Curse of Ash

Chapter 8

There was no way of knowing where Kael swept Alyvia off to.

The "big-brother-instinct" as Alyvia called it, kicked in while watching Kael's hand rest against the small of her back, steering them back into the estate and disappearing up the stairs. Reeves had tried to move after the two, planning to follow at a good distance to eavesdrop on their conversation, but he stopped. Both because Jenner held him back, and because he had the sudden realization that his sister was no longer a child. She had grown into a beautiful and capable woman. The way she was handling all of this sudden change, keeping her brothers in line, said enough about her character. And with that sudden realization, came pride, because Reeves wasn't afraid to say he was the one that raised Alyvia. Their mother died and their father left, and all that remained was Reeves.

He pushed the sudden flood of emotions aside and focused on the current situation: What could a fae lord have to speak with his sister about? And exclude the other two humans he was harboring.

He swallowed down a groan of frustration.

Jenner wasn't doing any better.

Vinny had ushered them back into the estate, showing them back to the rooms they had first woken up in. Each of them had their own bedroom, all connected through a little living area. Everything was a neutral white or beige, some gray thrown in, but very bare and plain. Reeves assumed it was that way to accentuate the many plants around the room leading to the balcony which had vines growing on the surface and branches looming close above.

Jenner lay on the couch, having commandeered a small ball made of glass from somewhere and was tossing it up in the air before catching it in his waiting palm. Reeves silently prayed his brother wouldn't drop it while he rubbed at his temples. He knew Jenner wouldn't, though—he has quick reflexes, and while the blond always seemed to not be paying attention, he had the senses of a lion, always watching.

"What's it like?" Vinny suddenly asked. She stood in the foyer to the common room, hands clasped in front of her. Her ears twitched from atop her head, swiveling as if they had eyes of their own arching forward, directed at Reeves when he shifted in his seat.

"What's what like?"

It was hard to tell against Vinny's dark skin, but Reeves saw the beginning of a blush anyways. "The human lands."

Reeves made an O with his mouth, eyes darting to his brother who smirked at the glass ball before throwing it back into the air. Reeves cleared his throat and turned back to Vinny. "Oh, well, it's definitely different than here."

Vinny rolled her eyes, swiftly moving forward and plopping onto the couch beside Jenner. "I know that, homo stultus." Vinny shoved at Jenner's legs, making more room for herself beside him. He grunted, almost dropping the ball before giving Vinny a glare, to which she glared right back. Reeves stifled a chuckle.

"I want to know what it's like. Do you really have armies that patrol the streets? Do you hold your dead in boxes and put them on display? Do you eat your pets when you grow tired of them, or they grow too old? And what's with all the rules? Fae have their own rules, but not like you humans. So strict."

Reeves stared at the woman in surprise.

"Your questions are stupid," Jenner snorted. "None of that is real. We have so many better questions. Ask them, Reeves." He looked over at his brother, gesturing back to Vinny. He seemed to plead with his eyes to do something with her.

"I thought you had an accent," Reeves voiced instead.

Vinny tilted her head. "Ah. That. Lord Kael thinks I am from the souther part of Grafgate, the part in Vecuria. Their accents are thicker and heavier than where I am truly from." Vinny plucked at a loose strand from the cushion beneath her. "He is an easy male to trick and please, ironically so. We will keep it that way, won't we?"