Page 5 of Claimed By the Fae Lord

“Yes, there is. I have questions. I need to know some things so I know how to help, but you keep avoiding me."

Aeryn sounded like my mother when she was trying to get a confession out of me and my brother, back in our younger days. "I have a meeting with my sovereign. That's all you need to know."

"Ah, but what I need to know and what I want to know are often two very different things," she grouched good-naturedly, falling into step beside me.

I said nothing in return. She gave me an entire five seconds of peace.

"You've been more broody than usual. You weren't at all broody when we first met. Remember that day? You laughed when I pulled a dagger on you. You made jokes. Then you saw Raina after …”

I didn’t provide the information she was fishing for.

“Okay, after some amount of time. A year or two …”

Her hopeful face, the way she searched mine for some sort of confirmation or denial was comical. If Aeryn wasn’t being so damned annoying I might laugh at her pathetic attempts to piece together my history with her new friend.

She rolled her eyes. “Fine. You saw her that first day of the trials, after an unknown amount of time, and you lost your smile. And you were mean to her. Then she left and now you're unbearable."

I gave her a withering look.

"Is it because she left?" Aeryn asked. “Did you want her to stay?”

I stopped in my tracks, jaw clenched tight enough to crack stones. "Don't," I warned, my voice low and dangerous.

She grimaced. "I'm not trying to make things worse for you."

"Yet you are," I retorted sharply, resuming my march toward the council chamber.

I felt the weight of Aeryn's gaze on my back, but I couldn't afford to dwell on Raina right now. I had responsibilities to see to.

"Liam," Aeryn's voice softened, touching a chord that resonated with physical pain. "I only mention Raina because—"

"Because nothing!" I snapped.

Her eyes went wide and I felt like a piece of shit. Looking to the ceiling, I sighed, the sound heavy with an unspoken apology.

I glanced at her, remorse pulling at the muscles of my face. Her intentions were good, no matter how crazy her actions made me.

"I apologize, my lady. The subject is complicated."

"Isn't it always with matters of the heart?" she quipped, though her eyes held a depth of understanding that contradicted her casual tone.

The council chamber doors were just ahead. "Are you coming inside?"

Aeryn shook her head. "I'll see him later. I have a couple of things I need to do first."

Aeryn's missing entourage suddenly appeared behind her. I had to assume Astrid did something to the light to hide their appearance because no portal had been opened.

I had suspicions the pair had more capabilities than they’d let on, and I would need to question them both in more detail. Just not today.

I tipped my head to Nox's mate and entered the room. My sole focus should have been on the threats we still faced. But it was all over the place.

Unwillingly, thoughts conjured the echo of whispered promises, the haunting memory of lavender eyes, and the feel of plush pink lips that refused to let me be.

I was surely going to lose my godsdamned mind. Soon, by the feel of things.

The council chamber's thick oak doors shut with an unnerving thud. I stood rigid, my arms crossed in a futile attempt to contain the maelstrom of emotions threatening to spill forth.

Nox looked up from his place at the large table, papers scattered and pen in hand. In that keen and regal way of his, he lifted a single eyebrow.

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