The Magic of Rue

Ch 14: Murderous and Meticulous

Rue POV

I packed my leather bag with spell ingredients, my handmade soaps, and a few changes of clothes.

The aggressive faery's gaze followed every move I made.

His cuffs and collar were still extremely visible, they should have become slim lines of metal when he was at rest.

...which meant either the seemingly icy man was hiding some rage or his at rest was murdery.

I slipped on my leather shoes, brushing off my dress. "So! Whats this journey going to be like customer?"

"For you?" He replied blandly, "I hope deadly. Is that all you own?"

I followed his gaze to my dress, the green and tan mix of fabrics hanging loosely on my body. "No! I have three more."

"...of the exact same thing?"

"Kind of. This ones my longest one."

His gaze dropped to the hem of where it rested just past the middle of my thigh. "None of that is suitable for long distance or combat."

I looked him over, his high leather boots, his leather pants and slim fitting tunic, blades strapped on him. "Well..." I chirped, analyzing his dark hair, "at least my hairs already up."

He stared.

I wiggled my head back and fourth, "like a cloud."

Kians odd golden eyes narrowed, "you are irritating."

"You hired me." I smiled, "we can just let this all go and you like lead the fae who would otherwise kill me far away."

"No."

Didn't think so. "I think I should also get knives."

"No."

"A sword?"

"No."

Well this was off to a great start. "Just a reminder if you let me die... those chains will get really mad at you."

He stared at me for a moment, his restraints suddenly wrapping chains over the majority of his body.

Intense. His bloodlust was intense.

I know fae are notorious for their ill tempers, fickle personalities, and blood lust.

But this far surpassed the few fae I've seen from a distance.

Between this and the way he treated his own species... there was something very dangerous about Kian.

"Kian." I prodded carefully, eying the chains that wrapped around his arms and torso, "...you never said what was going on. With your wound and those fae?"

"None of your business." He snarled.

"...but does anyone like you? Do you have an allies that would come looking for you?"

Silence.

A cold stare. "I told them they would die if they bothered me."

"...ah." So we were all alone. No one was going to come take this beast of a man off my hands. "Then I'll bring Andy."

"Your not taking a frog."

I scooped up Andy, "once you calm down we can go... i can't imagine its easy to move like that."

The chains slithered further down his body as his eyes grew sharp.

Well.

I debated recommended deep breathing, but I don't think that would work for him.

I held out the frog in my hands, "...do you think killing Andy would help?"

We were both quiet.

Andy croaked.

The faery looked up at the sky, heaving a quiet sigh at the clouds floating above.

Slowly the chains began to disappear as he took in our surroundings. "Lets go."

I held Andy close to my chest, trailing after the tall man, watching his ponytail swish above the short part of his hair.

"Leave the frog." He growled.

"What if I get hungry?"

He didn't even glance back at me, "then starve."

Ha. I wont starve, I brought mushrooms. "But roasted frog is tasty."

"It will make noise, we want as little noise as possible." He explained as if talking to a child.

I frowned but dropped the frog. "Does that mean you're catching dinner?"

"Thats not part of our deal."

Then ill just wait until he catches his, then make him angry enough to kill me, and steal his food when he's chained.

Great plan! This should be an easy journey.

I pulled a dried mushroom out of my bad, popping it into my mouth "mushroom?"

"No. We will stop when the sun moves a bit more to work on my wound."

"Okay customer! I have all my supplies, they should last a bit before we need more."

He didn't say anything else, just kept walking.

I wondered for a moment what would happen if I ran for it.

Could he control his blood lust enough to chase me down?

I wasn't sure. He seemed good at calming himself down enough to have the chains disappear and it hadn't even been a full day since they were placed on him.

I thought it would take at least a week for him to get used to them, the restrictions, and the itching burn they would bring.

Iron is toxic to the Fae, no matter how small the metal bands would be when he wasn't feeling murderous or how I enchanted them. They would still burn his skin as they moved. And the more the binds grew, the more he would feel the iron.

But he never even seems to flinch.

His ability to work with the restraints showed a tact and consideration I didn't think he had.

It wasn't a good sign for me.

He was murderous and meticulous