Heart Over Sword
Chapter 196: The Night Fae

Chapter 196: The Night Fae

Garrett stared at her a moment more, disbelief turning into annoyance. "*And let her kill us in our sleep. I think not,*" he growled, sliding his sword before him.

"Whatever he said." Ronan casually pointed at Garrett, the keys dangling from his fingers. Evanna’s eyes widened as the fae took advantage of their distraction and lurched towards the keys. But her movements were slow and awkward, not exactly what Evanna anticipated when two goblins guarded the woman. At that moment, Ronan swiftly moved out of the way and kicked the back of her knees.

The night fae collapsed to the ground, huffing and smacking the grass rather dramatically as Ronan, who now held onto the chain tightly, yet again kept his distance. Without another word said, Garrett stormed towards the fae girl and raised his sword. Evanna’s eyes widened, stepping forwards as her fingers spread out towards the fairy.

"Do you make your own rules, lad?" Axel’s hand gripped Garrett’s sword hand. They glared at one another, their muscles taut, their arms starting to shake from their transferring strengths. "Raven said no."

"Did this tree call me lad?" he snorted, momentarily distracted. "I am older than his grandfather... lad.."

"I was always taught to respect my elders. Here." Axel punched Garrett’s stomach, making him fold slightly. "Take a seat, old man."

Ronan covered his laugh with a cough after Evanna glared in his direction before returning her attention to the large children bickering and fighting.

Garrett’s gaze moved to Evanna, then to Arawn, his jaw ticking. She had to admit the elf did show some restraint considering his ’enemy’ hit him in the stomach.

Evanna released the breath she’d been holding from the drama unfolding before her. All the while, the fairy on the ground tittered then smirked, her eyes alight in mirth. That alone made Evanna narrow her eyes. Was this fairy as weak as she appeared on the ground?

Evanna looked up after hearing the whisper of footsteps approaching her. Arawn stopped and raised a brow, one side of his lips turning up at Ger’s raised arm, telling him not to get any closer. "Shall we release her?" The prince asked quietly as though only her decision mattered; though he looked at her heatedly, his eyes iced over, sending glacial daggers to Ger.

"*Release her!? Are you out of your mind!? The only reason this schmuck is still standing is because of those chains,*" Garrett growled, yanking his hand back from Axel, whose massive form now shadowed the small fae woman.

That ’schmuck’ was Ronan; she was glad the others could not understand them. Otherwise, there would be more ridiculous fights. Though, from the look on Axel, Ger’s and Ronan’s faces, they didn’t need to know Muranthian to understand when they were being insulted.

One look from Evanna halted their actions further. The princess’s gaze lowered back to the woman after Garrett’s comment. "What is your name?" She asked, calculating the risks of releasing her and the guilt that weighed down her heart if she kept this woman in shackles or worse, Garrett killing her.

The fae blinked, her face lifting from where she had kept it, looking down at the grass. The attitude on her features vanished, and her brows raised, seeming surprised Evanna questioned her directly. But as quickly as that startled, almost innocent look plastered her face, it twisted back into something more arrogant, a toothy smirk growing on her features.

"You may call me Fiza. And what do I call.." Her black and starlight eyes swept across Evanna’s features, taking in every detail and what looked like she was committing it to memory before landing on the princess’ face again. "My heroine?"

Evanna parted her lips then stopped at the touch of Arawn’s hand on the lower part of her back, leaning towards her, his lips near her ear as his eyes gloated at Ger whose fisted hands shook. "*Do not give a fae your name. A true name in the fae courts or the wilds means something entirely different than that of human and elven kingdoms. They can do.. nasty things with such knowledge.*"

Evanna shivered, making Arawn smile, enjoying how her body reacted to him and Ger’s obvious fury. He wanted to do more than whisper in Evanna’s ear, to claim her as his in front of these men that lust after her, but right now, their priority was this night fae. He clicked his tongue in annoyance, glaring at the creature for wasting Evanna’s time, time that could have been spent with him.

"Raven," Evanna finally replied, stepping away from Arawn, though her fingers brushed against his hand as though his touch gave her strength. "Fiza.. I have no intention of keeping you a prisoner."

She squatted before the fae, their eyes now level. "I also do not wish to have your blood on my hands-"

"A word of advice, Raven," she sneered at the name as though she already knew what Evanna’s name was. "A .. trade as it were.."

Evanna leaned forwards slightly, finding herself dazzled by Fiza’s eyes, but she stopped herself from getting too close, feeling a slight sense of a vampire’s compulsion fall over her like mist. "A trade?" She asked in confusion.

Fiza nodded, with a little glimmer of what looked like excitement behind those ethereal eyes. "Release me, and I will do you no harm."

Evanna frowned; that was not advice. It was merely stating she would not harm them if she were released.

"Raven." Arawn’s warning was in his voice. Warning her to what? Stay back?

"Do you agree?" Fiza asked almost melodically to her ears, making her ignore the warning in Arawn’s voice.

But something about what Fiza said didn’t seem to click correctly in her mind. Like a jigsaw puzzle going into the wrong space or the wrong key twisting in a lock. Even so, Evanna felt confident in these men and stood, stepping back as she watched the night fae. "I agree."

Arawn cursed beneath his breath, warning Ger that something wasn’t right. He’d been with Fiza for some time though they hadn’t engaged much; the goblins had quite smartly kept the small group of prisoners separated. Ger’s steps slowly moved towards the princess, though his gaze dropped to her right hand that moved behind her back. It was twisted and curved in on itself, yet her features remained stoic.

Fiza looked from Evanna to Ronan, the excitement apparent in her eyes as she scrambled to her feet and raised her hands expectantly. "Remove them, Roach," she ordered quietly.

Ronan unlocked the iron shackles from around the night fae’s wrists. The instant the manacles dropped to the ground, Fiza moved, hopped up, punched Ronan in the face, kneed Garrett in the groin and swept her foot underneath Axel. She did this all within seconds, stopping before Evanna with a growing grin.

Arawn was beside the princess in one stride, stopping at Evanna’s raised hand. The night fae and princess held each other’s gaze. "I never said I would do your companions no harm.. just you, your highness." Fiza stepped closer to her, her voice dropping to a whisper. "My word of advice from one outcasted fae to another.. Watch what words you use around us and.. listen more carefully when sealing deals."

Evanna’s lips parted. She was usually so good at reading between the lines of agreements, yet somehow this went straight past her. She looked to her friends, impressed by the fae’s swift movements, although she was a little nervous at the words Fiza spoke.

"And with this new freedom, will you be attacking my companions?" Evanna asked, remaining calm and level-headed, though watching Fiza shift from one foot to the other, her fingers twitching as though she could not stand still, made it hard to concentrate.

Everything about this woman, from her body language, the glint in her eyes, and how the goblins and the elves acted towards her, told the princess she was dangerous. Yet, there were no shivers, no cold tingles erupting through her body, warning her of any danger. Though Evanna shouldn’t rely on these powers so much, she couldn’t help it.

"I cannot agree that I won’t ever.. They might deserve it.. I’ve seen the way Axel and Ger watched my ass," Fiza smirked, her hips moving slowly from side to side as though to make her point.

Evanna couldn’t help it; she burst into laughter at her comment and at Axel’s face burning a bright red, revealing that was precisely what he had been doing, but Ger’s stony expression didn’t falter, making it seem all the more hilarious.

"Besides, there is more of an advantage if I join your company to Lyvaria." Fiza’s expression suddenly turned serious before lending a hand to Axel, who was still on the ground looking up at her.

Evanna subtly tilted her head to the side. Fiza’s fighting skills would be beneficial on their journey, though she had only seen a handful of them without a weapon. But Fiza was correct; if what Ronan kept warning her about these forgotten plains, the more warriors, the better. Though she did not trust her, and after Cilv, she was warier than ever before.

They didn’t have to tell Fiza their reasons for journeying to the Lyvarian lands, and she would keep it that way. Evanna nodded in agreement, deciding that words might somehow seal a different, dangerous fate, though she assumed the fae just made her more paranoid about what words to speak to her now.

Axel accepted the fairy’s outstretched hand, though he didn’t put any weight into it, being the gentle giant he was even though she was the one to put him on his backside. Evanna watched Fiza step back, smirking at Garrett, still clutching his groin and actually apologising to Ronan for ruining his beautiful nose for a few days. The corner of Evanna’s lips twitched up, and she released the power brewing in her hand behind her back.

But as Evanna watched Fiza, her brows drew together as she went over their conversation once more. Fiza had spoken as though she knew Evanna was part fae. How?