Page 19 of The Iron Fae
“I hear it’s a custom in the mortal world for men to give their partners flowers. Do you like flowers?” The Fae squats and teases his finger along the flowers.
Or maybe he is.
“I like flowers,” I say cautiously.
“Then I’ll pick some!”
“Well, it’s only customary that I pick some for you too,” I agree.
“It is? I don’t remember hearing about that.”
“Yes. It’s a new trend. You go that way, I’ll go this way and we’ll meet in the middle with our bouquets.”
No we won’t. At least… I won’t.
I look for taller well shaped hedges that I could slip behind. Or maybe I’ll just round the corner and use the servants entrance again. Something tells me Rowan has way more planned than just picking flowers.
Rowan is already stepping over the ledge of green and onto the next path. He’s selective as he looks at the variety of blooms. Thinking much too hard on what I’d like or not like. It makes me almost sad that I’m about to run and hide from him. Maybe I should just tell him I’m not interested. Well, I mean… I pretty well have.
I keep my eyes trained on him, pretending to have interest in picking flowers for him in return, until he’s far enough away that I shoulder myself behind the oval shaped bush that covers my height even in these heels. Along the back side of the castle wall there’s another door that leads out to this small garden. I give the Fae one last look before I dart to it.
“This might be the biggest bouquet you’ve ever received.” Rowan laughs from the distance.
I hold the knob. “It’s not a competition!”
“Actually, that’s exactly what it is.” Rowan says, though I hardly catch the words.
Swiftly, I close the door and start moving down the hall. The child-like fear that arises in any good hide and seek game fills me now. The adrenaline of getting caught in my act of sneaking off. Maybe it’s more comparable to skipping class in high school. I don’t want to be enrolled in the Science of Rowan Ziko. I’m still trying to learn the History of Lincoln Ziko.
Damn, I’m nothing if not devoted.
Maybe that was my problem with Collin. Maybe this space between me and Lincoln is a good thing. This way we can’t rush into anything. Not that he seems all that ready to do that anyway…
Footsteps echo behind me. I can’t turn to see who it is. My fear won’t let me. Instead I do an even more dangerous thing and throw myself into the nearest room and slam the door closed.
Papers shift from under Kai’s boots as he pulls his feet from his desk. His eyes are red and his head snaps up from its reclined position on his chair. Quickly, I recognized the room as his office.
“You look hard at work.” I press my ear to the door.
“Sorry, stressful morning.” He rubs at his eyes.
“I see.” I wait for the sound of thundering boots to follow me in. Steps go by, but they are too gentle to be Rowan.
“Do you, uh, need something?”
“What?” I lift my ear from the door for a moment to allow my brain a second to take in what he’s saying. “No, no I’m fine.”
“Then what are you doing here?”
I blink. Smoothing down the fray of the skirt that’s pushed back behind me in the whirlwind of movement from ushering myself in, I plaster on a soft smile. “Hiding.”
“It’s Rowan, isn’t it?” Kai frowns. His eyes are hardly even open as he watches me.
“He’s persistent.”
“You say that like it’s a good thing.” Kai tilts his chair back again, resting his hands on his chest. It’s a pose that suggests he could lull himself to sleep rather quickly.
“It is a good thing, just not in this particular scenario.”
