Page 192 of The Fae Girl 1

“They haven’t sent for you.” Mira said.

“I know but still.” I met Nela’s eyes and she must have known what I was thinking. That for Jelric to be back, for him to have returned, he had to have uncovered whatever the big secret was. Why I was different.

My stomach knotted. I gritted my teeth, instinct already telling me that whatever this was, it wasn’t a good thing.

“I’ll come with you.” Nela said.

I opened my mouth to object but in reality I didn’t have any choice. They were still my guards. Even if we were so far beyond that now.

I nodded as if giving ascent. “Let’s go.” I muttered.

We tried his study first. A Magi was there but it wasn’t Jelric. He said he’d already been and gone.

I looked at Nela and knew what that meant. That he was with Uther, and Fain too probably. That they were already discussing me, no doubt at this very second.

I bristled at the thought. At the fact that this was all going on behind my back, that they hadn’t had the decency to even have me in the room. And I’ll admit I was a little hurt that Fain had behaved like that, that he hadn’t insisted I be there, that he hadn’t made his brother summon me.

As we made our way back through the castle I decided to go there, to the High King’s room and to call them out on it. It was my life, my magic, I had more right to know than any of them.

As we approached the room I could see the door open, as if someone had forgotten to shut it behind them.

But more than that I could hear voices.

Raised voices.

“I don’t know what you are talking about.” Fain’s voice carried.

“Let me put it in a different way for you then.” Jelric said slowly. “You’re looking a lot more Fae-like than you used to.” He said.

I covered my mouth, smothering the cry of shock. Nela gasped next to me. Her eyes stared right at me and I met that gaze trying to explain without words that I hadn’t meant to. That it hadn’t been intentional.

That sharing my power was a mistake, a secondary thing with what Fain and I had become.

I wanted to step forward, to see their faces, to see how bad this was, but I didn’t dare. My feet felt rooted to the spot. My fear held me like a statue in that moment.

“What did you say?” Uther said.

“I’m saying, your Highness, that it appears to me, that Prince Fain and the Fae girl…” Jelric trailed off.

My stomach dropped. This was it. This was the moment I’d feared, the moment I couldn’t stop thinking about because now Uther would show his true colours, would potentially punish us both.

“Are you serious?” Uther said only that tone made me pause. He didn’t sound angry. He sounded elated. “You did it. You actually did it. After everything you said.”

I heard a sound like someone slapping someone else on the back. Applauding them.

My heart stopped. Something clenched around it so tightly in my chest I couldn’t process it. What the hell was going on? What the hell was this?

“That’s not what happened.” Fain snapped.

“I ordered him to seduce the girl.” Uther said proudly. “Seduce her and get her to share her powers.”

I started breathing faster and faster. Blood rushed to my head as fear turned to pain. White hot excruciating pain.

“Are you telling me…” Jelric began.

“That’s not what happened.” Fain snarled over the top of him. “I didn’t seduce her for you. I didn’t seduce her just to get her damn powers or whatever you think she has.”

“What are you saying?” Uther replied. “You actually care for the girl?”

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