Page 14 of Fionn
I'd hoped one of the other men would reply, but Kelon was faster.
"Fish."
For his standards, that was an extremely short answer. I expected him to add something about gold leaf and pearl dust, just to emphasise how rich he was, but he refrained from elaborating.
"Fish," Rainse echoed. I could hear the smile in his voice.
Cerban chuckled. "Fish. If you hadn't already guessed it."
Fionn took a while to answer. "You wouldn't know the dish I'm thinking of, but one day, I hope to cook it for you."
Aww. If his cooking was as delicious as his velvety voice, I would devour it.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Paul, the island's manager, approach. This dinner was getting a little awkward. Maybe he'd remove the screen now so I could finally see the men opposite me. But he simply asked if we had everything we needed. Kelon asked for more wine. I hadn't even touched mine, sticking with fruit juice instead. I wanted a clear head for this.
Paul bent down and asked softly, "Are you okay, miss? If you want to end this meal, just let me know and I'll take you to your suite."
My suite. I hadn't even had the chance to unpack yet or look around the resort. Paul had collected me at the airstrip and driven me to this building in a little red golf-cart. I'd not seen any cars on the island, only a few motorbikes. Tomorrow, I would ask for a tour. And now, I really wanted to go for a swim.
"Actually, I think I'm done," I whispered back. "I'm quite tired from the long flight."
He smiled with understanding, then moved to the other side of the screen.
"If the gentlemen have finished their meal, the agency has prepared a film for you to watch. You will be able to meet Elise and the other ladies again tomorrow."
Kelon made a snorting sound. "I don't get to see her? I thought you'd remove the screen after we've eaten."
"No, the screen will stay in place until I am told otherwise by the agency. Please wait here while I escort Elise to her rooms. I will have a bottle of wine sent to your villa."
Kelon protested, but Paul ignored him without seeming impolite. I admired him for that. He must be used to dealing with difficult guests all the time.
I followed Paul out of the room, glancing back at the screen one last time in the hope that one of the guys might give me a glimpse of themselves. But no, they stayed sitting where they were. An enigma. I smiled to myself. I kind of liked the excitement and mystery of it all.
My suite was in a large building just opposite. I had a bedroom with a massive four-poster bed with dainty white curtains, a huge bathroom with a clawfoot bathtub big enough for two people, a bright sitting room with a small kitchenette area - I doubted I'd need that considering how good the food had been - and a veranda with an uninterrupted view of the ocean. A hammock stretched between two palm trees just beyond, inviting me to read and relax.
"It's beautiful," I told Paul. "I still can't quite believe I'm here."
He smiled politely. "We are very lucky to live and work here. Tomorrow, more women will arrive who will also stay in this building. We thought you might enjoy each other's company. There is an indoor pool, a library, a games room and a breakfast lounge. There are no set meal times so just turn up any time you're hungry. We also have room service, there's a button in every room."
"Thanks." I was a little overwhelmed. I'd never stayed in a place like this. The hotels my trainer had booked for competitions and training had always been basic. Swimming was a sport that didn't have the same funding as football or rugby, where the athletes were housed in much more luxurious accommodation. Not that I'd minded. It had given me the opportunity to travel and do what I was best at. Swimming.
As soon as Paul had left, I rummaged through my bags for my swimsuit. The sun hadn't quite set yet and the air was still warm. After sitting for hours on a plane, I needed to stretch my muscles. I grabbed a towel and headed straight for the beach.
7
Fionn
I couldn't stand to be in Kelon's presence for one more click. His behaviour had been despicable. I was glad the female - Elise, such a beautiful, melodic name - hadn't seen him. He'd alternated rude gestures with leering at the screen. I'd always assumed that other unmated males would know how to treat a female, but he had clearly learned nothing from his adoptive mother. He was self-obsessed, arrogant and selfish. My clutch-brothers and I had barely managed to get a word in.
How he'd lied. I'd been prepared to twist the truth a little to hide that we were not of the same species, but Kelon had taken it too far. I'd have to find a way to speak to her privately. Explain that she shouldn't believe anything he told her. Make sure she knew that he was a pompous arse who had never worked a day in his life, who didn't have a high regard for females, and whose wealth was not one earned, but inherited. He'd been the cutest finboy in the hatchery, that was the only reason he'd been adopted by the matriarch. It had nothing to do with his personality or valour. It could have been any of us. But I was sure that no matter how rich we became, my clutch-brothers would never treat a female this way.
He'd barely even asked her a question. It had all been about him. If it had been me in charge, I would have let her talk, encouraged her to share, listened to her beautiful voice that reminded me of the song of the starwhale. I would have made it clear that I was interested in what she had to say. That I wanted to get to know her. But any time I'd talked, Kelon had barged in while shooting me vengeful looks. He had conveniently forgotten that it was us who'd come up with the idea of contacting the dating agency, not him. He wouldn't be here without us.
Maybe I should have reported him back at the Archives and then found my own way to Peritus. But no, it would have been impossible. I didn't have the money, nor the connections. We were reliant on Kelon and I hated it.
"I need to clear my head," I said to my brothers as we walked back to the Tidebound. "I'll see you later."
I didn't wait for their response. I had to be alone. I had to think.
