That should ease my mind, but the only thing it does is make my insides wither and die. Addison’s only playing a role, as am I. Right?
She glances over her shoulder and shoots me a shy smile.
Don’t lose yourself, Feylin,I remind myself.You know what happened last time.
I push back my shoulders and steel my heart. I would never forget Tess. Not for a thousand years.
But as much as I want to keep my distance from Addison, just looking at her sends a thrill racing through my body. A minute alone with her and I won’t be able to control myself.
And most surprisingly, I don’t want to.
17
It’s easier to pretend to love Feylin than I ever imagined.
Which is annoying, I might add.
Mostly I smile and nod, telling everyone who asks, how we met, how we literally ran into each other, how it was love at first sight, and that everything happened so fast—that’swhy our relationship remained a secret.
My parents sit at our table for dinner, along with Zandra and Trawick. The fact that Feylin has any friends at all is a surprise, but Trawick’s nice, kind even, as he explains the details of fae food, how it’s light and vegetable-based with lean protein.
While we eat, Blair keeps shooting me worried looks, but I find it easy enough to avoid glancing in her direction and keep my attention on Feylin.
I touch his arm when he says something charming. I beam up at him when his gaze lands on me. There’s this one loose curl that spirals down the center of his forehead, and at one point I brush it away. Both of us shudder when the jolt of electricity passes between us.
When my plate arrives and it’s chicken loaded with what looks like feta cheese, olives and tomatoes, I feel Feylin’s gaze as I push all the extra stuff off the breast and cut it into small bites.
My eyes flick to him and he quickly looks away, straightening as he cuts his own chicken (he doesn’t bother to push off the weird stuff on top, I notice).
He keeps my father entertained with stories about the inside decor of the castle—it came from the old one in their previous Royal Court, he explains.
My mother and father both listen attentively, but every once in a while my mother slips me a questioning glance. I only smile and admire how Feylin plays the perfect host, how everyone who talks to him seems enchanted.
Truly, it’s easy to play this part.
Too easy.
And when dinner’s over, he rises. The fae rise as well. All of them.
Because Feylin is their king.
Whereas I’m a nobody.
The kingextends his hand, and I feel every eye land on me. “You’ll have to excuse Addison and me. The ceremony’s about to begin.”
Everyone at the table murmurs their approval, but I freeze. My stomach ties into a thousand knots at the thought of the magic, or lack of, that I’m about to conjure. The worry must show on my face because he nods to his outstretched hand, silently willing me to take it.
Well, there’s no time like the present.
I slip my palm over his, biting down against the fissure of heat that sparks when we touch, as well as the desire to suck on his ridiculously muscular neck.
Fae bow deeply when we pass them. Feylin, for the most part, ignores them as he guides us toward the ceremonial tree.
When we’re out of earshot, I slip my hand from his and he turns to me. “It appears that our fake relationship’s a success.”
My stomach’s coiled too tightly for me to answer.
“You’ve done a great job pretending,” he adds. Why’s he talking to me? No one’s around. We don’t have to perform anymore. He smirks and a dimple peeks out from his right cheek.Has he always had that?“You look lovely, by the way.”
