Sera yelped as shivers crept up her spine, blindly whirling in place but she saw no one. Breathing hard, she backed closer to the wall, still looking for the source of the voice in the terrible light—but the room grew brighter.
Sconces rose from embers to flame. Her eyes took a second to adjust, following the imposing height and stature of the figure lighting them until he appeared in front of her with the same fluid speed of an immortal, a vampiric race. But the figure before her was entirely fae.
Kieran North. The head of the Winter Court, the elected Winter Fae Alderman. A very powerful member of a race far superior to her in strength and ability. And he was… fully dressed?
How had he managed to dress in full trousers, boots, waistcoat, shirt,andtailcoat while she stared at her arm like anidiot in the middle of his bedchamber? He’d even tied a cravat at his neck like he planned to address parliament once he finished dealing with her. Not a single thread out of place. Not a crease in his tailored attire. It would have been absurd if it weren’t embarrassing.
“You… you were supposed to be sleeping,” she stuttered, nerves catching on her tongue.
“Was I? I apologize for the inconvenience. Would you like me to lie back down while you continue?” His voice was cold steel.
Her legs quivered and her heart hammered in her ears. She was caught. Trapped.
She could see all of North’s face in this light. The tell-tale indifference, but also that he was confoundedly good-looking. Fine sculpted cheekbones, envious symmetry of his features, and even the sharper lines of his nose and lips accounted for at least part of her frantic pulse. Cool, icy gray eyes regarded her with the same focus one might give an annoying child.
“I admit,” he continued, “I’m not entirely certain as to your intentions. Watching you attempt to read what I can only assume is a map of my home scribbled on your forearm was painful enough. I cannot fathom why you have a map of my bedchamber or why you decided to stand in the middle of it talking to yourself.”
“I…” She took a step back, eyes darting for an exit. The door was still open. She could maybe get into the hall, but could she outrun him long enough? Doubtful. She was a human in fae territory, so far from the Fells where things were familiar and it wasn’t freezing and… even if she escaped the house he was a powerful leader in the fae Court. She wouldn’t make it ten feet.
He sighed. Like finding her was a minor, if irritating, inconvenience. She considered telling him the truth, that she was forced there by Cole and maybe play to the gentleman in him—he did not choose to dress likethatin the middle of thenight and not consider himself a gentleman—but that was still gambling he wouldn’t turn her in, just nicely.
The problem was, North gave her nothing to work with. She couldn’t read him. There was no obvious play here and that made the situation all the more terrifying.
“You’re afraid,” he said.
Her eyes snapped to his face. Beautiful, but exasperatingly blank. Was he trying to gauge her reaction?
She tried to find some hint of intention in his eyes, but could discern nothing. What was he thinking? What angle would work best? Her fingers twitched at her sides, a conduit for her nerves, though she tried to keep still.
“You have nothing to fear from me,” he continued, inspecting his cuffs like they were conversing over tea. “I promise not to harm you, despite having valid enough reason.”
“What?” She scoffed, thrown by such a blatant lie. Not hurt her? Everyone hurt her. “I’m not afraid,” she said, raising her chin. “It’s just… too damn cold in here.”
“You are beratingmefor keeping my own room a suitable temperature?”
Sera needed to get her bearings. She was pure reaction, and she needed a plan…
“What was your aim in breaking into my home? We’ve never met. I don’t own much of value. You passed most of it coming up the stairs. A political opposition?”
“What? No. It’s… nothing political.” Her heart slammed in her chest. She was going to throw up. This was the exact worst-case scenario and he was trying to chat. She wasn’t about to admit that her ‘aim’—who talks like that?—was to steal the whatever-the-fuck-Charm for Cole in return for her freedom. She should never have agreed. Even if it hadn’t been a choice. She should have run, left Unity entirely, except… she couldn’t. Not yet. Not without Seth.
“Personal?”
“No,” she ground between her teeth.
“So, this is pure vandalism, then?”
“Oh my gods, will you shut up!” Sera’s lips snapped shut. She closed her eyes and held up a finger. “I mean. Just… I need a moment. Please.”
“Take all the time you wish,” he offered.
“Thank you.” She took a steadying breath. Then she smoothed out her coat and paused. “Wait, why? Why do you sound so casual like you—fuck. You already called the Watchmen.”
He blinked like this point was self-explanatory. “It was my first course when I awoke to a stranger in my bedchamber.”
She hung her head back, clawing at her face. “What…how? I was here the whole time.”
“You were preoccupied. And I can be very quiet.” His stare was direct, and Sera wasn’t sure if he had just made some sort of double-entendre or if that is just where her mind went. She did not like the way his eyes pierced her to the spot, nor how her heart stuttered before returning to panic. He continued, entirely at ease, “The staff I keep on hand can be reached efficiently and silently if needed.”
