|[ THE FAERI'S KEEPER ]|

Chapter 7: Cedric

I sat on the bed in my room, looking down at my hands. They were smoothed of scars, but still far rougher than any you would find on a respectable woman. I clenched them into fists. Thoughts raced through my head, almost too fast for me to focus on them. I wasn’t sure about anything anymore. Everything I had thought I’d known had turned out to be a lie. My parents had been traitors? I wasn’t completely human? And… I was an heir to the throne of Thalandor? That was of course, if I chose to believe it. I could, with a great force of will, pretend I had never heard all those facts, pretend he was a liar and a deceiver and I could resume my life. But the king did have some truth to his words; I had survived where so many hadn’t. By all rights I should be dead by now, having died in a riot, been caught long ago and hung for high treason. Even an assassin, one of the few people the Faeris truly feared had been caught in my time and been executed, while I was still here. I stood and moved over to the wall of my room. I leant my forehead against the cool stone and closed my eyes. I wished I had something to punch, or to strangle; just something to do. Nervous energy and anger had been bottling up in me for so long.

What was I supposed to do now? I had nowhere to run to anymore. My lookout had been discovered and probably ransacked by now, and I couldn’t go back to Brandon without getting him involved and into trouble. I could always do what the king wanted to and guard the prince, but I didn’t want another Faeri ascending to the throne should the current king of Trinstone die. But what if I did take up the role of the Prince’s keeper? I could leave and go to Thalandor. If I was really the heir to the throne I could use that… I could stop the war between the two kingdoms starting, or I could rage the war myself, a war between humans and Faeris. Humans could win, I knew they could… and we could rule over our own people once more. But I had never been to Thalandor; were there even humans there? Or was it a Faeri settlement? Most places were now, with Trinstone being the only major city with a large mortal population.

There was a noise and I jerked my head up, eyes flying open as someone opened the door to my room.

“What do you want?” I demanded, pressing my back into the corner. I didn’t even bother to wait and see who it was.

“I wanted to see if you had changed your mind.” A smooth voice said softly. It was strangely familiar and filled me with a hot hate. I glared at him as the prince stepped into the room. Unlike his father, he did not wear beautiful and intricate robes, but wore simple leather and steel armour, much like the armour of the Faeri Guards. “I’m Cedric, by the way.” he gave me a half-grin. I didn’t return it.

“I don’t give a shit what your name is,” I said sharply, narrowing my eyes. I saw his fingers twitch slightly, but his grin only broadened.

“How charming,” he sighed, “I’m not even sure I want you to guard me.” I set my jaw stubbornly. I knew he was baiting me, but it was just so tempting. Even if I agreed to guard him just to ditch him I wouldn’t care. And I could give him hell for the time we were together. Or you could kill him once we’re gone… a small voice chimed in at the back of my head. I smothered my grin. Now that was a tempting idea.

“And I have made up my mind.” I snapped. Cedric looked up from his fingernails which he was inspecting, eyes wide.

“Oh you have now, have you?” he asked, “And what would your decision be?”

“I will take up your father on his offer to guard you, seeing as you are obviously too pathetic to take care of yourself.” I could see him grinding his teeth. “On one condition.” I added with a sweet smile.

“And what would that be?” Cedric asked voice still as smooth as ever, though I could hear a touch of acid to it. He obviously wasn’t used to being addressed so rudely. I let my smile show. If he expected me to take care of him, he should’ve expected a lot of impoliteness.