She walked in front of Ser and I, just enough that I could watch the bounce in each step as she trotted up the main path to her house.
It was dark. Everything was dark, but she didn’t need our help to see anymore. Something told me she had likely walked this path at night hundreds of times.
My chest tightened thinking about her walking all alone at night, scavenging for something to feed her sister with.
I shook my head. What was I thinking? Jade was perfectly capable of taking care of herself in the human lands.
Saints, she had survived long enough in the fae lands, I was starting to think she could take care of herself there too.
Jade turned on the path, walking up to the front door of probably the smallest house on the entire path. Not a single light remained on, but I knew it was Jade’s house.
One, because her scent still lingered here,
And two, because I hadn’t taken my eyes off her that night in the forest until I had watched her get inside.
Something inside me wouldn’t let me look away.
“Wait here,” she demanded as she grabbed the doorknob and pushed it open.
Serefin glanced at me, as if he was wondering if I would listen to Jade or not.
“I’m staying out here because I want to,” I clarified. “Not because she told me to.”
“Sure you are,” he stifled a laugh, but we both remained at the front door as Jade closed it behind her.
JADE
“Tessa?” I whispered into the darkness. The house was just as I remembered it, only with the chill of winter just around the corner, it was much colder.
And messier. As if that were possible.
“Tessa?” I asked again, a little louder.
A thump from her bedroom, followed by thudding footsteps on the floor answered me.
“Jade, is that you?” she asked.
I could have dropped to my knees in happiness right then and there. Tessa was still here.
I didn’t have time to answer her question before she jumped into my arms, almost tackling me backwards. I hadn’t been gone for more than a week, but saints. Was she getting taller already?”
“How are you alive?” she whispered in my embrace. “What happened? Did you get married? How are you here?”
Her questions rambled on in a continuous flow, and I couldn’t stop myself from laughing.
“It’s not funny!” she replied, finally pulling away. Although I could hear the laughter forming in her words, too. “You better start explaining yourself!”
“Okay, okay,” I said. “I’ll tell you anything you want to know. Where’s father?”
Tessa rolled her eyes. “I haven’t seen him in a couple of days. He’ll be back though. You know how it is.”
My heart warmed and tightened at the same time. Tessa was never the one to worry about our father’s whereabouts. It was always me. But with me gone, she had to step up.
And I hated that. Even though I was so proud of her.
“Who cares about him, though. What about you?”
Tessa grabbed my hand and tugged me back into our bedroom. She sat on the edge of the bed and motioned for me to join her, exactly how we used to sit and exchange stories almost every night growing up.
I guess some things never changed.
I folded my hands in my lap, unsure of where to rest them. I took a deep breath before I said, “I got married. It was giant and beautiful and there were hundreds of fae.”
“Tell me everything!” she pushed. But I knew I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t tell her how much danger I had been in. I couldn’t tell her that I had almost been killed, or that I was risking my life by even being here. She couldn’t know.
“It turns out Malachi wasn’t the one killing his wives. It was all rumored.”
“Malachi,” Tessa repeated slowly. I became very aware of how the two fae outside the door were likely listening to every word of this. “Is he nice? Is he handsome? Please tell me he’s handsome!”
I laughed, and I was very grateful a wooden door separated Malachi from me. But I wanted Tessa to believe the fairytale. I wanted her to think I was okay. My cheeks heated as I said, “Oh yes, he’s very handsome.” Tessa clapped her hands in excitement. “He’s tall and has long, black hair. And he’s strong, one of the strongest fae in the kingdom. He has giant black wings, and he’s the only one I’ve seen with black wings. Everyone else has white or silver. It’s amazing.”
Tessa was drinking every detail. I didn’t care that Malachi was listening to this. All I cared about was making her happy. “And he protects me. He’s the reason I’m still alive.”