Shadow (Touched by the Fae 2)

“Time works differently between both worlds. A Seelie comes of age during their twenty-first summer. My kind mature a little slower. The Unseelie come of age during their twenty-fifth winter. After that, time flows, but we don’t measure it the way that humans do.”

I cross my arms over my chest. “That still doesn’t answer my question. How old are you Nine?”

He closes his mouth, firming his jaw.

He’s not going to tell me, is he?

“I don’t care. If that’s what’s weirding you out. Unless you’re like a thousand or something.” I wince when Nine doesn’t even blink. “You’re not that old, are you?”

He shakes his head.

Well, that’s something.

I start to ask another question, to bring the discussion back to how exactly this ridiculous prophecy says I’m supposed to, I don’t know, end the Fae Queen’s reign, when Nine cocks his head to the side, his long wavy hair falling forward like water full of black ink.

“Time grows short. I have to be leaving you now. I’ll return as soon as I can.”

My heart leaps into my throat. “What? Already? It seems like you just got here.”

“It’s later than you think. And you still need your rest.”

No. What I need is to finally escape this sewer and start figuring out my next step. It was Nine’s genius plan to break me out of Black Pine in the first place. He seems to know what the hell’s really going on.

I need to stick with him.

“I want to go, too.”

“To Faerie? No. That’s impossible.”

His quick denial is like a slap in my face. “What? You won’t take me with you?”

“I can’t. Don’t ask that of me. The risk… Melisandre is untouchable in her realm. You’re coming into your power now that you know it exists, but you’re not ready yet.”

“Fine. Then you stay here. With me. I don’t want to be alone anymore.”

“It isn’t so simple as that.”

Seems pretty simple to me. “Tell me this: is it possible for a Dark Fae to stay in the human world if they wanted to?”

“I told you. I would lose nearly all my power. Even a touch wouldn’t replace most of it.”

“So… what you’re saying is… I’m not worth it. Cool. Got it.”

“Riley, you know that’s not it at all. If you need my protection—”

“Didn’t say I needed anyone’s protection.”

He ignores me. Good call. I’m being bitchy. Childish, too. I can hear it, but I can’t stop myself. Rejection has always been my weakness. I pretend like it doesn’t matter because, hell, over the years, I should’ve gotten used to it.

Abandoned by my mom no matter what her reasons were. Going through five foster homes in less than fifteen years. Mr. Everett turning his back on me before I finally told Mrs. Everett to stop bothering with me… No one ever wants me. I’m always being shoved aside, sent back, hidden away.

I should’ve gotten used to it. Part of me did. It seemed to hurt less and less as the years went on, but the sting was always there.

Hearing Nine try to explain why he has every intention of leaving me to rot in a dark, dank sewer in Acorn Falls is just about killing me. Excuse me for lashing out.

I’m not so good at expressing my feelings.

Nine, either.