case of humans, too much inbreeding can cause problems. That’s why the royals marry into other kingdoms…well, and to make alliances. And I know everyone who is closely related. If a male fae disappeared for five years, I would have known.”

“What other kingdoms have dark-haired fae?”

“Oh, all of them. Some more than others.”

“That doesn’t help.”

“No, if he was a royal, that would help.” Ritasia fingered her gold medallion.

Alicia considered the diagrams in her father’s journal. “Which fae have the symbol of the dragon?”

Ritasia narrowed her eyes. “Why?”

“It’s one of the symbols he drew in his journal. He drew yours, Venicia’s, and three others. But none were of Neferon. I’m wondering if there’s a clue in that.”

“Maybe. What did he say about Morcalon?”

“Who?”

“The fae of the dragon.”

“Nothing. He just drew the symbol. Maybe he didn’t know much about them. Just that they existed.”

“Every fae knows of them. They are the most warrior race of all of the fae.”

“I thought the dark fae were.”

Ritasia smiled. “I guess it depends on who’s writing the history.”

“Oh.” Alicia hadn’t considered that, but she supposed Ritasia was right.

Ritasia took a deep breath. “The dragon fae are our sworn enemy. Have been forever.”

“Oh.”

“What other symbols did he draw?”

“The cobra, hawk, and griffin.”

Ritasia stared at the ground, then looked up at Alicia. “All the major kingdoms, but one.”

“And Neferon isn’t one.”

“No.”

“Which did he leave out?”

“The sphinx. The fae of the sphinx are said to be of the earliest civilization. As peaceful as the ones of the dragon are warlike. Where the sphinx fae try to keep peace, the dragon fae prefer fighting. Lorelei’s father is a sphinx fae. Her mother, of course, is Venician, of the gargoyle fae.” Ritasia tapped her fingers on the bench. “Your father wrote about each of the major kingdoms?”

“Except for Morcalon and the sphinx fae.”

“Tell me what he said about the others. Maybe that’ll give us a clue.”

Just then, Deveron and Lorelei returned. She looked miffed as her mouth turned down at the corners. Deveron didn’t seem to be any happier.

“I believe we just took a race through the gardens. As far as I’m concerned,” Lorelei said, her voice verging on whining as she wiped her flushed face with a lace-edged cloth, “neither of us won.”

Alicia smiled. “Then it was a tie. Neither of you will be upset by the results.”

Ritasia laughed.

Deveron frowned at his sister. “You may leave now, dear sister. I will take care of our cousin.”