She does not know.

Erukoi loathed the realization, but she was his to claim. His right, for he delivered his end of the bargain. The humans weren't bound to their promises, as the records had told him—or Gysha must have been stronger than she looked. But the tendrils of Yggdrasil pierced his very soul. He could not delay the contract fulfillment any longer. With Seladren's promise had become almost unbearable on its own, he had to release at least another promise by fulfilling it. He looked at Aleyah still, and his own memory of his dear mother came into mind.

The poor child. Young and frail, yet so brave to come towards him like this. She need not know her own mother had traded her for a bastard's life.

"A life for a life," he fibbed, and another faerie—another Sidhe most likely—might have been able to tell that it was not the full truth. But to humans, strangers to a faerie's way of speech, might not realize the falter in his low voice that stoked the faerie fire all around them.

"Your life is mine from this moment onwards."

The town's bell rang outside and the marching footsteps of human soldiers enforcing curfew was heard. The sun had slumbered. Erukoi was weaker at night, while many faeries grew stronger at moonlight.

"We leave now."

He took Seladren's lifeless body on his jaws and huffed, lowering his stance to allow Aleyah to climb up easier onto his wide back.

"Ride, human."