Page 115 of Wrath of the Fae

‘I said do it again.’

‘You’re going to make this extremely difficult for us. Aren’t you?’

‘Baby… you have no idea.’

‘If you keep calling me baby, you can make things as difficult as you like,’ he says before slamming his lips on mine for one final kiss.

His footsteps end when the door shuts.

I stare at the door, knotting my fingers in unease.

‘They’re always summoned,’ El offers. ‘It would be stranger if they weren’t. They’ll be back soon. I imagine the King has instructions for them. Another village to hit or something.’

That does little to ease my mind.

El starts searching the room, picking up empty bottles or dirty cutlery.

‘I don’t think a spoon will be much use against the soldiers,’ I retort as she shoves one into her pocket.

‘You never know,’ she replies, kicking aside some dirty clothes. ‘Better to have a spoon and not need it than need one and be without.’

We find a fork and a couple of bottles before stashing them beneath our cloaks.

‘Where is Rhea?’ she asks. ‘Is she okay?’

‘Yes. She’s with Lucca.’

She steps closer, rubbing the back of her neck where her Mate Markings lie amongst countless other markings she has.

‘H-how is Lucca?’

‘Alive,’ I reply, facing her. ‘As weird as ever and a little unpredictable being a rejected male.’

She winces at my harsh words and lowers her hand from her markings.

‘He misses you,’ I add, seeing her misery.

‘Does he hate me?’

‘I don’t think he could ever hate you, El. He was angry. Like me. I think the whole thing fucked him up, and I know a little more about the whole rejected Mate danger everyone told me about. Some of his choices have been… unusual.’

Drugging and kidnapping me, for starters.

‘What has he done?’

‘Nothing. Don’t worry about it.’

‘But he’s okay? Happy?’

‘We’ll stick with he’s okay. Tessa too.’

‘Tessa? She’s alive?’

‘She’s alive,’ I confirm. ‘You thought otherwise?’

‘We were told Ezra killed her before he was sent to the Thirteenth Kingdom as its new warden.’

I roll my eyes.

---