The Faerie Guardian

Chapter Six

Part II

Chapter Six

I reach the end of the empty Guild corridor for the millionth time. I turn automatically and continue pacing. If anyone asks, I'm attempting to wear a path into the wooden floor using only the power of a pair of high-heeled shoes. The truth, however, is far less glamorous. I'm a disgraced faerie about to be chewed apart by the Guild Council for breaking the Law.

My left ankle twists to the side as I take another wonky step forward. Stupid shoes. I'd like to meet the idiots who decided to camouflage a torture device as a human fashion item. I'd show them there are far better things one can do with a pointy heel.

I sit down on the bench opposite the only door on this corridor and twist my hands together in my lap. The Council should have called me in at least ten minutes ago; I think the six of them are making sure I'm well and truly terrified before they interrogate me about my supposed crimes. How am I supposed to convince them it wasn't my fault Nate followed me into Creepy Hollow when I can't even stop my own fingers from shaking?

I hear footsteps coming down the corridor. I put my head in my hands, making sure my fingers cover my face. Keep walking, keep walking, I urge the footsteps. But they stop. I spread my fingers apart and see a pair of black boots with a twisting pattern of thorns engraved into the chunky metal buckles.

My heart sinks.

Fantastic. Just make my day even worse, why don't you?

I raise my head and meet Ryn's bright blue gaze. He sits on the bench opposite me. This isn't a coincidence. He has no reason to be here other than to torment me. "I hear you had fun on the way back to the human's house," he says. His eyes travel to the scar that bracelets my wrist. "And you had a make-out session with him on his front lawn."

"Back lawn, actually." I try to keep my voice even, but I have a sudden urge to punch the wall. I'm going to kill Flint. I didn't know he'd seen that kiss.

"Too bad your human doesn't remember anything now. I bet that kiss was incredible." Ryn sticks his tongue out and pretends to slobber all over himself. Delightful.

"How old are you again?" I ask. I'd like to shove his tongue down his throat, though I'm relieved he thinks Nate doesn't remember anything. I've spent the past few days living in fear that someone will find out what I did. Or, more accurately, what I didn't do.

Ryn opens his mouth to answer, then freezes. His eyes slide from mine and settle on . . . my ear? I clutch my earlobe and feel the slender arrow-shaped earring. I took Nate's advice and decided to just wear the darn things instead of carrying them around in the sole of my boot. Now I remember why I stopped wearing them in the first place: I've never liked it when Ryn looks at me like he wants to kill me.

The door beside Ryn opens and the youngest member of the Council pokes her blue and blonde head out. "We'll see you now, Miss Fairdale."

I stand up and walk to the door. Ryn's eyes never leave me. "Break a leg," he says, his voice like thin ice. I don't think he means it the way humans do.

*

The first thing I do when I get home is remove the shoes. I'd like to snap the damn heels right off, but since they belong to Tora, that probably wouldn't go down too well. I toss the shoes onto the couch, waking Filigree, who shifts into porcupine form in fright. When he sees it's only me, he shifts back to the white mink version of himself, sits upright, and cocks his head to one side.

"You don't want to know," I tell him as I head for the stairs. "Let's just say I'm glad it's over." I run up to my bedroom, peeling off Raven's dress as I go—Tora refused to let me face the Council in my everyday creature-butt-kicking clothes. The dress lands on my bed. I yank open a drawer and pull out the first pants and top I see. There's no point in searching through the pile. Everything I own is pretty much the same: dark, close-fitting, and easy to move in. This particular top has strips of leather crisscrossing over it, in case I feel the need to secure a few weapons to my body. Fortunately, right now, I don't.