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“I don’t mind. You must remember, Cat, that it has been a very long time.” His tone was laden with a lifetime of struggle. “I was exiled because I took a human wife.” “What?” I gasped, sitting tall in my chair. “The one caveat given when the Fae were allowed to roam Earth was that there were no human-Fae relationships.” “So having a human wife was, what? Illegal?” “Yes, the queen was adamant that there would be no intermingling of the races aside from feedings.” “So s*x was allowed, but no meaningful relationships? It’s not like the two races could bear children, so there would be no reason for such a law. That’s just the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard,” I scoffed indignantly. “And now, is that still the law?” His eyes met mine briefly in a glance that stirred a swarm of butterflies in my chest. “The Fae are no longer allowed here, so the point is rather moot. However, I suppose the edict still stands. I cannot imagine the queen’s staunch desire to protect the purity of our culture would have waned.” “I thought she called the Fae back to Faery because of the crusades and other human campaigns to conquer.” “That was the primary reason. The Fae did not want war with all of mankind, which likely would have happened had there been a widespread discovery of our existence. She also observed that humans grew more advanced each year at an alarming rate, and she feared the eventual mingling of our races. If the two peoples lived one among the other, eventually, their differences would blur and melt together. I believe she viewed the Fae race as superior—to her, it was vital that the Fae retain their own identity.” My next words were barely above a whisper. “What happened to your wife?” His gaze stayed locked on the floor near the bed as he spoke in a monotone voice. “She was killed as a part of my punishment. I’d known the risks, but her spirit had possessed me so completely that I ignored the potential consequences. Of course, I also believed no one would ever know. One chance encounter with a man loyal to the queen, and our fates were sealed. My wife’s human lifespan would have been much shorter than mine, but I never expected our time together would be so brief.” It was no wonder Rebecca had wanted to help this man. His life had been destroyed because of his undying love for a woman—I could not think of anything more unjust. I imagined Fen carted off into exile after the love of his life had been murdered. My heart cracked wide open for him. Tears filled my eyes as I stared down at my hands. “I’m so sorry, Fen,” I said in a shaky whisper. “I’ll never understand why people have to hate one another.” After a long moment of silence, I lifted my gaze to Fen and was surprised to find him glowering at me. “What do you know of hate?” His words were clipped, raw emotion surfacing in his voice. A part of me wanted to cower at his rising temper, while another side grew angry that this man clearly assumed me to be a naïve child. Compared to him, maybe I was, but that didn’t negate my life experiences. I wiped the moisture from my eyes and threw aside my ingrained teachings regarding the importance of secrecy about my people. “My family has centuries of experience with hate and fear,” I asserted firmly. “My ancestors were the handmaids for Queen Guin, and when she closed off Faery from Earth, her human companions were sent home. Not long after their return, the Wild Hunt slaughtered them one by one. Few survived, but those who did passed on the knowledge of the Fae and their magic, along with a heavy dose of hate-filled propaganda. For centuries, my people have feared and resented the Fae.” Fen studied me clinically. He made no move to apologize for his assumption, but he also didn’t belittle the history of my people. “I take it the secrecy is no longer an issue?” “We recently discovered that the handmaids’ murders were unsanctioned by the queen. She never wanted them killed, and we may never know what happened, but the result has meant freedom for my people. Unfortunately, not everyone has been willing to accept these recent developments. Secrecy and fear have been ingrained in us since birth. Some are apprehensive about letting go of those teachings.” “If you were indoctrinated with the same beliefs, how is it you are now friends with Rebecca?” Squirming in my chair, I offered a sheepish smirk. “I wish I could say it was out of my deep love of all creatures, great and small, but that wouldn’t be the truth. The fact of the matter is, when I met Rebecca, I thought she was entirely human. By the time I discovered she was becoming Fae, my impression of her had already been formed.” “The knowledge did not change the way you felt about her?” “Quite the opposite. What I’ve learned has changed the way I see my people. Rebecca and the Hunt are nothing like what I’d been taught. Once the foundation of that wall began to crumble, the whole thing came down. I’ve been questioning everything I thought I knew.” His chin lifted slightly as he continued to assess me. “I believe many people would have turned their backs on the new friend rather than alienate themselves from their families.” “Yeah, that’s what my mother’s done. She’s horrified that I remained friends with Becca and has threatened me to stay away from both Becca and Ashley. They’re my closest friends, though, and as much as it hurts me to upset my mom, I refuse to walk away from my friends because of some stupid, small-minded prejudice.” I held his eyes determinedly, hoping he would see that I was not like my family. His gaze intensified until the air around me felt electric, and gooseflesh rose along my arms. “Some things are worth the risk of defying authority, and others are not. If you take that risk, you must be prepared to accept the consequences. Because there are always consequences.”
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