The blood leaves my face. The two Chosen have already been confirmed? But the announcement isn’t made until dawn. “Is that why you’re here? To finalize the names?”
“I just returned from doing so.”
So he must be an ambassador after all. But if he just came from finalizing the names…then that means…
I can hardly finish the thought. No other village but my own is near this part of the faewall. I can only hope he came from farther south. With a deep breath, I say, “Might you tell me their names?”
He takes a step forward, a dangerous glint in his dark eyes. “For a price.”
Of course. I should have known better than to step into that predictable trap. No peace of mind is worth making a bargain with a fae. “On second thought, I’ll wait until dawn. I’ll just be on my way then.” I step to the side to skirt around him, but he’s faster.
Again, his wall of a body is blocking me. “It will be an easy bargain. Give me your name and I’ll give you theirs.”
“Ha, I’m sure!” I regret the outburst as soon as it’s made. Mother did say my mouth would be the death of me. But he’s ridiculous if he thinks I’ll fall for that! I know what he’d ask after I gave him my name. Is that your true name you’ve given me? Such an innocent question—if you’re daft. But anyone who knows fae knows affirming he has my true name is all it takes to put me under his complete control. It would go beyond the power of a simple glamour, giving him the ability to make me do unspeakable things. A glamour, at least, ends by cutting eye contact. But giving one’s name? Rumor has it only death can sever that level of control.
I gather my poise and put together a more polite reply. “Clever wording, but no, I will not give you my name.”
He smiles wide. My eyes move to his mouth, looking for sharp teeth. In the dark, I barely get more than a flash of white between his full lips. “How about you tell me your name then. In return, I will tell you theirs.”
My eyes flick back to his, and I turn his words over a few times in my head. I don’t think he’s left room for a trap. Breathe. Blink. Breathe. Blink. “Fine. I will tell you my name. It’s Evelyn.”
“Evelyn…”
I plaster a pleasant smile on my face. I’m sure it doesn’t reach my eyes. “First names will do. Now it’s your turn.”
He glares, but his lips are curled with amusement. “You aren’t afraid of me, are you?”
How could he ask me that? Surely, he can hear how loudly my heart is pounding in my chest. “Why would I be afraid?”
He lunges forward, lips peeling back with a snarl. Instead of lurching away, I stand my ground, dagger in hand as his fingers reach my neck. I raise my blade. He freezes, his nose an inch from the iron tip.
We hold our positions. His fingers are wrapped around my throat, the pressure uncomfortable, but not tight enough to constrict my breathing. My chest heaves. If he squeezes even the slightest bit more, I’ll plunge my dagger into his eye socket. It wouldn’t be easy. I’ve never killed a fae before, or anyone for that matter. But, as a more than capable surgeon’s apprentice, I have a steady hand and am no stranger to cutting a blade into flesh. I know just how much pressure is needed to slice through every kind of tissue, know how deep and how hard I would need to thrust to reach vital organs.
His finger flinches at the base of my collarbone. I prepare to strike.
In the blink of an eye, he’s taken a step back and his head is thrown back in bellowing laughter.
I keep my dagger raised, chest heaving with rage. “What’s so funny?”
“I love being surprised. You’re scared after all. Scared but unflinchingly prepared. You’d have killed me.”
I swallow hard, resisting the urge to rub my neck as I glare back at him. “And you?”
He sobers from his laughter, but his smile remains wide. “I wasn’t going to kill you. I simply wanted to see what you’d do. You’re wise to carry iron around here.”
“Thanks,” I say through my teeth. “I’ll be going now. Let me pass this time.”
He turns to the side, extending a hand toward the forest in a perfect impersonation of a gentleman. I brush past him, the hilt of my blade still clenched in my fist.
“What about our bargain?” he calls after me. “Don’t you want to know the names of the two Chosen?”
I pause, hesitating before I turn to face him. “Go on.”
He doesn’t move toward me, just holds my gaze for endless moments.
Breathe. Blink. Breathe. Blink.
Finally, he utters the words I’m waiting to hear. “Theresa and Maryanne Holstrom.”
The Holstrom girls. From Sableton. My village. I should feel terror for them, anguish for their families. We grew up together, after all. But all I feel is relief. Sweet, overwhelming, glorious relief. I can’t fight the smile that tugs at my lips, and I tip my head back and close my eyes. “Thank you,” I whisper, although I don’t know who I’m thanking. The fae? The stars? The Great Mother above?
I hear an amused laugh not too far away and remember the presence of the fae male. My eyes fly open and dart his way. But he’s gone.
I whirl around, expecting him to be waiting menacingly behind me, but it seems the forest is empty. Good riddance. I return the way I came, no longer jumping at the sounds of snapping twigs or rustling leaves. Nothing can shake my joy right now. Nothing.
For the first time in my eighteen years of life, I can consider myself safe.
Chapter Two
My bed trembles beneath me as if the very earth is shaking. And yet, I can’t be bothered by it. Not when there’s such delicious sleep to be had.
“Evie. Evie! Get up!”
The voice startles me fully awake, and I open my eyes to find Amelie’s face an inch from mine. I groan and roll away from her. The bed returns to shaking, in earnest this time. Amelie is on her feet, bouncing from one side of my mattress to the other.
“Evie, how can you sleep? You haven’t heard the news yet!”
The news. She must mean the announcement of the Chosen. How long did I sleep? Finally, I roll onto my back and look up at my sister. Her copper hair is backlit by the morning sun coming in through my window. Her green eyes are bright beneath her long, feathery, black lashes. She’s dressed in one of her finest daytime dresses, a cream, lowcut gown with a mauve floral pattern. Of course, she’s outfitted in a fancy dress. That’s how she celebrates.
Amelie plops down on the bed next to me and takes me by the shoulders. She’s grinning so wide, I can see all her neat, perfect teeth. “It’s the Holstrom girls! It isn’t us!”
I realize I should act surprised. There’s no reason to tell her about my encounter last night, which would be the only excuse I’d have for knowing the news she’s bursting at the seams to share. I sit, trying to look eager. “Oh? The Holstroms?”
Amelie’s smile turns into a frown as my blanket slides from my shoulders. I follow her gaze and realize I’m still wearing my cloak. She pulls back the rest of the blanket, revealing the dirty hem of my trousers and mud-splattered boots.
“Really, Evie? You didn’t even bother to remove your shoes before bed?”