The Fallen: Courts of Chaos

16. Old Foes

For the nth time, I forced down the bile that piled up in my throat.

It was disgusting. But so was the blood, so was the ashy corpses of the dead pixies, and so was this whole situation. The smell of burnt and blood mixed together was unbearable.

Disgusting.

Atlas had stopped bleeding after taking the pill. His hands were holding onto me still, at no certain times murmuring words too softly I could barely catch them. He was feverish, but at least he was no longer a footstep away from being at Death's door.

I dared not look around too much, fearing that doing so would capture unwanted attention, especially theirs.

Eryl clenched his fists and the fire diminished in an instant. Elemental users were rare as hen's teeth nowadays. Very few of them existed, and those few were always revered and protected by their Clans.

"Your pets have caused disturbances and killed some humans, all due to the negligence of your guards."

Killian glared in disagreement. But Aric said nothing to correct the Fallen. Instead, his eyes fell on us - the so-called humans whose companions had been killed by his pixies. I felt the prickling heat of his gaze and looked up.

The Winter Feys were notoriously cold. There was none of the playfulness their Summer counterpart showed, instead, it was detachment mixed with a little bit of distaste. He looked at us like he would to an ant under his feet. His pale blue eyes were swirling with storm and chaos and all the likes, and it was so easy to drown in them.

"They are not my guests, Eryl. You can hold Tauryn accountable for mistreating them," Aric retorted dispassionately, "Besides, you've burnt enough of our forest to compensate for the grievance these humans experience," He turned to us and asked pointedly, "Hasn't he?"

My hands trembled a little under the weight of his question.

"Your Highness, but our pixies..." Killian spoke up, but with a look, he was immediately subdued to silence.

It was clear that these guards treated us humans as lesser than even the pixies, fretting about their death and the burnt trees but failing to mention us at every twist of his words. Our death meant nothing to them - I wouldn't be surprised if they purposefully held back from warning us about the danger of this enchanted forest so we would die; one by one. Like human lives were just funny bets to them.

"He has, Your Highness," I took a deep breath when no one else replied, clearly too frightened and shocked by the turn of events. The Fallen said nothing, but even when he wasn't staring, I could feel his eyes on me, sharp and inquisitive. "Please, we merely wish to recuperate from injuries and mourn our loss in peace."

I pat myself in the back for sounding sad, grievous, but also a little afraid. A normal human would not be so calm under the same situation. If I reacted any differently, they would start suspecting me. 

Aric seemed satisfied by my answer. The corner of his lips curved and he looked at Eryl once more, "Does that satisfy you? Or have you not burnt enough yet?"

Unlike the rest, his contempt was not concealed by fear and reverence. He treated the Fallen like he would to an old foe.

"Watch your tone, Aric," Eryl said coldly. His reaction alluded to a history between the two, as Fey and Vampires were not known to be mortal enemies the way Vampires and the Wolves were. "I can always burn more if that's what you want."

"I see that being a Fallen has not lessened your bloodthirsty nature," There was something unsettling about the way Aric smirked. The promise of violence rested on the curves of his lips, but even with the madness and jaded part, Aric was magnificent - a force of nature, arrogance-personified. "Burn it, and I will finally have a reason to kill you."

"Your Highness!" Killian despaired. The Fey might be prideful, but this enchanted forest was their joy and the heart of the Clan. They would not allow it to be destroyed under any circumstances.

Eryl was, surprisingly, the first to concede. He pulled up the hood and once again covered a good part of that fair face. Then he half-whispered chilling words to taunt the Fey, "Save the killing for another day, Aric. I'll be waiting." ...for the day he could drive an iron blade through the Prince's beating heart for a justifiable cause.

If Aric was, indeed, affected by their banter, he was good at concealing it. He just stared coldly as the guards parted in twos to allow the Fallen through.

I thought he would leave soon after the Fallen. But as the guards were scrambling around, fixing the broken, burnt parts of their forest with waves of their hands and nature's magic, I found the Prince approaching us slowly with an unreadable expression.

Up-close, as he crouched down in front of me, I caught a glimpse of black runes running through the loosely-covered part of his upper body. My heart skipped a beat when our eyes met.

I was alarmed and hissed defensively when Aric tried to put his hand on Atlas, "What are you doing?"

I wanted to push him away, but the moment our skin came in contact, it was like someone had electrocuted my insides and left it burning for a few seconds before it was gone. I looked up, confused, and his sharp eyes flashed with something... A strange recognition, perhaps. An unexplainable connection upon the very first touch.

That was not a good sign... right?

Aric broke eye contact and a cold, soothing sensation took over once he put his hand on Atlas. Water came out of nowhere and covered the open wounds on his body, cleansing both the blood from his mangled body and the air of the putrid scent.

The water froze to ice, but the transparent thread that was covering the wound was so fine one had to look close enough to notice. It was the Unseelie Fey's uncommon way of healing - using snow, water and ice, the elements they were most familiar with.

I opened my mouth in awe.

"So he won't die," His voice was a little different than when he spoke to Eryl with spite. Now it was a little strained, still a little cold, less hateful. His explanation made no sense, but then again, I was not one to refuse kindness when offered.

Perhaps this was Aric's way to make amends. But knowing the Unseelie's unsavoury way of doing things, that seemed highly unlikely.

I swallowed the thick lump on my throat and nodded, "Thank you."

And that was how I unknowingly got myself under the radar of the Future King of the Winter Court.