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He yanked her forward and pulled her hood down. “You’re no fae!”
“P-please, sir,” the woman stammered, and that’s when I noticed her fangs for the first time. “I am half-fae. I’m seeking refuge?—”
“Half-fae!” the guard spat. He inhaled her scent deeper. “You’re part vampire. Our treaty with the vampires just ended. You aren’t allowed here anymore.”
“I have family in the city—” the woman started, but the man was already dragging her away by her hair.
“I don’t care who your family is. Your vampire blood isn’t welcome here,” he growled. “You’ll be escorted by the Arcanea Alliance to the palace dungeons, where the Circle will decide your sentence.”
She tripped and cried out, but he continued dragging her along even as she lost her footing. It was cruel the way he treated her. All I could do was stand and watch. I knew if I fought back and tried to save her, my magic would be revealed, and they’d do far worse to us than lock us in a dungeon.
“Move along!” the second guard shouted cruelly to the rest of us. “Or you’ll be next!”
We didn’t have to be told twice. We hurried along inside the city with the other merchants, and I didn’t take a breath until we were at least two blocks away from the guards.
Nadine dropped her shoulders in relief. “That hole in the ward wasn’t easy to hold, but we made it inside.”
“Thank the Goddess,” Talia added. “If that’s how they treat vampires, I don’t want to see what they’ll do to a witch. We’ll be hung on the spot.”
Chloe glanced around the street, which was beginning to bustle with morning traffic. “We’re not out of the woods just yet. We still have to follow Hattie’s instructions to reach Enchanting Whispers, which is where Verla and Warren should be.”
“The sooner we get there, the better,” I said. “Let’s get moving.”
We followed behind the merchant carts, which were headed into the center of the city. Thank the Goddess we had others to follow, because most of the signage here was written in Malovian. The fae spoke English, but it wasn’t their mother tongue, and it was clear we were out of our element here.
We walked along cobblestone streets and passed by large family estates, before reaching buildings that must’ve been standing for hundreds of years. People emerged from homes and followed us deeper into the city to open their shops or start their morning shift.
Pubs and cafés stood on every street corner, and the most delicious scent of crepes and kielbasa skillets wafted through the air. We passed by a tiny café with outdoor seating. I witnessed a woman sip her tea, before heart-shaped bubbles formed around her head and popped once the illusion wore off. We passed by bakeries that had tiny faekin in the windows who dusted glitter over powdered sugar donuts, tempting us to come inside.
The city grew louder and more boisterous the further we walked. Large Gothic buildings and beautiful cathedrals rose above us. The clang of metal could be heard from blacksmith shops as the fae forged swords and other weapons. We passed by a shop selling shimmering armor and weapons of all kinds, including intricately crafted daggers and axes. Another shop on the corner sold lances designed for jousting, and the sign in the window read in English: Jousting Tournament Today! Place Your Bets Here.
As we turned the corner, the crowd thickened. Shops lined the entire street, and dozens of traveling merchants had already set up temporary shops for the day. We had reached the merchant district, where Hattie had said we would find her contact, Siona.
Soldiers prowled up and down the streets, waving Malovian flags and singing what sounded like a patriotic song. Posters hung from shop windows, encouraging people to defend the Malovian Revolution. Nearby, a group of protestors held signs that said things like, Unseelie Fae Don’t Belong and Dark Magic is a Crime!
The sound of swords clanging caught my attention, and I turned to see two burly men sword fighting in the middle of the street. One of them had a beard, and the other was clean shaven. Both the men were laughing, and it was obvious it wasn’t a vicious battle, but a cordial match between friends. A group had formed around them, and the city folk cheered them on. The men moved with grace, like they’d been training for this all their lives. The bearded man knocked the sword out of the other man’s hand.
“Well done,” his opponent said, giving a bow.
They congratulated each other on their fight, then the bearded man turned to the crowd. “Come! Who will fight me next?”
Someone grabbed me by the shoulder and started dragging me forward. “You look like a healthy young chap! Won’t you join us?”
I hesitated. “I—uh… don’t have my sword with me.”
The guy lost all interest. He must’ve seen a friend, because he called someone’s name and quickly wandered off.
I barely took a step before someone else cut in front of us. A woman shoved a potion vial toward Nadine and spoke in words I didn’t recognize. It had to be Malovian.
“Um…” Nadine hesitated.
The woman quickly switched to English, but she spoke in a Malovian accent. “Did you hear me, or are you stupid? I asked if you wanted to buy a love potion, to find your mate?”
Nadine took a step to the side and spoke kindly. “No, thank you.”
The woman eyed her curiously, like her refusal was strange—she had clearly expected Nadine to be rude back, and because she wasn’t, she didn’t know how to respond. “Are you sure? Best not to take chances. Don’t want to end up alone.”
Chloe stepped in front of us. “She’s mated already. Now bugger off.”
