Fair Deception

Chp. 10

I glanced at Kalen, but he appeared to be wrapped up in his own thoughts and relatively unaware of the surroundings. Yet, I heard the snap of a visor and noticed Broch shoot me a reassuring smile in the mirror. My lips barely twitched up in response and I looked back out of the window into the leafy walls that seemed to be shooting past too quickly as we wove down the lane. Eventually, we slowed and turned into a car park at the edge of a forest I didn't know existed. As the others climbed out of the car, I paused to give myself a quick pep-talk and a final deep breath.

Pushing open the surprisingly light door, I was about to clamber out of the back of the low car when a hand appeared next to me. I held onto it gratefully as I hauled myself onto the dusty car park floor and gave Broch a small smile of thanks. When I caught his eye, his hand stayed wrapped around mine for just a moment too long and caused heat to warm my cheeks, despite the chill morning air. I dropped it quickly when Kalen spoke. "It's up here, Ana," he said and watched as Broch and I stepped away from each other to follow Caydran up a dry mud path which twisted between the trees.

Kalen came up next to me, "It's not a long walk, Ana. How are you feeling?"

I thought about my answer for a minute. "A little overwhelmed to be honest. But, I am hoping that this'll give me some answers so, yeah," I replied.

"I'm sure you'll be able to learn something from The Court. Just don't forget...."

"Mind my manners, mind my temper, try not to talk and don't eat anything?"

Kalen frowned, "Yeah, but this is serious. The Seelie Court are tricky."

"You almost sound like you're not one of them," I remarked after a moment.

"I am, but, you've only seen me in the human realm and not all fae are like me and the others. They're like my father, only more..." He tried to find the right words.

"Prickly?" I offered.

He smiled despite himself, "Yes, the Seelie Court are definitely a prickly group. I just want you to be safe. I wouldn't bring you here if I could help it."

I put my hand on his arm reassuringly, "I get it, Kalen. Despite everything, I know you want me safe."

A slightly hurt expression crossed his face at the double edged nature of my words, but so much had changed between us that I couldn't help the emotional backlash of his actions inflecting my words. It was still too recent. Too present.

Caydran stopped at an arched wooden bridge, which spanned a stream and led to a pretty copse of trees. The floor of the bridge was smooth from use but it was the fences, lining the edge of the bridge, that caught my attention. They grew from the ground at the banks of the stream; unusual, grey-brown branches and tendrils, which wound in and out of each other, elegantly constructing an intricate wall between the bridge's path and the bubbling water below. The floor of the bridge curved over the stream and, at the highest point, the entwining branches from the sides reached up together, to form an indisputable archway over the bridge's apex.

"To get to The Court you will need to walk under the arch," Caydran said to me as I was still admiring its intricacy.

"Just me?" I asked in a voice that was smaller than I had intended.

"We'll be right behind you," Kalen reassured me.

I was about to step onto the bridge when Broch spoke, "Anastasia don't..."

"I know, don't talk, eat or drink," I said, glancing back over my shoulder and was surprised to see Broch smile.

After a pause, he said, "Don't be scared, the queen is the most mercurial creature, but it will be okay."