Page 124 of Taken By the Fae

We walk over and sit. Nikolai crosses his arms while I set mine in my lap and press my lips together.

“Skylar told me you were summoned,” I say, the pit in my stomach keeping me from telling him what I desperately want to.I fucking miss you. “Do you know what the seelie king wants?” I have to assume it has something to do with me; otherwise, why would he ask me here?

His eyes roam my face, drinking me in, and the breath gets caught in my throat. Finally, he says, “I have a good idea.” His eyes slide to Nikolai as he seems to get sidetracked. “I understand your queen has made you a knight.”

Nikolai nods. “I’ll assume your congratulations were lost in the mail.”

A muscle ticks along Tristan’s jaw. “Yeah, do that. And then you can tell me why I’ve received reports that unseelie fae are plotting to ambush the king during the spring equinox ceremony next month.”

Nikolai leans back in his chair, crossing one knee over the other. “I’ve only had an audience with the queen twice since I took over for Jules. This didn’t come up.”

Tristan’s eyes narrow. “You don’t know anything about it?”

“Am I being interrogated right now?” Nikolai asks in a hardened voice.

“Right now, you’re avoiding my question.”

Nikolai’s back straightens. “You have some nerve, Westbrook. I brought your girl here—after taking care of her since she became fae—to make sure you weren’t in danger, because she was worried about you. I’m not going to sit here and—”

“Nikolai,” I cut in, heat filling my cheeks.

Nikolai shakes his head, his eyes blazing with thinly veiled anger. “I don’t know about any unseelie fae targeting your precious king,” he sneers at Tristan. “Though Ihaveheard a rampant increase in attacks on the unseelie fae. Perhaps we should talk about that?”

What? There have been more attacks on the unseelie court?This is the first I’m hearing of it, and based on the grim expression painting Tristan’s sharp features, I have to think he’s learning it just now, too.

“Do you have specific information you’d like to share?”

Nikolai pauses before shaking his head. “That’s not my area of expertise.”

Tristan makes a sound between a snort and a scowl. “Hmm. What exactlyisyour ‘area of expertise’?”

“How about keeping Aurora alive?” he shoots back, and my pulse jackhammers as the air leeches from the room, making it hard to breathe.

Tristan grips the arms of his chair, and I’m half-expecting his claws to protrude from his fingers, but he keeps his human appearance. “I will look into these attacks you’ve mentioned,” he finally says in a low voice.

“Good,” Nikolai grumbles.

Tristan's eyes shift to me again as he scratches the stubble lining his jaw; he hasn’t shaved in a while.

I miss the feeling of that against my cheek.

“I understand you had an audience with the queen.” Tristan’s words make my chest tighten. His expression is strained, his jaw sharp.

I hesitate before asking, “How did you know? Did Allison—”

“No,” he cuts in gently. “There are several other seelies in your dorm who I’ve had keeping an eye—and an ear—on things. I apologize if that’s intrusive, but I had to know you were okay.”

My heart beats in my throat as I stare at the fae I’m still completely enraptured by. “O-okay. Is that why you wanted to meet me?”

“I wanted to see you,” he admits. “If it wasn’t to ask about the queen, I would’ve found another excuse.” That sends my heart racing, and I tuck my ankles behind the chair legs so I don’t do something crazy like launch myself across Tristan’s desk and straddle him despite Nikolai sitting next to me. “Will you tell me what happened?” Tristan asks.

I blow out a breath. “It was a short meeting where I basically told her where she could shove it, because I don’t want to join the unseelie court.”

Those deep blue eyes shine with admiration, and he drags his tongue over his bottom lip as if he’s attempting to hide a smile. “I’m sure she took that well.” I expect him to look at Nikolai, but his eyes stay locked on me. “I’m happy to hear it. The seelie court is lucky to have you.”

My brows knit, and I drop my gaze to the desk that separates us. “Oh. Um, I’m not…” I trail off, the knots in my stomach growing rapidly. “I’m not choosing a court,” I force out.

There’s a long stretch of silence before Tristan sighs. “Aurora—”

---