Elm
With the full moon providing a soft, silver glow in the night sky, it made it easier to stay hidden in plain sight amidst the shadows. I walked beside Rhen all the way to the tavern, her silhouette obscured by the darkness of the night. She glided inside without a second thought, like she had done so many times before. It was something she was painfully familiar with; that much was obvious. The world she navigated through seemed too dark and unforgiving, yet it was also strangely comforting for her in its familiarity. As I stood there watching her, a part of me wished this was all an illusion and that she could be free from the darkness that surrounded her.
The thought of her being so young, not even old enough to buy a drink to distract herself from what she was doing, caused an intense feeling of dread to ripple through my chest. I couldn’t fathom how someone so small and inexperienced had the strength within them to take on such a huge task. Her innocence made it even more painful; it seemed impossible that she was willing and able to confront this issue head-on with no regard for the consequences. I felt a newfound respect for her. Had I known her then, I would have fought to protect her. Wouldn’t I? Or would I have been so lost in my own shitty world to see the cry for help she had written clearly behind her eyes? Did no one else in this godforsaken town see it?
Or did they just not care?
Not that the fae of the older generations were much better at looking after their own. Many still practiced restrictive marriage customs, pushing their daughters into early marriages with wealthy and powerful fey. Although this was the norm for centuries, it meant that a woman was given no say in her own future. She would be expected to bend to the will of her husband and ignore her own desires and ambitions. It was an unjust system and one which I desperately wished to abolish.
Emeri’s family had almost secured a betrothal between her and the Lord of Ashrai’s eldest son. Her future would have been laid out before her, no choice in the matter, until I stepped in and made a proposal of my own.
Her parents had been elated when we’d announced our engagement, though Father wasn’t enthused by my decision. I’d thought I was protecting her then, but when I realized how deeply she felt for me? I’d run off with my tail between my legs, leaving her to pick up the pieces. Of course, by then she’d already taken her mother’s place in the kitchen, so she had a secure career and thus had no need for a man.
Still, she was nearly an adult by that time, unlike Rhen, who was a literal child when she was forced into sexual servitude. These very same men that clustered around the smoke-filled bar, drawing deeply on their cigars and savoring their cheap whiskeys, were the same ones that had taken advantage of a poor little defenseless babe. They had abused her in ways she couldn’t even begin to understand - trampling her innocence and sullying her young spirit all at once. But they didn’t care, not one bit - for they had gone on as if nothing ever happened. Little did they know that their actions polluted her with lies to make her believe her only chance of survival was to let them befoul her. Over and over again until she was an empty shell.
Yet, she kept her head held high as she walked with a renewed sense of purpose and determination, making her way through the darkest corner of the tavern, pushing aside a makeshift curtain that hung from the low ceiling.
The barkeep at least looked worried for her, but I still held my reservations about trusting him. I was sure he was well aware of what transpired but chose not to intervene; he remained a distant bystander, allowing her to be raped and robbed of any sense of safety or security.
Taking every precaution, I wasted no time scurrying through the darkness and keeping a safe distance between Rhen and myself. As I watched her walk by the red curtain, I couldn’t help but notice two men notice her from their table nearby. They stood up and began to follow her. I waited until they were past the curtain before dropping the shadow around my arm. I punched them both in the face with all of my might. Both men plummeted to the ground, their eyes rolling back into their head.
Nimbly navigating my way to the far corner of the room so that I could remain concealed in the invisible shadow, I silently watched as Rhen nodded her head in greeting at the smug, round male occupying a chair in the center of the room.
“Hello, Rhen,” He mulled over her name, tongue running over his lips in a disgusting display that I was certain he thought was seductive. “What a surprise.”
But my girl did not waiver; in fact, her expression revealed absolutely nothing to the bald human leader. “Praetor Thindle.”
“To be frank, I thought something horrendous happened to you and Mrs. Hubert. You know how word travels in a small village. Doctor Kaas said he went to check up on your mother only to find you both missing as if you’d been plucked from your beds. We suspected feyrie involvement.”
She drew a deep breath, her shoulders hunching inwards as she felt a wave of discomfort wash over her.
“Yet here you stand before me, looking quite well.” He cocked his head, his eyes scanning the human girl as if she were merely an object. “Finally settled down with a wealthy gentleman? If memory serves me, there was a young man that came through looking for you just before you all disappeared.”
Rhen shook her head. “No, sir. It’s nothing like that. He was a just a family friend that wanted to help us. Actually, that’s what I came to talk to you about.”
The praetor shifted in his chair, clacking his tongue. “Is that so?”
“Yes, sir. You see, we need your help.”
Her words jolted me, resonating within my body like a surge of electricity. I pondered how many times she had put forward this same request to him before, and how many times he had declined it. The praetor inclined his head, listening to her carefully.
Rhen continued, “A dark force attacked a village, leaving its inhabitants homeless. So many children were left orphaned.”
“And you want me to, what? Force our people to take them in?”
She nodded, her eyes twinkling with hope.
“How is it I haven’t heard from any of the other praetors on this matter?”
Her nostrils flared, and she shifted her weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other. “People need your help, and you’re asking questions?”
“It’s my job to ask questions. If I were to offer aid to every single person that asked for it, I’d never get a day off.”
Rhen’s jaw tensed, and I smiled at the rage behind her eyes. Because he was poking the raw flesh in her calm demeanor.
“Your job,” she said between clenched teeth, “is to help those in need. I knew you wouldn’t give a shit.”
Because she’d been in this position before, begging for someone to save her and he’d refused then as well.
The praetor raised a brow at her tone and tapped his finger against his knee. “If others are unconcerned, then I see no reason I should be, either.” He narrowed his eyes, “So I ask again, if these people are so desperate as to need sancuary in my village, why did they send you instead of an official to speak with me?”
And just like that, she lost her composure. Her shoulders slumped as she dropped to her knees. My heart sank for her, seeing her kneeling before such a depraved man, begging for him to offer his help.
I wanted to go to her, to force her off her knees, and tell her she was stronger than that. That he did not deserve her pleading. But I knew she wouldn’t take kindly to my interference, so I remained still in the shadows.
“Because,” she sobbed at his feet. “it’s in Dullahan.”
The praetor jumped up, pushing the chair back away from him with such speed that it clattered against the floor and echoed through the room. “You’ve been corrupted by the fey.”
She pushed herself up, tears still spilling down her cheeks. But the man recoiled further away from her, a taste of fear radiating through his tight fitted suit.
“Please,” she begged, “The village was filled with humans, too.”
His malicious laughter abruptly cut off as his throat was wracked with a coughing fit. Once he had regained his breath and composure, he resumed and fixed her with a stare full of contempt. “No doubt our kidnapped women.”
“No.” Her breath was rugged. “No.”
“Other supporters then. You’re insane! There’s no way I would ever let those disgusting people back in my village.”
“But they are people, sir. Even the fey. They aren’t evil like we’re led to believe.”
Fury began to take hold of the stocky man as he jabbed his finger towards the door, gritting his teeth and glaring at it with an intensity that could have burned a hole right through it. “You should leave. Now! Before I have you committed.”
But Rhen didn’t budge. I was struck by her stillness as I observed her, wiping the wetness from her face and balling up her fists in frustration. “I’m not leaving until you agree.”
“Your father would be so ashamed if he heard you talking like this. Defending those revolting monsters? And yet—” The man caressed his cleanly shaven jaw with his fingertips, as if deep in thought. His brows were knitted together, likely contemplating something devious. “You were always such a beautiful girl, Rhen. I confess, I’m the one that send the doctor to check on you after you missed our appointment.”
An intense wave of sickness rolled through my body, almost as if it was a warning sign that I had caught onto something sinister. I could feel the nausea rising in my throat and had to clamp my hand around my mouth to keep from retching on the ground. Now it all made sense - why his presence in that room made me feel so uncomfortable. Because I already knew deep down what he was.
He was one of them.
One of the vile men that hurt her.
“I might be persuaded to provide the humans refuge here, but I expect a lot in return, Rhen.” He stepped toward her, pulling her into his arms and inhaling her scent. “Gods, you smell so good. Say what you will about the fey, but at least you don’t smell like swamp water anymore.”
I lurched closer, hand on the hilt of my sword, when Rhen threw both arms up to her chin and shoved him back. Her wrist connected with his nose, and he shouted obscenities as he toppled back into his chair. I nearly cheered aloud as I watched my girl stand over him with conviction in her voice.
“You will open your doors to every single one of them, Praetor, and you’ll do it without any favors from me.”
“Vicious bitch,” he spat blood to the floor. “I’ll have your head for that.”
Rhen exhaled, a gentle calm surrounding her. “I wonder,” she said thoughtfully, staring at him with an icy calm I’d never seen before. “What the missus would think if she found out about all of our appointments? How would she feel if she found out her husband prefers the company of prepubescent children? Might even be enough to lose your position as praetor. Oh, the others would eat that up.”
“Oh, yeah?” He stood, a curved hand extended to reach around her throat. “And what if I don’t let you leave this room?”
Pride didn’t even begin to describe what I felt as Rhen kicked his hand away. But she didn’t see the gleaming blade in his opposite hand.
So, I took it upon myself to step from the shadow and yank the fat bastard back before he managed to hurt her more than he already had. A powerful scent of urine filled the room, and he screamed when he saw my face.
I smiled viciously, a calm rage seething in my eyes. “What if I don’t let you take your next breath?”
The praetor yelled for help, but I only laughed cruelly. This was what I was good at, playing the part of the villain. I’d had years to perfect my callous, unfeeling smile.
His eyes darted from me to the door, searching for the help he’d called for. “Oh, they won’t be coming to save you. I made sure of it.”
The man’s eyes widened with pure terror, and Rhen’s huff sold it.
“Elm,” she groaned, arms folded out in front of her. “I told you I could handle it myself.”
I nodded. “You were perfect, pet. But I couldn’t let you have all the fun now, could I?”
She rolled her eyes, then turned back to the shaking village leader, a harshness in her voice. “Whatever. Kill him if you have to.”
“Wait, wait! Fine, okay! All right! I’ll give you a month. I’ll sign the documents now. Just please, please don’t hurt me.”
Pathetic waste of space, this man. An old blubbering fool that deserved to be castrated for everything he’d done.
But I looked at Rhen, as if her word was the law. If she wanted, I would have truly murdered him with this pure, unbridled rage that had built within me. “What do you think, Rhen? Can we trust him?”
One half of her lips curled back into a smirk. “Draw up the papers.”
Half an hour later, she pulled me into a celebratory hug with the signed document in her hand. “We did it!”
“Yeah,” I agreed, patting her head. “You did. You ready to go back to the fortress and tell the others?”
“Fuck yeah!” And she grabbed my hand, a warm electricity vibrating through her skin. “Let’s go home.”
Shadow whispered around us, and I didn’t realize it until we were already standing in the snow that she was still wearing my white button up as a dress. She wrapped her arms around her body, shivering slightly. I shuffled her toward the door, nearly tripping over a thick lump of snow. It didn’t melt under my foot, instead it gave a little but sprung back up like a sponge. A weird sputtering noise that sounded like a pained groan.
And then I caught the scent of blood.
I stepped back and surveyed the area, my gaze landing on a peculiar sight. A puddle of a light pink tinge covered the otherwise pristine white snow, an odd sight that was out of place in this winter wonderland.
Rhen plopped her bare knees into the deep snow, raking it off of the body. My breath caught in my throat when I recognized his face.
And my heart ached when I had to scoop up his limp body.
“Oh, gods!” Rhen screamed, pushing through the door and beckoning me inside. “Oh my god! Luka.”