Page 19 of Shifting Winds
“Charmed,” I said.
“Same,” Conor said. “You look a little bewildered. Is this your first foray into our society?”
The look he gave my father held a slight edge of disapproval. Cernunnos noticed.
“I had my reasons,” he said before I could respond. Interesting, my father actually answered this man.
My mother never spoke of anyone named Conor, nor had anyone else I knew.
A sharp smile edged Conor’s mouth. “Trust no one. Not even me.”
Cernunnos sighed. “Good advice, but is it necessary?”
“You know our kind, Cer. I’m surprised you haven’t already given her the same advice.”
“Cer?”
My father rolled his eyes. “A childhood nickname. Right, Con?”
Conor laughed and slapped my father on the back. “May I take your daughter around and introduce her to a few of our kinder, gentler people while you charm your hangers on?”
A few dozen people had gathered around us, their eyes darting to us every few seconds, waiting for a lull in the conversation so they could jump in and gain Cernunnos’s attention.
“You’ve been gone for weeks now, and they need the attention of their king.” Another note of disapproval.
My father’s jaw tightened. “Do not let her out of sight.”
Conor gave a delicate snort. “In this hyena den?” he murmured. “Never.”
He held his arm out and led me away. Conor smelled of wood smoke and the outdoors. Another nature god? Asking was a faux pas, so I stifled my curiosity and let him lead me across the room.
The back of my neck prickled. “Everyone is staring at me,” I whispered.
“Yes,” Conor agreed. “You are a new and shiny thing, and we both know how much the fae love new toys.”
I stiffened. “Is that how they see me?”
Conor glanced down at me, a slight frown marring his perfect complexion. “You truly do not know anything about us,” he murmured. “How fascinating.” He paused for a moment. “Who was your mother?”
“No idea,” I said, a smidge too quickly.
“A secret,” Conor mused. “I so adore secrets.”
A curious fae. Just what I needed. Conor patted me on the hand and smiled.
“No need to be frightened, dear. I have no intention of dragging your secrets from you.”
I peered up at him. “Yet?”
He laughed out loud. “My hope is one day you will trust me enough to tell me.”
My eyes narrowed. “Even though you just told me not to trust you?”
Conor’s teeth flashed in a smile. “Beautiful and a good listener, too. Perhaps you will survive in this place after all.”
“I don’t plan to survive here at all,” I muttered.
His brows flicked up. “Oh? You aren’t here in the capacity of an heir?”
