Page 73 of The Crimson Throne
“But seeing magic is?”
She thinks more. “No. A few types of Leth but not all of them.”
“So whatever I am, I can see magic,” I say.
And it’s the first time I’ve accepted that maybe, I am some kind of half fae.
“And you can see auras.” My brain refocuses. “So you can tell I’m honest. You can trust me.”
“I don’t know if I’d go that far,” Alyth says softly.
We’re awful close. Spinning, swaying. And she’s stunning in this dress, with the reflection of those sparkly lights in her eyes.
Christ, stop. No way in hell she’s thinking any thoughts like that about someone she was set on killing until a few minutes ago, someone she might still very well kill.
I tell myself that.
Tell myself to put more space between our bodies.
But my hand stays around her waist, and I revel in the feel of her ribs expanding against my palm on a sharp breath.
Alyth’s jaw is still tense. “How did you not know you’re fae?”
“That’s one of the things I’m gonna find out. If you’ll help me. Please, Alyth.”
I’m hit by a sudden idea. Can’t believe it’s taken me this long to see it.
Maybe I really am fae—but so is Alyth. And she’s powerful, in charge of protecting Scotland somehow.
So she’d know a way out of this curse, wouldn’t she?
“If I get you the item that cursed me,” I whisper, “do you think you can undo it?”
Alyth’s glare tightens. I’m asking for a mighty favor from her, on the back of her still wanting to threaten me, but something like curiosity wins out, and she analyzes me.
“What’s your curse?” she asks. “You said it makes you hurt people?”
I nod quickly, feeling like if I don’t talk fast, she’ll reject me. “Black out sometimes, not sure what I do exactly. But I come to having attacked people, and anyone who sees me do it, they say—” I lick my lips, force a swallow. “They say I’ve lost all reason. Can’t be reached.”
Alyth’s face goes sad. Not quite pity but understanding. “That certainly sounds like the effect of a Red Cap weapon.”
“These fits have been coming on me since childhood, since I came into contact with—something, I don’t even remember what. But I have to hope I’ll know it when I see it. That some part of me will recognize it. If I get it, can you undo the curse? Or is there hope to undo the curse without the weapon, maybe?”
She shrugs, then shakes her head. “It would be far easier to know what type of magic we’re dealing with. To have the weapon itself. But if you did find it—”
A hesitation. I hold my breath, hold my hope.
“Then yes. I could find help for you to undo it. Not me personally, but I do know people who could help.”
A weight lifts, massive, staggering. It’s only because I’m holding on to her that I don’t go sprawling. I clutch her tighter; she’s a lifeline, an anchor in a long, violent storm, and I’m outright clinging to her now.
“Thank you. Thank you, Alyth,” I tell her, putting all my gratitude into those words.
My mind flashes with Hal’s scared eyes in the Clink. A barrage follows, similar fear from dozens of other people throughout my life. No one trusting me once they know what I do. No one staying.
Alyth just goes back to watching me. Searching,searching. Those eyes with the lights reflected are whole galaxies. She can see my gratitude now, I realize, but she still looks a beat away from rejecting all this outright.
“I don’t know what I am,” I whisper. “What type of fae or where I got it from. But no matter what, I’m just Samson. That won’t change. I’m just Samson, and maybe you can be just Alyth with me.”
