Page 22 of Twisted Gift

“That’s correct,” Tristan comments.

Nikolai looks at me. “What are you thinking?”

I wet my lips. “We hold separate meetings. I’ll meet with any light fae who are willing, and Tristan can do the same for the dark.”

“No offense or anything, but do you think the light fae will listen to you?”

Tristan growls, but I ignore it, focusing on Nikolai. “I won’t stop until they do,” I vow. “I understand I have to earn their trust, but that’s what I’m trying to do with these meetings. I’m trying to keep them safe.”

“I’ll speak to my people,” Tristan says. “Once we’ve done that, then we can talk about bringing them together to speak to them as one group.”

I sigh heavily. “It’ll be dangerous. Not everyone will want this, but I think the majority of both sides would rather coexist than worry about their loved ones being taken and killed by the other side.”

“I think you’re right.” Tristan scratches the stubble lining his jaw. It looks as if he hasn’t bothered to shave in a while.

I miss the feel of that against my cheek.I push the thought away and say, “We have to start somewhere.”

“I’ll have Max call a meeting tonight. The sooner we can get this moving, the better.”

“Of course.” I look at Nikolai, and he nods. “We’ll do the same.”

With that, the meeting—as short as it was—is over. Nikolai and I stand, heading for the exit.

“Aurora,” Tristan’s voice makes me freeze halfway across the room. “Could I have a moment?”

Nikolai whirls around, but I grab his arm and shake my head. “It’s okay.” He stares at me with a hard expression before he gives me a curt nod and leaves. The door closing echoes in the silence.

Tristan walks around the desk, closing the distance between us. The butterflies in my stomach flutter crazily, attuned to his presence, which sets me on edge. My palms are damp, and it’s hard to swallow past the dryness in my throat.

Tristan drags his gaze across my face, taking me in as if he’s doing it for the first time. His face is different. His fae leader mask is gone; this is the Tristan only I get to see. He tilts his head slightly. “How are you doing?” His voice is soft, low. It makes my chest tighten.

I toss the question around in my head, deciding on the best way to answer it. “I’m—” The wordfinewon’t come out. I try again. “I’m—”Okaydoesn’t want to work either. I can’t say the words I want to. My brows tug together, and my jaw clenches.

“First time you’ve tried lying since you changed?” he asks in a gentle voice.

I close my eyes, exhaling through my nose.Shit. I can’t lie. When I open them again, he’s still watching me, waiting for an answer. “Things are different,” I say.

He nods. “You’ve finished school. Have you decided what you’ll do now?”

“I’d like to move as far away from this godforsaken city as possible,” I mumble. “However, I’m not able to do that. Turns out, I don’t have to open my own business. Apparently, killing Jules came with more perks than immortality. He left the deed to his bar with his lawyer, and my name was on it.”

Tristan frowns. “Why would he do that? Why would he have prepared for that unless he foresaw it happening?” The concern and confusion are etched on his face; I don’t need to reach out and try to read his emotions.

“I have no freaking clue, and I can’t exactly question him.” It’s something I need answers to, but I haven’t the slightest idea where to start looking. I stumble to the side when, out of nowhere, my head starts spinning.What the hell? I fed yesterday. Why do I feel like this already?

Tristan reaches for me immediately, but I pull back so he doesn’t touch me. “You aren’t well,” he observes. “When was the last time you fed?”

Shaking my head, I say, “Don’t worry about it.”

“Aurora—”

“I’m figuring it out, okay? I’m... managing.” I cringe when my voice cracks. I need to leave; I can’t keep looking at him.

“It didn’t look that way the night of your graduation.”

“I’m better.” It’s not a lie. Iamdoing better since that night, though I know I’ll slip back to that place if I don’t feed again.

He wets his lips. “So we’re just going to act as though we mean nothing to each other? You don’t want me to care about you anymore?”

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