In the Land of Fae ♔ (gxg)

6. bloodline

Her breath hitched in her throat.

Immediately, chills ran up the girl's spine. Although the small tree cabin split in the middle by the tree trunk was shockingly warm compared to outside, the warmth that suddenly exploded throughout Nyx and made her cheeks blush seemed to originate elsewhere.

There, standing in front of a large stone fireplace with fire blazing inside, was the apparent leader of the fae, Alastair. And Nyx knew just from the sight of her that she was a leader.

The eyes that pierced her with a gaze so sharp were dark crimson with hints of amber that smoldered like the fire burning before her. Her face was fair, her eyes the most prominent feature next to the large set of dark scarlet lips that sat below her elegant nose. Cheekbones, high and striking, ran parallel to her pointed ears. Her hair, thick and voluminous, was a deep chestnut brown that held a subtle red glare, one that could only be seen because of the light of the opposite windows casting upon her.

The fae was just as tall as Caspian, donning black leather pants that were skin-tight on her lengthy legs. At her upper half she also wore leather in the form of a looser blouse with long sleeves that widened at the ends. Her figure was slim but curvy, the kind that all human women longed to have.

This fae and her liquifying stare was already enough to strike fear in the most grueling of beasts, but it was something else that truly intimidated Nyx to her very core—the set of wings on her back that were even larger than Caspian's. These wings were raven black with dark streaks of red in them, and at their very ends they were an orangey scarlet, as if the color amber had been charred until it was dark.

She was magnificent, and she was scary. Nyx felt suddenly small and weak before her, and there was no doubt in her mind that the faerie could kill her with ease. Putting together the fact that Caspian, a water fae, looked as if he was water walking on earth, she realized that this fae most likely had the powers of fire due to the way she looked like a walking flame.

"Nyx, this is Alastair, our leader," Caspian's strong voice emanated from behind her head. The sound of the door being closed shut prompted a fearful jump from the girl. Their eyes were locked on each other's. Although Nyx was led to believe this was their very first time meeting, she was unaware that Alastair had seen her many, many times before.

Alastair, whose body had been facing the firepit and her head turned towards the human girl, twisted her upper body around to also face her. She could feel Caspian's inquisitive stare on her, but her demon red eyes flickered not from the girl across the room. Her long leg extended outwards as she took a step forward, head tilting slightly as her fluorescent eyes seemed to read and analyze everything in the mind of Nyx who felt suddenly transparent as a piece of paper, one whose corner hovered too close to a flame and was close to burning up.

Alastair took more slow steps forward, hands folded behind her back. Her shoulders were tall and erected, strong and valiant as Nyx's eyes fell over them from her inability to keep the fae's sharp stare. The fae hummed quietly as her slow footsteps veered to the side of the girl whom she was now inches away from. Nyx trained her eyes on the wooden planks of the floor, her entire body suddenly warming as the fae circled her. She could feel heat physically radiating from the fae, further confirming her suspicion that she held the powers of fire.

The burning of her lungs made her realize that she had been holding her breath while the fae circled her, but it wasn't until the creature was back in the corner of her vision that she could silently release it. She watched as the fae's pale, bare feet, somehow soft-looking and elegant after a lifetime of stepping over the bumpy surfaces of the Earth, appeared in her line of sight still aimed at the floor.