Page 41 of Taken By the Fae

He doesn’t look surprised. “We’ve been at war with the unseelie court for as long as history can remember. They’ve been killing seelies for centuries.”

The idea of Allison being in danger surfaces. Even looking at Tristan, a pang of concern passes through me—something I wasnotexpecting. The recognition in Tristan’s gaze tells me he either saw the concern in mine or felt it coming from me.

I swallow, but the lump in my throat remains. “Why?”

“The unseelie court has been hungry for power in the twenty years I’ve been a knight to the seelie king.”

I nod, frowning. “What was that phone call about?”

“It’s been fairly calm in both courts until recent weeks. We’re losing numbers. Lucky for us, they can’t kill too many at once out in the open. It would attract too much human attention.” He sighs and rubs his jaw, his posture tense. “The royal court is in search of a solution that results in the least number of tragedies.”

“What’s your solution?” I ask softly.

“I’d rather not kill anyone, but I will if it comes to that. I refuse to allow the seelie court to continue living in fear. We lost our home once. I will do everything in my power to ensure it doesn’t happen again—no matter the cost.”

“Have you considered talking about it instead of retaliating physically? Words hold power.”

“The time for talking was before the unseelie court declared war on us.”

“You want to add to the bloodshed, then?”

A muscle ticks along his sharp jaw. “This isn’t your fight.”

I huff out a breath. “Forgive me for forgetting my place.” I’m not sure why I’m so upset, or why I offered my opinion. There’s nothing I can do to protect Allison that she can’t do herself, but with this new information, I feel like a caged animal.

“Hmm,” he murmurs, and I take a healthy step back as the corner of his mouth lifts. “You’re concerned.”

I glare at him. “Of course I am. My best friend could be in danger. I don’t want her to get hurt. And you—” I bite the inside of my cheek. “It’s dangerous,” I mutter.

He doesn’t miss a beat. “I will protect my court, Aurora.”

“Who protects you?” I blurt. If my concern for him wasn’t clear by the energy I’ve been giving off, he knows about it now. It’s funny, it doesn’t bother me as much as I thought it would.

My heart continues pounding like a drum in my chest as he says, “You never fail to surprise me.”

“Why do you say that?”

He pins me with a focused gaze that turns the temperature of my body way up. “You spend your time trying to hate me for what happened when we met, which is fair, but you don’t, do you?”

My jaw tightens. “Are you kidding?”

“Your cheeks flush when I’m around, and I make your pulse race.” He lowers his voice. “I can hear your heartbeat right now.”

“An excellent observation,” I remark dryly, despite the dampness on my palms. I press them against my thighs, struggling to ignore the heat blossoming between them.

“I affect you.”

My gaze is stuck on his lips as my pulse jumps, and he smirks as if to saytold you. “That’s ridiculous,” I say.

“Is that why your heart is trying to beat its way out of your chest right now?”

“No,” I insist. “You’re wrong.”

Tristan cocks his head. “I don’t think I am.” His eyes shimmer with heat, and my throat goes dry. “Now you look afraid,” he muses. “Though I don’t think you are based on the fiery emotions coming from you.”

My eyes narrow, and I fight the part of me that wants to get up and run away from what he’s saying, from his ability to know what I’m feeling simply by looking at me. “Quit reading my emotions.”

“Why? Worried I’ll see something you don’t want me to?”

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