“Just that you seemed upset,” Uther added. “And then Kairos carried you back.”
“Everybody’s talking about it,” Elwen murmured.
I gripped my cup. The jeering echoed in my head. Kairos had paraded me through the keep before tossing me into my room.
Deranged beast.
Uther tipped sausages onto his plate. “Normally, Iwouldn’t pry. But scandals don’t usually involve so much water.”
I shoved bread into my mouth, chewing hard. “I went for a walk to cool off.”
“In the dark? Alone?” Elwen pressed.
“I like walks.”
Uther grinned. “You ran, didn’t you?”
I sighed. “It doesn’t matter.”
“So he caught you.” Uther chuckled. “And then what? The whole castle saw him carry you back dripping wet.”
I fumed, shaking my head. “He wouldn’t let me down. He’s a barbarian.”
“Strange,” Elwen said, eating a grape. “Earlier in the evening, you two looked…different. We saw you dancing.”
Uther’s eyes twinkled. “Yeah. The tortured warrior and his stolen human, lost in the moment.”
I groaned. “Can we not?”
Elwen held up her hands. “We’re not judging. It was…sweet.”
Uther snorted. “Until it wasn’t, apparently.”
I stabbed at cheese with my knife. “He was being insufferable, so I left, and he chased me.”
Uther leaned forward. “And?”
“And we fought some more. Then I bit him.”
Elwen coughed on her tea. Uther let out a wheezing laugh.
“What?” I demanded.
“Aelie…in fae culture, biting is very suggestive.” Uther’s grin widened. “It’s part of foreplay. Claiming. It’s not something we do unless we really like the person.”
Elwen nodded. “True.”
“Great,” I muttered, heat climbing my neck.
“We’re not lecturing you,” Elwen whispered. “But weshould talk about why running is a bad idea. You can’t just walk out of the keep and expect to survive. Wandering into the wilds will get you killed or captured. You need a plan.”
“Kairos won’t let me leave.”
“He might,” Uther said. “If you can prove you’re not going to die when you’re out of his sight.”
“And how do I do that?”
Elwen popped another grape in her mouth. “Show him you understand the danger you’re in. Work with us instead of against us. Learn to control your ability.”
