Curse And Craving

47

To think, I’d argued with Mom and Ashley to keep the damn thing around my neck. Now, I could only summon feelings of hate for the collar leashing me to a life I didn’t want. OceanofPDF.com Chapter Twenty I WOKE THE FOLLOWING MORNING IN A DESOLATE MOOD. FEELINGS OF hopelessness had haunted my dreams, and while I hadn’t had to face the shadow man, my current reality was a nightmare in itself. After I had showered, dressed, and eaten breakfast, I grabbed the knife Lochlan had given me and dropped it in my purse. When I set my dishes in the sink, it stirred the memory of the little Fae man I had seen on my table and how much his green skin had reminded me of Cyrene. She’d been kind and gentle. Was the little man the same sort of creature? Had I been unforgivably rude in my shock? Instead of rinsing the uneaten bits of egg from my plate, I set it on the counter and added some cheese and a couple of crackers. I had no idea if the little man would come back or what he liked to eat, but if he did return, I figured an apology by way of food wouldn’t hurt. I mostly hid away all morning at work. I wasn’t fit company for anyone. By the time lunch rolled around, I felt somewhat less nihilistic and went in search of Cat to see how she was doing. Having her didn’t totally make up for the potential loss of my parents and Ashley, but it was something. My friendship with Cat meant I wasn’t totally alone. “How have things been here on the ground level?” I asked when I saw her, forcing a small smile. “Quiet. I’ve already breezed through the gossip rag I brought to read. What about you? Have a good weekend?” I shrugged. “I was kidn*pped and taken to Faery, so it had its ups and downs.” Her eyes opened so wide that I was mildly concerned her eyeballs were going to pop right out of her head. “You’re joking,” she breathed. “I wish I was. Queen Guinevere had her man kidnap me. I spent the day there, had dinner with her Court, talked to her in the gardens, and then they deposited me back home.” “She knows that you know about the Fae, and she didn't kill you?” I suppose I hadn’t thought of it like that. It’s a small silver lining. “No. She just wanted to ask me questions.” I suddenly realized telling Cat what had happened would churn up some awkward questions I wasn’t willing to answer. Cat was terrified of the Fae. I couldn’t possibly tell her I was becoming one of them. Great. There goes the last of my friends. “What did she ask? What was it like there?” I outlined the events of my trip to Faery in detail, only skirting the issue of my Fae transformation. Cat listened raptly to every word. “She said there's a war coming?” Cat asked. “The elders are worried about that, too. That's why they want to meet you, Rebecca. I'm not sure when yet, but they said it was time. After I told them about the Red Caps, everyone's been on edge.” They might not want to meet with me if they knew I was part Fae. Maybe if I formed a relationship now, they might make an exception for me. See me as more than my genetics. “I'd love to meet with them. The more allies and information, the better. You just tell me when and where, and I'll be there.” She quietly clapped her hands in excitement. I wasn’t sure how things would turn out with Cat, but I’d do my best to keep her as a friend. “Oh! That reminds me. When I told you about the Red Cap attack, I forgot to mention that your bracelet saved me!” “You’re joking.” Her eyes grew round again, and I laughed. “Is that all you can say today? No, I'm not joking. One of those nasty creatures went to s***h me with his razor-sharp claws, and when I put my arm up to defend myself, the charm on the bracelet threw him back and left me unharmed. Unfortunately, the bracelet was damaged by the hit and fell off, but before that, it was a lifesaver.” “I've never seen the spell work.” She spoke in awe of the magic and studied a similar bracelet on her wrist. “I’ve drawn out the protection rune a million times, thinking it was more like a lucky charm. My mom swore the runes work, but I've never had any tangible proof.” “I'd love for you to make me another one if you wouldn't mind.” “I'll work on it tonight.” “Perfect! Thanks, Cat. I better get back upstairs before the others wonder where I've run off to.” She saluted me with a goofy grin, and I headed back to the fourth-floor offices feeling a tiny bit more optimistic. I WAS EXHAUSTED by closing time. I gathered my things and headed home in the crisp evening air, which was refreshing and helped reinvigorate me. Even in the dark, the trees that hadn't already dropped their leaves still boasted beautiful fall colors. I wondered whether the food scraps I had left out would be gone when I got home. And if they were, did the Brownie take them, or did I have mice? How would I be able to tell the difference unless I witnessed him retrieve my offerings? When I opened the door into my dark apartment, my gaze went straight to the small plate I had left on the counter. Only crumbs remained. He’d taken my offering! I stepped through the threshold of the entry but froze when I sensed a presence in my living room. A hulking figure sat at the far end of my loveseat, causing me to drop my bags and stumble backward with a screech. “It’s me, Becca. Calm down,” said a familiar deep voice. Lochlan. “Were you trying to scare me to death?” I picked up my purse and work tote, gathering the items scattered on the floor. “What are you doing here? You can't just go letting yourself into people's homes. Not only is it breaking and entering, it's rude.”