Fair Deception

Chp. 7, Part I

"Kalen, could she be Fae?"

"I don't think so. And, she's passed out; I've never known one of us to faint. And changelings were banned by both sides decades ago. No, there's no way she could be Fae."

"You didn't see her. She fought off two Unseelie today and when I arrived she had a Spriggan by the throat."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there, but she's always been a good fighter, you've seen her in class."

"It was more than that. She could see me, her eyes..."

"I think she's coming round." 

A cool hand touched my own, so I slowly peeked at the scene around me. I was lying on the sofa, under the fluffy grey blanket from the chair, and Kalen was knelt on the floor watching me closely.

"Kalen?"

"I'm here, I'm so sorry," he said quietly, lifting my hand and pressing his forehead to his knuckles, almost in a bow. I glanced at Broch, who was stood by the fireplace.

"What happened to your wings?" I asked him without thinking. He and Kalen immediately tensed. I let out an awkward laugh, "Was that another personal fae question? Sorry."

"How do you feel, Ana?" Kalen asked.

I stretched my body out tentatively on the sofa. Where I'd been hit with the tonfa was sore, and my leg ached a little, but overall I was pleasantly surprised. "Erm, I'm a bit stiff, but I'm okay." Sitting up, I twisted round on the sofa and then slowly made to get up but Kalen put a hand on my knee.

"Take it slowly," he cautioned.

"I'm fine," I reassured him. Bending down, I tried to and roll up my trouser leg but my jeans were too tight. "My leg is itchy, I think the bandage might need changing so I'm going to put some shorts on." I turned to Broch, "Do you remember where the first aid box is?"

Broch nodded at me and disappeared into the kitchen. "I'll be right back, okay?" I said to Kalen. He let me up so I carefully went to my room, changed into shorts and then returned. Kalen and Broch were talking under their breaths, but abruptly stopped when I came back into the room.

Sitting on the edge of the sofa, I started to unwrap the bandage but warm hands stopped mine. "Let me," Broch said quietly and knelt on the floor by my feet. I glanced at Kalen and saw surprise flit over his face.

Broch's elegantly long fingers unwrapped the bandage from my leg. He removed the gauze and then froze. I looked at my calf. "How is that possible?" I whispered. The deep gashes from earlier were now no more than thin, scabbed lines over the surface of my skin. A flash of wordless communication passed between Broch and Kalen. Irritation crawled up my spine with barbed hooks.

"One of you better tell me what's happening here," I demanded quietly.

"It's probably nothing..." Kalen began.

"Don't you dare lie to me again," I said, cutting him off coldly before he could get too far. He frowned at me but I stood up and continued calmly, "In the last 24 hours I've been attacked in a nightclub, in the woods and in my home, I've seen and fought things I didn't even think were real and I'm not having you stand there and tell me it's probably nothing."

"I'm sure Kalen didn't mean that," Broch said evenly and stood up next to me. I didn't respond, I simply waited to hear what Kalen had to say for himself. The atmosphere in the room grew palpably awkward.

"Broch's right, Ana. I didn't mean what you've been through was easy, but I'm just hoping it eventually amounts to nothing, so the Unseelie back off and things can go back to normal."

"But they can't," I replied quietly, "Everything is different now."

"Everything is the same Ana, you just know more," Kalen said with forced calm.

"It's not that, Kalen. You're right, I do know more, but it's more than that."

"What do you mean?"

"There's something different about me," I answered slowly.

I could see Kalen forcing back his irritation as he spoke to Broch, "Can you please refrain from telling Ana things she isn't required to know?" he said, his words overly polite and formal; in what seemed like a failed attempt to control his anger.

"Don't blame Broch for this. I'm not turning green and sprouting wings like him, I'm getting fangs like you," I said, my voice thick with accusation.

"I think you both need to take a step back," Broch said calmly, but to no avail.

"What are you trying to say?" Kalen asked sharply.

It was his tone that sent me over the edge. "You've done something to me! Why else would I start looking like you?" I all but shouted at Kalen.

"You're insane," Kalen shouted back, making my hackles rise and my eyes blase. As I glared at him I saw electric blue eyes with feral, elongated pupils glaring back at me - I could see his Fae side.

I felt a familiar pulse and made an educated guess that my eyes had changed too. "Do you see it now?! Do you see?" I hissed. Kalen took a step back in shock and I knew I was right - he could see my eyes were mirroring his own.

"Go on, Kalen," I goaded, "Lie to me, belittle me, tell me I'm insane again, I dare you!" The tears welled up while my anger built, but, as they did, Kalen's eyes returned to normal. I stared at the floor and a brief hand on my shoulder helped me regain some composure. When I looked back up, Broch's hand was gone.

"I don't know what this is, Ana," Kalen said to me, like a scared child, and started to head to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Home. My father, he might be able to help."

"You're going to leave? Can't you just call him?" I asked, hating the pitifulness of my voice.

"I'll come back later. I promise."

"Please don't go."

"Broch can look after you," Kalen said.

"I can look after myself."

As I heard the front door shut behind him, I closed my eyes and clenched my fists in frustration. I couldn't believe Kalen had left. I couldn't believe he had just left.