“Fine.” I hold my hands up in retreat. “But I can’t stay her forever. This place looks like it would barely survive a powerful gust of wind.”
“I know, I know.” She pats the air. “Just let me think.”
“Do you trust Betty?”
“Yes. She hates the covens, so she won’t join them. More likely to tell them to snort coke off a cock.”
“I get that with the covens, but they aren’t the only fae in town. You have all the other pockets. You don’t think she’ll align with them?”
“Look. I’m going to be honest. I don’t know. I’d like to think she wouldn’t, but you’re the first true fae we’ve seen in several hundred years. The bounty on your head is high and makes people do baffling shit. I mean, once they get up to a million quid, you shouldn’t trust me.”
“A million? That’s all I’m worth to you? I’d bet you could at least get five,” I tease.
“Three and you have a deal,” she laughs, but only for a second as the gravity of my situation sets in.
“When are you leaving? And I guess you won’t be back?”
“I’ve going to leave in a minute, so I can make the meet point. I want to be there before Tony shows up so he can’t see from which direction I’m coming. And no, I don’t think I’ll be back, at least for your safety.”
“You should always travel with your broom, in cases of emergency.”
“Hilarious.”
“I’m fae-bulous.”
“Idiot.” She laughs.
“Maybe try to plant seeds I’m not a monster, and probably not even a true fae.”
“You know I will. I wouldn’t recommend calling your parents or Beckett. Most likely, they’ll be tracking those calls.”
“Liz.” A knot forms in my throat and prevents any more words from spilling out.
She walks across the room and wraps me in her arms. “Ev. I’m scared.”
Mustering up all the courage I can, I push her away and stare at her. “We’ll get through this. I don’t know how yet, but we will.” She nods a little, eyes still worried. “Tell me… who’s Tony? I’ve never heard of him.”
She rolls her eyes and wipes the tears off her face with the back of her hand. “He’s some high-ranking warlock from the Seelie Court at Helsgard.”
“From Helsgard?”
“He just got into town a few days ago.”
“Why? Why leave the Seelie Court and come here to Elloree Falls?”
She tilts her head to the side.
“What?”
“It will be time for my quickening soon.”
“They brought in a stud to mate with you?”
She pulls her face. “It’s bad, but that makes it sound so much worse. I imagine they want us to get to know one another.” She flops on the couch and puts her head in her hands. “Ev. I don’t want to have sex with him.”
“You love sex. What if he’s hot?”
“I do and apparently, he is. The girls have been talking about him since he arrived, but I’ve kept myself busy.”
