The Lonely Ones

Chapter Twenty-Eight: An Unwanted Guest

Two days and nights pass, consumed by worry. Artemis watches Maggie for any further misfortunes, relieved to discover there are none. She goes about her days like any other accompanied by a few scratches scabbing over. There's no sign of Wren at the shop or in the forest. Not until the third night.

Artemis wakes from a recognizable chill overtaking his bedroom. He sits in time to view Wren lifting himself through the window, donning a smirk like it's his crown.

"What a pity that I woke you," he whispers, landing silently on the floor. "I had hoped to steal a kiss or two."

Artemis retrieves his eyepatch, tying it swiftly. Then he sits silently on the edge of the bed long enough for Wren to sit beside him and ask, "Are you not going to welcome me? It has been two moons since you've had the honor of my presence. Clearly you were hoping for it, seeing as you left the rock on your windowsill. How flattering."

He wasn't sure where to begin. Ask about Maggie or the shop. He settled on the latter. Ease up to questioning Wren about Maggie, otherwise he may not answer anything.

"Did you visit my shop a few days ago when I wasn't there?" Artemis asks. "I won't be upset if you did, although I'm curious why."

Wren shakes his head. "I did not. Why?"

"When I returned from the woods, the door was unlocked. I always lock it. Nothing is wrong with the lock, but Maggie mentioned a tall man outside my shop on the day that I discovered it. I thought it may have been you."

"Don't fret. There is nothing in your shop worth attempting to steal, other than your heart, of course." Wren smirks at the blush settling on Artemis' face.

Artemis refuses to fall for Wren's tactics of riling him up. Shaking his head, he inquires, "Did you send someone to the shop for any reason?"

"So suspicious. What for?" Wren huffs, crossing his arms, looking more like a wounded child than a powerful fae. "You claimed once that you wanted to trust me, and yet, you question me at every turn."

Wren stands, stomping over to the window. He grasps the rock he gave Artemis, fist trembling around it. "Why allow me entrance if you think I'm undeserving of your trust?" His gaze strays across the room to Artemis' doorway.

Wren sets the pebble back on the windowsill. Cold eyes glisten over. "But I see that you salted your doorway. You think me a monster to slip in during the night and take the life of your mother who is undeserving of the title."

"I am frightened by the idea of what you may do to Camellia," Artemis admits. Wren's usual smirk vanishes, replaced by a wicked snarl feigning aggression to hide discomfort. "You put her under a spell and would have kept her under it had I not tricked you into releasing her and..."

"And?" Wren whispers.

"I worry that you put a spell on Maggie. Did you?"

Wren curls a perfect eyebrow. "Pray tell what brought about such an inquiry?"

"A few days back she had a string of horrid luck."

"And that applies to me, how?"

"She spoke of running into a boy at the start of the day and all that transpired were odd happenings."

"Sounds as if it's what you claimed, some horrid luck."

"Did you put a curse on Maggie?" Artemis repeats, preventing Wren from replying by adding, "I will not take a tale for an answer. Say yes or no."

"I do not take orders," Wren growls, hands clenched into fists white as the snow whistling through the bedroom. Freezing wind howls around Wren's form. Artemis glances at his door, expecting Camellia to awaken from the commotion.