A Feytal Encounter

Chapter 5

 Not only did it seem resourceful to put the captives to work, Adanma wanted to get a closer look at a wolf. Of course, neither of them would be able to shift, the poison infused water made sure of that. But still, how did a killing machine behave when it wasn't killing? Adanma led the smaller wolf to a large shed-like structure, giving the Golden Tree and surrounding younglings a wide berth. The younglings, and several adults, stopped in their tracks to watch curiously and viciously. Only the youngest of the young had never seen a wolf. Many of the children were given to Adanma by terrified parents, hoping the princess would be able to protect their babies. And now she brought their most feared nightmare into the middle of her safe haven. She ignored the glares. When it came down to it, they all trusted her with their lives. She'd kill this wolf with her teeth and nails before she let it so much as breathe on one of her people.

"Elton," she shut the wooden door behind her and the wolf. The building was creaky and unstable, with poor lighting and the musty smell of old dirt and harmless mold. Bronwyn didn't like it. Elton loomed out of the shadows, his arms full of an unidentified bundle. Bronwyn began to wonder if it would have been safer to stay in the cage. They could feel their wolf trying to push through their nail beds and manifest into claws, but nothing happened. After all their muscles seized with effort, the wolf inside curled up again and passed out, exhausted. Bronwyn swayed on their feet, vision darkening. When they opened their eyes again a moment later, they were lying on floor in the Fey princess's arms and there was a throbbing pain in their bones.

"What happened?" Elton still stood in the darkness, but Bronwyn wasn't paying attention to him. Adanma's face was only inches away from theirs, strands of her hair that escaped her braid tickled their nose. Her blue eyes must have caught the only light in the building because they looked like diamonds. Despite the pain that was slowly receding, Bronwyn couldn't help but notice how soft the princess's lips looked and how her brow furrowed in... concern? Or maybe just disgust.

Adanma meant to answer Elton, but she was too distracted. When Bronwyn collapsed into her arms, she'd fallen to the ground out of surprise. Now that their faces were so close...she could see something in the wolf's eyes. Something dark and mutinous. Something that looked through her own eyes and into her chest. The the wolf blinked, and it was gone. Mostly.

"Adanma," her head jerked away at Elton's voice.

"Right, no, I don't know," she stood up, hauling the wolf to its feet. The air around both of them felt a little colder when she stepped away. Elton huffed and dropped the bundle in front of Bronwyn. A mass of tangled rope spilled out of a burlap bag, not nearly as frightening as the body they'd kind of thought it had been.

"You need to detangle and treat this rope," Elton instructed. "Some of it is from broken nets, so undo those too. There's an oil treatment in the clay jar over there, you can drape them over the rafters after you treat them. Are you sure this is safe?" he looked at Adanma.

She shrugged.

"If it makes you feel better, I can watch it."

"No! I'll stay. You're not safe."

Adanma sighed exasperatedly. "No, you promised to take some of the younglings hunting and we need the meat. You know no one else can do it like you." The two Fey shared a look that was loaded with meaning, though Bronwyn couldn't interpret it.

"Fine," Elton snapped. "I'm sending Yosef to stay with you."

"No, he has his own chores. Besides, he's fourteen. You think a fourteen year old child can keep me safer than I can? Get the fuck out, Elton."

Fuming, he left. Blank-faced, Adanma used her boot-knife to slit the ropes around Bronwyn's wrists, revealing a purple and green braid mark.

"If you try anything, I'll throw you back in that cage. And don't think I can't catch you, you're weak and I'm itching for a fight."

Bronwyn would have protested, but they really were so drained. Why did they feel so trapped in their own body?  So, throwing in a glare for good measure, they sat down amongst the ropes.