Page 90 of Fae Farewells

He cast a glance to the right, then nodded. “Let’s go left. I don’t think we’re looking for monsters.”

The path had this strange mildew scent that jogged memories of algae and stone walls. Not that I wanted to think about the camp or the conditions those cells were in. Dirt stuck to my feet as we silently walked forward, and I cringed.

“What kind of crystals are on your crown?” I asked, needing a distraction from the feel of filth on my feet.

“From what I can tell, they’re raw black diamonds,” he answered. “But I can’t exactly take it anywhere to have a jeweler look at it. Yours is just like mine, except the diamonds are taller and thinner.”

“Mine?” A sarcastic laugh fell from my lips before I could stop it. “You mean the crown that comes and goes to piss Alania off? Yeah, I didn’t get to see it.”

“It’s on your head now.”

I stopped walking as I touched the top of my head, rough diamonds meeting my damp hands. When I tried to remove it to look at it, I couldn’t get it out of my hair.

“You can’t take it off. It doesn’t work like that.”

“How the fuck am I supposed to see it if I can’t take it off?”

“A mirror?” he popped back, his almost-English accent thick with dry humor.

“Smartass,” I mocked.

“There’s a chamber ahead,” he pointed out, grinning at me. “You still need a little work on your fae accent. Those Rs are really tripping you up.”

I scoffed, but godsdammit, he was right. Tennessee had worn off on me, and my Rs were much more pronounced than his.

“Say it again,” I commanded. “Smartass.”

“Smartass.”

“Smartass,” I copied.

“Not quite, but closer.”

I tried to mock him properly, repeating the word until it felt all sorts of fucked up, but any word would do that if you said it enough times in a row.

Vaughn grabbed my arm, pulling me against him. I peered over my shoulder, a single brow quirked, though he only shook his head for a moment. Then I sensed the magic barrier.

“Sealed,” he muttered. “This is fae magic. I don’t know what else it is, though.”

“It’s strong. It definitely took more than one person to put this up.” I placed my hand on it. “The purpose feels similar to the wards on all the doors in the palace, except it’s different, more selective? Meant to keep people out, but not everyone.”

I pushed my hand through it, only it didn’t bite me. There was no electric shock. I didn’t go flying backward... It just parted around my body, allowing me entrance into the protected chamber..

“What are you doing?” my fae hissed, slightly panicked.

“Vaughn?” I tilted my head, my eyes wide as I took in the sight before me.

“Sloane? What’s wrong?”

I grimaced, though I knew he couldn’t see me. “You need to come inside.”

“How the fuck—”

“Just push,” I snarled quietly.

I didn’t know how to react—or how Vaughn would react—to the high levels of magic in the room. It was almost suffocating, beating down on my chest. But it was also invigorating, tingling across my skin as adrenaline pumped through my system.

I knew whatever was in these giant bubbles in front of me was why we were here.