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“Must be good to be the king.”
“It is now,” agreed Keffa, his voice more somber. A heaviness seemed to pause their conversation, and then Keffa asked, “What are you doing in the Borderlands, priest?”
“Tending to some business of my own.”
“Your business involve that pretty, fair-haired light fae over there?”
I looked away, sipping my tea, when I felt both their gazes on me. I hadn’t realized the wraith fae named Keffa had even noticed me.
Jessamine returned carrying a heavy tray of dishes. “Here you are, Murgha,” she said, piling them on the table.
My stomach growled at the small feast, especially when I saw the bowl of fresh-whipped butter.
“Thank you.” I dove into the breadbasket first.
“Enjoy.”
As she sauntered off, Vallon took his seat again.
“How do you know those wraith fae?” I asked.
“Some business with the king and his mizrah last year. They needed our help with…something.”
Glancing over, I couldn’t help but stare at the unusual female with wings. Wraith fae didn’t have wings.
“Yes,” said Vallon, seeming to peer into my thoughts, “she’s half wraith and shadow fae.”
“That’s unusual, isn’t it?” I didn’t know that different dark fae mated.
“It is. But not unheard of.”
I grew silent a moment, ruminating on myself as a half-breed light fae. For once, I didn’t feel the shame that always accompanied such thoughts.
“I met her once,” I said, putting some white cheese onto my plate. “Princess Una.”
“When was this?” he asked curiously, forking some ham onto his plate.
“Years ago. Before we left Myrkovir. She was very kind.”
And the gods spoke to me for the first time that day. They’d wanted me to tell my vision to the princess. So I had.
“You and the skald fae seem friendly.” He changed the subject, obviously not wanting to discuss her or the king or how and why they’d met before.
“She’s a friendly person. Is there a reason I shouldn’t be?”
“Not especially.” He poured himself some tea. “She’s just a curious one.”
“You’ve met her before?”
“Yes. Though she doesn’t know it. I usually come here shadowed as someone else. But the owner, Haldek, knows the real me. We’ve helped each other with information before.”
“What about Jessamine? What’s curious about her?”
“She’s a skald fae far from home and far from water. Skald fae need water to keep their magick strong. I can sense magick in her, though I have no idea what her gift from the gods might be.”
Like all fae, the skald people held gifts that were more aligned to their natural abilities. Some were willodens, water-wielders. Some could speak to and befriend naiads. Naiads were notoriously fierce and cruel, hating most of fae kind, so to be able to connect with one was a god-given gift. Some skald fae could even speak to the fish and mammals of the sea.
“You’re right.” I frowned, watching Jessamine deliver ale and tea to the newcomers with a bright smile. “I can sense her magick as well. It should be dimmed being so far away from the sea.”
