Of Beast and Burden by Kelsey Kicklighter

Author:Kelsey Kicklighter [Kicklighter, Kelsey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781953539953
Publisher: The Parliament House

Chapter Ten

The next evening, as we make our way down to the lower levels of the house—as I get ready to face the Underground again—I keep one thought close to heart. The others are a little too dangerous to consider right now.

Ellie. This is for Ellie.

I hate that I’m nervous. I don’t know how the Unseelie Folk will react to me tonight. My stomach hasn’t stopped doing flips since they told me it was time. Get a grip, Faye. I grit my teeth as Gage gestures for me to start down the steps. His black eyes flash at my dress in approval.

“This door never changes?” I ask, tracing the whorls and ancient symbols carved into it. Last night was my fault, but I’ve been on the receiving end of some of the house’s unruliness already. I’ll open the door to the weapon’s room only to find myself somehow back in the kitchen. I don’t know if the house moves around us or if it moves us around. Neither Isla nor Gage could answer that question.

“The Underground is the oldest part of The Hollow. The House hasn’t forgotten that.”

I run my hand along the wood frame of the door that separates the House from the staircase to the Underground. I can almost sense whatever presence is lurking beneath the façade of wood and stone and plaster. It feels playful, yes, but watchful too. I hope it can’t sense the claustrophobia I’ve been fighting, or that it doesn’t take offense. I feel safer within these walls than I would like to admit. Although as I take my first few hesitant steps down the stairs into the dark, I know that feeling won’t persist. Without thinking, I pull for my glamour. And although it leaves my knees feeling like they aren’t altogether sturdy, it skims the underside of my skin, a cat rubbing against my legs. It feels almost companionable.

“Do you remember what to say?”

I roll my eyes even though he can’t see me in the dark. “Yes, Gage.”

“Do you remember when to say it?”

“Yes, Gage.”

“Are you irritated with me?” he asks, his voice turning mocking.

I tuck a laugh that tries to escape back into my throat. “Furious, Gage.”

He chuckles but hides it with a huff. “You have nothing to worry about, you know. They have tolerated me at best. They will love you.” I wrinkle my nose. I’m not overly fond of anyone being able to read me so clearly.

“My father killed their people,” I answer, my voice low. “There is no way they will forget that.” The dark is so deep that I can barely make out the next step down. It’s easy to exchange vulnerabilities with him here, without the judgment of our eyes on each other.

“They will forgive you your father’s sins and be happy to have a true sídhe back on the throne.”

“Why do you say that?”

“The Unseelie are not a frivolous people. There is no prejudice there about race. None of them care whether or not I’m sídhe.

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