Page 62 of Welcome to Fae Cafe

“Maybe he doesn’t want to reveal his plans to us again,” Shayne said. “He must be plotting something.”

“He attacked my knitting club,” Kate told them, and Shayne made a face.

“Your what?”

“It’s a long story. My knitting club saved me from him. That’s how he got hurt.”

Shayne tilted his head doubtfully. “That doesn’t make any sense. What sort of—”

“I’m not telling you any details about my knitting club. I’ve already caused them enough trouble.” Kate fled into the hall and ducked into the bathroom. She closed the door behind her and let out a heavy breath, placing a hand against her chest. She’d barely peeled off her rain-soaked shirt when the door flew open, and she shrieked.

Shayne stood there, eyeing her.

“This is totally inappropriate!” Kate said.

“Tell me about your knitting club.” He leaned against the doorframe and folded his arms. His pale wet hair stood on end. “It’s the only chance we have to find Cress.”

Kate folded her arms to cover her sports bra. “I won’t.”

“Do it, or I’ll let Dranian at you.” Shayne flashed a charming smile, but his eyes narrowed. “Trust me, Human, you don’t want to know what he’ll do to your hair.”

“Seriously,shut the doorand don’t ever bother me again when I’m showering!”

Shayne’s jaw slid to the side. His nostrils flared, but he obeyed, clicking the door shut. A second later, he yelled through it, “Why did you concern yourself with our Prince, anyway? You ran back here to tell us about him.”

Kate sighed. “I don’t know.”

A pause followed before Shayne spoke again. “His enchanted kiss didn’t work on you, Human. You shouldn’t be concerned for someone who wants you dead.”

“Is that advice?”

Something thumped lightly on the door like Shayne was leaning against it. “Perhaps.”

“Are you telling me because I commanded you to keep me safe? Or are you actually worried about me, Assassin?” Kate wandered to the shower but waited for him to respond before turning the water knob. She looked back at the door again when Shayne didn’t answer. After a moment, Kate crept over and opened it just a crack to see if he was still there.

Shayne stood directly on the other side with his arms folded like he’d been waiting.

“Do youwantto be saved by me, Human?” he asked. A tantalizing smile danced over his mouth. “Are you the sort of female who likes to be saved by a strong male?”

Kate grunted, thinking about slamming the door in his face. “No way. I think women are perfectly able to save themselves.”

Shayne’s smile grew. Finally, the laugh he was bottling tumbled out and he turned to leave. “Tell me that again when the Prince of the North finds you and pins you in a corner with his fairsaber,” he mumbled as he left the bedroom.

Kate shut the bathroom door, breathing in the quiet. She twisted on the hot water. It seemed like Shayne’s questions were always the ones that ran through her mind long after he asked them.

The noise of the water roared in Kate’s ears.

“Why did you concern yourself with our Prince, anyway?”

Only you would save someone who’s trying to kill you, Katherine Lewis.

Her conscience took on Lily Baker’s voice again.

22

Prince Cressica and The Last Five Days

It was exactly five days ago that Cress saw them for the first time. Midnight dawned over the human city, bringing forth the monsters Cress had been sniffing out since he picked up their trail in the academy library. He followed the path to a much larger public library on the cusp of the city where traces of fairies were left in the spaces between books and mixed into the dust on the shelves, along with a flirtatious, menacing wickedness that had haunted Cress’s dreams for many faeborn years.

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