Chapter Four
Storming back and forth across the carpet, Cricket would be worried she’d wear a hole in it if not for the fact, every third step, her wings aggressively fluttered and lifted her into the air for brief moments. Lost in her thoughts, she barely focused on Peri where he sat at the chair in her rooms, watching her. Having no idea how long it had been since she’d started this thinking session, it was hard to stop lest she hadn’t spent enough time at all. This was a major problem, one that she had to figure out or else.
“I don’t see how this is the smartest path of action,” Peri murmured, watching her move and flutter in agitation. “The Games are dangerous. Is the goal to make your father realize he could lose you, so he’ll change his mind?’
Cricket paused long enough to stare into the only fae’s eyes who truly cared for her. If Peri hadn’t been too old for the Games, she still couldn’t have asked him to be her partner, not when he was indebted to her father as the house manager. Sure, he was indebted to the entire Snapdragon family, but her father would never allow it since the favor was already in action. Peri was affectively a paid slave.
“No. I have to enter the Games under a pseudonym or else he’ll pull me out before things are announced. But the goal isn’t for that. My goal is to prove I’m worth more than a breeding cow, to bargain for my freedom.”
“And you think this will work?” Peri asked, leaning forward in the chair, watching her. “Why not simply marry someone who would allow you some freedom?”
“Some freedom?” she repeated. “As if we should all not have total freedom to choose who we marry and have children with?”
Peri blinked. “Of course. I didn’t mean—”
Cricket sighed. “I know, Peri. My apologies. I didn’t mean it as an insult.” She moved over and finally took a seat across from him. “I’m just. . . scared.”
Peri’s eyes softened at her admission. He was perhaps the only fae she could trust with those words, trust that he wouldn’t sell them to the highest bidder. Peri was more like a father than her own father had been, especially after the death of her mother.
“I understand. If it were up to me, I’d let you choose your own path. You’re smart. The chances of you finding your own way in this world in a profitable way are strong. I’m not sure why your father doesn’t see that worth.”
“Because of tradition,” Cricket grunted. “A female’s only worth is to further the bloodline. It’s outdated and wrong, but no one seems to allow it to change. I suppose I’m lucky my father didn’t simply arrange a marriage himself and tell me to show up in a wedding dress.”
Peri watched her for a moment. He glanced at the door once, as if to make sure no one was listening. He leaned in. “You need a teammate, Cricket. You’re a smart driver, but you’re terrible at navigating.”
“Hey!”
“You forget I remember you with a compass, attempting to find your way through the forest and failing miserably. You need someone who can navigate even without such things.”
Cricket nodded her head. “You’re right, of course, but no fae will dare race with me, not with the threat of my father hanging over me. He’d destroy anyone who helps me.” Cricket narrowed her eyes. “Which reminds me that you need to tread carefully knowing my plans.”
He waved away the words. “Don’t you worry about my safety. I’ll be fine. And you’re right. No fae will do so and I’m too old for such things. No, perhaps, you should be looking outside of the fae.”
Cricket stood and began to pace again, her brain spinning in circles. “You’re right,” she murmured. “Someone else wouldn’t be as threatened by my father. But who?”
She ran a hand through her blonde hair in agitation, deep in thought. The demons couldn’t be trusted, so it would be pointless to go to them. They’d likely see it as an opportunity to earn favor with the fae and use her for their own gain. The goblins were even worse. Besides, none of them ever cared to win.
Mind going to the vampires after their last win, Cricket realized she couldn’t ask them simply because she didn’t know any personally enough to ask. The vampires weren’t exactly social with the other races and though she’d watched with everyone else as Danica Dyers won them their race and the then vampire prince saved her, she didn’t hold any sway there. The elves weren’t even a possibility, not with their constant need to one-up any fae.
“I might have an idea,” Peri interrupted her thoughts, his expression thoughtful.
Cricket paused. “You do?”
Nodding, Peri stood and went over to the door, pressing his ear against the wood. For a moment, he listened to those outside, but when all sounds faded, he turned back to her. “The Snapdragon family has ledgers full of favors and debts owed to them, don’t they?”
“Of course they do,” Cricket shrugged. “Your own family name is listed in there.”
“As are many others, including many who are not fae. If you were to appear and call in a favor with someone, they’d have no choice but to say yes. You’re a Snapdragon after all, and their debt would be paid.”
Cricket blinked. She hadn’t thought of that, hadn’t thought to utilize someone like that. It was far too close to the fae way of thinking for her to have considered it, but thankfully, Peri had. If no one could be trusted to willingly work with her, then she’d have only the choice to force someone. She’d trust someone who was bound by favor magic.
“You brilliant fae,” she exclaimed, rushing over to Peri and hugging him close. “Of course, that’s a great idea. I’ll have to go look through all the ledgers.”
Peri hugged her back just as tightly. “I hope you know what you’re doing, bug. The Games are dangerous, but I have the utmost faith in you. You can do this. You just have to be smart about it.”
She nodded and stepped back. “Thank you. I know what you risk—”
Peri waved her words away again. “I risk nothing but my soul. If I hadn’t helped you, I could never live with myself.” He cupped her cheek gently. “I know you’re not my blood, bug, but you’re still my family. I only want to see you happy.”
Cricket blinked at the sudden moisture at the corners of her eyes. She’d wanted her father to look at her like that, to be proud of her, but she realized she didn’t need that. Peri was her father in every sense but blood, far more her family than her own father seemed to be. “Be safe,” she whispered. “If something happened to you—”
“I’ll be fine,” he reassured her. “This house can’t run without me. Just promise me you’ll be careful, both in your choosing of a partner and your plan.”
Cricket nodded. “I promise.”
“Good. Now, wait until tonight to look through the ledgers so no one sees you slipping inside. It’s best less people see you sneaking around. I have to get back to my duties, but I’ll take care of anything you need me to.” He smiled at her. “I’m so proud of your fire, bug.”
She returned the smile. “Thank you for being my rock.” And then she said something she knew she couldn’t say in front of anyone else, not without causing her father to react to the threat in his own home. “I love you.”
Peri blinked at her words, and then his face lit up brighter than she’d ever seen it, knowing the risk she’d just taken, knowing it was worth every bit of the risk. “And I love you, bug. Watch your back.”
And then he slipped out of the room, every inch her father without the title. He’d practically raised her, had made sure she had everything she could ever want, cared for her, helped her to figure out this marriage thing. He deserved to hear how she truly felt about him, how important he was to her. He was the one fae who didn’t see a Snapdragon when he looked at her. He only saw the little fae he raised, first with the help of her mother, and then alone when her mother had passed into the fade.
At least, she wasn’t completely alone in this world. At least, she had Peri.
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