Creatures of The Dark

Chapter XIII

"Have you heard of the Fachan?"

"No," I shook my head, watching Roan's eyes light up.

"Ugly things, the Fachan. So hideous they are said to cause the mortal heart to stop by the sight of them." I gave him a disbelieving look and he insisted, "I can verify myself." He leaned back in his chair, his body shivering as if remembering the sight.

"You've seen one?"

He nodded, looking at me, "One leg, one arm, and one eye."

"Must be terrible in a fight."

He gave me a withering look, and I chuckled at the man. "You wouldn't say that if you knew they were fourteen feet tall and had wings." I choked on my drink. Roan smirked, launching into a story of how Ambros and himself fought off a swarm of Fachan, protecting an infested village. I watched him, tracking his eccentric hand movements as he retold the story. His hands were flickered with scarrage that came with centuries of wielding weapons. "It was Ambros's idea to draw a string along the treeline, where we had been cornered by the beasts. They are as stupid as they are large.

"Many tripped or disoriented themselves. In the chaos, we attacked. We slew dozens of them, killing the mighty leader who had vowed to feast on our entrails," he explained, his eyes bright as he relived the details of his epic battle. In the last couple of days, I had traded interrogation for this...bonding of sorts. Every morning after training I would come to a room in Roan's various apartments and we would talk. He would politely ask me questions of my likes, my life, but compared to him there wasn't much to tell. I hadn't yet lived.

The general would tell me stories formed from folklore and mischief. He was old, I realized, very old. He told tales of creatures that hadn't lurked the earth in hundreds of years. Occasionally I would invite Serana along and she would delight in Roan's stories. The general said that he didn't mind, but often Serana would excuse herself to give us time together. Roan had said that any child of Alyina was a child of his and that any fae responsible for bringing his son back to him, was a hero in his eyes. Serana had blushed at that.

"I assume you are unfamiliar with the light fae style of dance?" Roan questioned.

"I'm afraid I have been gifted with two left feet."

Roan left out an airy breath–a laugh. He must not have done it often. "Your mother was the same," he said, "You should have Alexandra teach you." I was about to protest, but he said "It would do her a lot of good. She won't tell you, but she is awfully bored."

I snorted, "She's made me aware." Roan smiled at that. The solstice celebration was the only thing anyone could talk about. It was in three days. With each day that passed, I would get an increasing number of onlookers. Awe. A beat of silence passed before I worked up the courage to ask, "Will they accept me?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but something gave him pause. "You are no child, and I will not humor you with sweet lies. It will be hard, Lucius, but in time I hope you find it to be worth it."

I nodded absently, mulling over his words.

"Plus, you get a crown."

I smiled at his teasing, his light tone chasing away my nerves.

The following day I found myself in the training room with Alexandra. If someone would have told me two months ago, a year ago, that I would be practicing dance moves with a dark fae in preparation for my crowning, I would have laughed. Now, my stomach was a ball of nerves. I didn't know how much improvement I could make in one day's practice, but hopefully it would be enough not to embarrass myself.

"Have you danced before?" Alexandra asked, arms crossed against her. She stood before me in training leathers, the sight would have been humorous with anyone else given we were about to dance.