Page 55 of A Bargain with the Fae King

The corner of his mouth quirks up. “That sounds mysterious.”

I try to smile but fail. “Fae age differently than humans.”

The smirk vanishes.

“And you’re…much older than me.” I cringe as the words spill out, but I strengthen my grip, rubbing my thumb across the fabric.

“Ah.” The muscles in his arm relax under my touch. “Is that so abhorrent to you?”

No? Maybe? I don’t know. I search for the right thing to say and come up empty.

“I just…need some time.” I can’t even look at him as I say it, can’t bear to see the disappointment and hurt there.

Silence stretches until I just can’t take it anymore. Hesitantly, I peek at his expression. His jaw shifts to the side. His lips are pulled thin as he stares at nothing across the room.

I nearly groan. It’s worse than I thought.

He sighs and pulls away. “Let’s go to Arbrean.”

The words strike like a dagger, even if they aren’t meant to. Why does it hurt so much? Why?

I undo the clasp of the bracelet and hold the coiled length in one hand. The other, I stretch out to take the open hand Riven offers, though he still won’t quite look at me. No sooner do our hands touch than the world around us bends and warps. My hand digs into his as the magic wraps us in a thick blanket of air.

The old room melts away, and a new one builds back in its place.

This sitting room is similar to the one I’ve grown used to but slightly smaller with different trees comprising its walls and canopy. A large balcony wraps around the room on two sides, with a broad tree as the corner post. Even here, touches of autumn highlight the green leaves with splotches of crimson and orange.

“Oh, you’re here already.” Karin stands off to one side of the room, unpacking items from a trunk. She brushes a stray hair back from her face and reaches in for another bundle.

“We are, but we’ll both be heading to the border in just a few minutes,” Riven responds. He drops my hand as if it burns, then says to me, “Take some time to change and refresh yourself. We’ll leave as soon as you’re ready.”

He strides off into an adjoining room without another glance. I watch him go. The knot in my chest twists tighter with every step he takes away from me.

I’ve hurt the feelings of a fae king.

“I picked out something I thought you might like.” Karin carries a bundle my way. A touch of color dusts her cheeks. “If you don’t mind, that is.”

The outfit Karin selected is a dress of dark green, accented with golden thread. Riven’s colors. The bodice and sleeves hug tight to my body, supported underneath by a soft, snug layer resembling a sports bra. The skirt of the dress is cut in a high scallop at the front, revealing the fitted pants underneath. Knee-high boots with little accents of gold complete the look.

Karin clasps her hands in front of her when I emerge. “Well?”

I twirl. The back of the dress flutters out behind me.

“I love it.” Understatement. It’s abso-freaking-lutely awesome. Give me some pointed ears and I might just fit in. Her taste is spot on. I couldn’t have picked out something better myself.

“Excellent, I’ve packed some other things for you as well.” She tips her head toward a bag sitting in a nearby chair.

“Is he…” I angle my head to see around her, gazing in the direction of the assumed door to the bedroom.

She glances away, unease crinkling through the lines of her face. “I’m not sure.”

My hands part the curtain of vine like a rock on the crest of a waterfall as I push the strands open and step into the adjoining space. Late afternoon light cascades across the room, highlighting the golden strands of Riven’s hair where it’s pulled back behind his head. Weapons are laid out across the bed, waiting to be strapped to his body. He’s hunched forward on his knees as if the weight of the world rests on his back.

From what Solona said, it might.

His head lifts at my arrival, away from the arm guard he’s just finished affixing to his outfit. Once again, he’s dressed as the ferocious druidic warrior, ready for battle. Will it come to that?

I swallow the lump forming in my throat.

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