Page 64 of The Iron Fae
Lincoln takes another drink and snorts.
“Now watch this.” Kai ushers himself into the middle of the crowd. His hands sweep up and over my shoulders clasping the diamond button before he unhooks my shawl all together. My wings lift up and off my shoulders, pushing the crowd away from me.
I thought this moment would be spectacular. I thought that it would make me relatable. But their oohs and ahs mixed with their prying gazes only makes me feel like a caged animal at the zoo. My embarrassment travels all through my body, even my arms turn red.
“They’re stunning.”
“Wings.”
“Wow,” They say all together.
“Okay, that’s enough of that.” I hear Lincoln’s voice as he cuts through the gathering, taking my covering out of Kai’s hands along the way.Relax.He reminds as he lowers the fur over my wings and buckles it once more.
Kai taps a metal spoon against his glass drawing their attention toward him. As their attention shifts away a small wave of relief passes over me.
"Guests, I'm so glad that you have finally arrived. Please help yourself to some refreshments and we can get to our meeting shortly. Our Mortal Queen will have plenty of time to answer your questions as we make a plan to get her to her crown."
The small crowd of people starts to shift as they move to the counter. The group pushes Lincoln toward me. He stumbles, mumbling under his breath at their apathy to his appearance here. One of the court members bumps against his back, jostling Lincoln so much that his drink sloshes over his bare chest and drips down to his auburn trousers.
I sigh and reach across the counter, which now looks an awful lot like a small bartop with all this liquor stacked on top of it, and grab a towel. Jase holds his fine suit and steps away from Lincoln. He moves smoothly and stops only when he reaches Kai's side.
"What is your problem?" I run the cloth down Lincoln's chest, letting my fingers skim over every dip in his abs as I drag the rag lower.
With judgmental looks and a few murmurs, the crowd slowly disperses and sets themselves up on a small sitting arrangement of white velvet couches and chairs. The seats are cast with colorful light from the two arching stained glass windows that touch the ceiling. Underfoot the floor is the same slab of glittering marble and the walls are stacked glowing white stone. I'd probably stop to marvel at the beauty of the room and this place if Lincoln's attitude wasn't catching my attention so.
"I'm not sure what you're talking about." He slams the glass on the counter.
"The mockery of their flattery? The eye rolling?"
"You must be seeing things, Briar." His smile is sour.
Don't you dare pretend like you aren't acting like a brat.
A brat? You're calling me... a brat? HA.Lincoln narrows his gaze on me.
Ignoring his scrutiny, I look around for another room to step into. Across the sitting area there's a plain white wooden door. I shift around Lincoln, finding Kai.
"If you'll just excuse us for a minute, we'll be right back." I hold a finger up and point toward the door.
Kai's brows pinch together as he follows my finger. "You're going to…"
"Be right back," I snap, clamping my fingers around Lincoln's thick wrist and dragging him away. He growls, letting his feet snag against the floor with every step.
I give the crowd, anyone who's watching me, a sweet smile and a slight bow, before I fling open the door shoving Lincoln inside the dark room, closing us in together. My back hits a shelf and I step forward only to bump directly into Lincoln.
My hands fumble against the wall next to us, feeling for any sort of switch for a light that I do not find.
"I can't find the damn light switch."
"Do you need light to tell me why you've closed me in such a small space." His face grazes against my hair. "All I can smell is you and it's making me drunk faster than the alcohol."
My cheeks burn and I'm thankful he can't see me, at least not well enough to recognize the blush. His hands trace over my hips and settle against the smallest part of my waist. I try to take a step away, or adjust myself so we aren't on top of each other, but I only hit against more wall, more shelving. Items stacked behind me topple loudly as I move.
Damn it. There is no fucking room in here.The walls feel even tighter as my thoughts admit how closed in I feel. Every movement bumps against Lincoln who stands just as hard as any other wall.
Why is he standing so close?
Why don't you take a step back?" I ask.
