Twenty-one years later

For as long as I can remember, my days have started with a lie… But sometimes, they begin with a kill.

“Stop that thief!”

“Somebody catch that boy!”

The men’s shouts echoed behind me as my feet flew over the mosaic path of the human market, my speed blurring the faces of the startled women who clutched their pearls.

Jumping over wood-polished vegetable displays and delicately hand-painted benches, I ran like the Goddess herself was fueling me, holding tightly onto the bursting sack of rice in my grip.

Still, that wasn’t what had my heart pumping.

Adrenaline rushed through my veins, filling me with exhilaration and delight at the mere thought of screwing those despicable humans out of food. Just like their king had done to us, Fae, so many years ago.

The only good thing humans had brought to Ašthaedagh was cursing.

I fucking loved that shit.

Laughter escaped me when I whirled out of the way of the reaching hands of a so-called guard. Yeah, I was getting cocky, but let’s be honest, they were never going to catch my ass. I pushed forward, turning down the hallway that would be my freedom.

A large, elegant carriage was parked right in the middle of the way, and my shoulder slammed against the open door, my grip slipping from the rice.

“Shit! That fucking hurt,” I growled under my breath, stumbling to a stop next to the large horse and swiftly picking up the heavy sack from the floor while the horse nickered at me.

The instant I strengthened, I caught movement from my peripheral vision. My head snapped toward it to find a pair of eyes glancing at me from across the street. The person hid under the tan headscarf wrapped over their head and face, not unlike the one I wore, leaving only our eyes exposed.