Working in a dead-end, post office job in the heart of a primarily-Human city, Arya Salcrest cannot let her secret out else she loses her rights and her safety. Norren Sterling, a member of the Council whom she met after a failed museum trip, is det...
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Belle drew her coat tighter, her footsteps hesitant. Eliott did his best to stay calm even though fear and doubt crashed against his sternum like a tidal wave. Shadows from the tall buildings of the town of Rosewall fell over them, shielding the sun's early rays and preventing most of them from stinging their eyes.
Despite everything, excitement played at the base of Eliott's gut.
It took a lot to convince Belle to come with him to the ground, to explore the city. It had happened a week ago, when he felt the need to escape once more and wandered off to the belltower. Belle had found him there again and they just talked. About the silliest of things. About everything and nothing at all.
Then, Belle sighed wistfully just as Eliott was talking about riding horses or eating dessert in a dark alley. "I wish I could experience that," she said back then, looking at the expanse of the town with such sadness in her eyes. "But I cannot go to the city."
Eliott, being ignorant about the fae experience most of the time, had knitted his eyebrows and turned to her. "Why not?"
"Too dangerous," Belle jerked her chin to her splendid brown wings folded behind her. "One look at these and the humans would run away screaming and make a scene."
Eliott inclined his head to one side. "Can you show your wings at home?" he asked. "Or at least in whatever place you're staying in right now?"
Belle bobbed her head, her wild red locks had been let loose in fiery shades cascading down her shoulders. "Madam doesn't mind," she replied. Her hands ran down the length of her arms once more. Today, she thought it was wiser to wear a long-sleeved blouse. "She had grown up surrounded by fae with her house in the forest. I was lucky enough to start working for her. She's senile too so can't really tell the difference between a human and a fae. I don't think she even knows I have wings," she gave a small chuckle at that. "Or horns."
Eliott had breathed a sigh of relief back then. It's really lucky Belle hasn't been with a murderous psycopath who thought of fae as moving targets to shoot at. But...what about thousands or millions others who weren't as fortunate?
"Do you still want to go to the city?" Eliott dared to ask aloud. Belle turned away from the sky and faced him. She had a bemused look on her face, telling Eliott she was listening. He scratched the back of his neck. "I mean, I think I know of a way to get you there."
Belle raised an eyebrow. "Which is?"
Eliott raised a finger to the air, wagging it towards somewhere behind Belle. "Hiding your wings," he said. "We can stuff them in a satchel or something. Then, you can roam the town without having to worry about them being seen."
She wrinkled her nose at the thought. "Wouldn't that be uncomfortable?" she leaned against the sill and propped her hin on her palm. "I certainly don't like walking around with my wings bouncing behind me like a swinging ball."
