The Faceless Woman by Emma Hamm (i love reading .txt) 📕

the shadows, praying that the Unseelie queen hadn’t seen her. The last thing they needed was more trouble. And that spider woman seated on the throne was one of the few people who could cause it.

She watched Bran ascend the steps to the throne and kneel in front of his mother.

“As pretty as ever, I see,” the queen said, distaste twisting her words into an insult rather than compliment.

“It’s not something I can change, mother.”

“Your brother did. Your sisters did. But you were always my stubborn child, running off everywhere you could. If I didn’t know better, I would say you were Seelie.”

She reached forward and tousled his hair. Aisling winced at the sound of cracked feathers now floating to the floor. The queen shoved Bran’s head back, nearly toppling him down the steps. “It’s a shame. You could have been something great. What have you returned for this time?”

Bran placed his hands on his thighs. “Waters from Swan Lake.”

“Why?”

“I have never asked for anything from you before, mother.”

“I want to know why.” One of her legs rose and scraped the ground with an ear-piercing sound. “What has suddenly made my son return to the dark castle?”

Aisling knew this wouldn’t be easy for him. Admitting to his mother he had been cursed, by what he had thought was a human no less, wasn’t going to go over well. Especially if he was the least favored child, which she could already see was the truth.

“I was cursed,” he growled. “I need to break the curse.”

His mother reared back in surprise. It wasn’t the reaction Aisling had expected, and it startled her so much she nearly came out of the shadows to help him.

The queen’s whisper echoed in the throne room. “Why would you want to do that?”

“It is my right to decide whether or not I want to remain cursed.”

“But removing it—”

Bran interrupted her. “This is what I want, mother. Regardless of you or father’s opinions, I am doing this.”

Were they talking about the same thing? Aisling’s brows furrowed as she tried to make sense of the conversation. It was almost as if they were talking about something he hadn’t told her about…

She had a feeling she should have insisted they know each other’s secrets before coming here.

The queen’s gaze suddenly lifted, slicing through the shadows and meeting Aisling’s with an intensity that made a cold shiver dance down her spine.

“Who is lurking in the shadows?” the queen murmured. “What gift have you brought me, my son?”

“She is not a gift for you.”

“It is customary to bring your queen a sacrifice.”

“You are my mother,” he carefully replied. “Always my mother first, and my queen second. If you kill her, then you also kill me.”

The queen glanced at him sharply before the meaning of his words dawned on her. “This? This little bug is the one who cursed you?”

“Mother,” Bran warned.

“Come forward, shadow, let me see you.”

She felt like an insect caught in a web. Clearing her throat, Aisling stepped forward until the strange blue glow caught upon the fabric of her skirts and danced in the dark locks of her hair.

“Ah,” the queen said. “So you have fallen in love with yet another creature of light.”

“I am not Seelie, your majesty,” Aisling replied.

“You are not of my court.”

“I was a changeling. Left by my parents to die in the woods, replacing an unwanted babe in hopes that humans would take me in.”

The queen lifted a strong brow. “And did they?”

“No.”

“Typical. Humans always think they want something until they finally get it. They love the chase more than they like ownership.” She tsked. “You’re little more than a scrap.”

“I look less intimidating than I am.”

The queen tossed her head back and let out an echoing laugh. “My, my, you’ve got a little bite to you. Curious thing. And you managed to curse my son? I wonder whether that says you are a powerful witch or he is weaker than I thought.”

“Your son is a powerful faerie,” Aisling growled. “I have never been afraid of another living being until him.”

“High commendation for such a feisty little creature.” One of her legs dragged along the floor. “What makes you think he’s so powerful?”

“I’ve seen what he can do.”

“Which is?”

Aisling huffed out a frustrated breath. “He’s killed, he’s cast curses, hexes, spells, you name it. There are many things your son is capable of.”

“It’s almost as if you’re complimenting him.”

Bran met her gaze, still kneeling on the floor. A slow grin spread across his face. “No, mother. She wouldn’t ever compliment me.”

“If she sings your praises any farther, I might wonder why you are last in line.”

“You don’t know her,” he replied. “She’s far too fearsome to ever compliment someone who didn’t deserve it.”

Aisling’s cheeks burned, her heart thumped painfully against her ribs, and her skin came alive. She would sing his praises until the moon and the sun met on the horizon. He deserved every word she could create because no one had ever said them to him before.

The queen’s eyes flicked between them. “And the binding curse?”

The tips of Bran’s pointed ears turned red.

She wouldn’t let him take the fall for this. Aisling squared her shoulders, lifted her chin, and firmly replied, “It was mine.”

“Is that so? And where did you learn how to cast such a spell?”

“From my grandmother.”

“Who is?” The queen impatiently tapped her long nails against the arm of the throne. “I weary of these games, little girl. You will tell me the answers I want to know.”

“Badb,” Aisling spat. “My grandmother is Badb, the war crow.”

She had the satisfaction of seeing the queen’s eyes widen in shock before she let out a snort of laughter. “Of course, she is. The meddling witch could never leave well enough alone when it came to my family. Ridiculous, speckled thing. She’s still alive I take it?”

“Alive and very well.”

“Just to spite me, I’m sure.” The queen glanced down at her son and made a disgusted noise. “Get off your knees. You look