It felt like a dare.
When I took the apple from him, it felt like a promise. “Do you want to tell me the story?”
“Not at all.”
I nodded and bit into my apple.
“Doyouwant to tell me how a mortal ended up here?”
“I can’t be the only half-mortal, half-shifter, can I?” I mused in response. “If there’s one thing I learned working in a pub, it’s that people forgive a lot of differences when they’re eager to fuck.”
He choked briefly on his apple.
I raised my brows at him pointedly. “Did I offend your sensibilities?”
“No. Though I wish some drunken revelry was my origin story.”
He clearly didn’t want to tell me anything about his past.
“I wonder why I’m the only one who both looks mortal and has the dragon mark. If there are others.”
“Maybe the other ones withshifting starsdidn’t make it here.” There was no hiding the tang of mockery in his tone.
I frowned at him. “Shifting stars?”
“Rumors are spreading about you. About a shifting star. A fake mark. And my favorite, that you’re Fieran’s enchanted mortal servant. You might be more infamous than me by the end of the week.”
“I’ll probably be dead by the end of the week.”
“That’s the second time you’ve mentioned your stupid plan to die soon. Why?”
“I mostly trained to mop and serve,” I said. “Not so much with the preparing-to-fight-for-Fae-entertainment stuff. I almost got murdered during training the other day. My opponent underestimated just how breakable I am.”
“Maura?”
My brows arched.
“I’m not stupid, though I look it,” he said. “She’s disappeared from Clan Bismyth. And Clan Bismyth’s leader watches you.”
“Like he has an evil plot that involves me?”
“Like he’s obsessed with you.” His gaze flickered ever-so-slightly past me. “Whether or not you are his enchanted mortal servant.”
I turned to follow his gaze.
Fieran was stalking toward us.
“He’s got his reasons. I just need to figure them out.” I twisted in my seat and greeted Fieran with a smile. “Yes?”
Fieran’s gaze was intent on mine as he loomed over the table, and I had the distinct impression he was deliberately ignoring Kiegan. “I’m going to make a bargain tonight if I can. Do you want to come?”
To save my brother?
He was really going to let me come?
What had brought about this change of heart?
“Yes,” I said.
