Fae Wolf

Chapter 3-2

AITI DIDN’T ANSWER at first. Instead, she stuck a brilliant blue feather she’d molted out of her crest between the pages in lieu of a bookmark. Pierced me with eyes lacking irises. c****d her head.

Just like always, her silence pulled words out of me. “The Queen knows what ‘Aiti’ means. Court is no longer safe for you. I know the borders are closed to fae, but I’m from earth. I think I can get us across.”

“And then?”

I’d put a lot of thought into this over the last six months. Back then, I’d hopped into the canoe because I’d thought Faery was the only place where my mother could survive. But here at Court, nosing into places that were none of my business, I’d learned about alternatives.

“You wouldn’t have to steal energy to live on earth. You could just soak up overflow when humans are exuberant. It would be enough for survival if not for major magic tricks. The feeding method is entirely benign.”

She hummed for a moment, the vibration both soothing and musical. Then: “Leaving will be dangerous.”

My mother wasn’t trying to talk me out of it. The ache in my chest loosened despite the pang of knowledge about what we’d both be losing. Spring flowers that sparkled like jewels. Bird song that rivaled earth orchestras. Faery’s beauty was profound...and leaving was easy if it meant my mother would remain safe.

So I grabbed my traveling bag—dusty from long disuse—and started stuffing essentials inside it. “Not more dangerous than staying here.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I noted that Aiti hadn’t picked up her own luggage. Instead, she remained still in the way only fae could. My hands slowed, then stopped.

“Aiti, please.”

My mother’s face could be hard to read for those unaccustomed to her increasingly bird-like features. But the wateriness of her eyes suggested she was sad. “Does your gut say this is the right thing to do?”

Aiti was big on intuition. I nodded.

“Are you sure? Look deeper.”

We didn’t have time to waste, but I obeyed her anyway. Closed my eyes and felt into the darkness of my psyche as if I was walking blind through a cave.

I wasn’t actually going anywhere, just seeking out my wolf and her instincts. A waking dream, maybe. Whatever it was, within seconds, my immaterial fingers brushed against the fur of my lupine half. The knot in my stomach eased at her presence. I fisted her ruff and let her act as my guide.

As always, my wolf was ready and willing. Tugging me forward, we left behind both Court and the land of Faery. Passed through darkness into light.

On the other end was an unshaven shifter with a smirk on his lips. “Knock, knock,” Ryder said, tapping on my head by way of greeting.

The touch—completely unreal—sent a tingle up my spine anyway. Meanwhile, my brows drew together.

Was that why I wanted to cross over? Animal attraction? If so, Aiti was right. This was a fool’s errand.

“Hmmm.” My mother’s breath feathered across my forehead right where the shifter hadn’t actually tapped. Opening my eyes, I expected to find her intent attention spearing me.

Instead, she was across the room, filling her own sack with oystershell for her beak plus clean pairs of spider-silk underwear. “Alright then,” she told me. “Let’s go.”

***