In fact, I’d take it past unsettling and go for flat-outcreepy.
His lips were a strange orangey-red, split into an eerie grin that showed off two rows of very pointed teeth. Was he a different kind of fae? None of the Autumn fae I’d met at the Academy so far looked anything like this. His eyes were even a reddish hue, the color of old, driedblood.
I shivered when he leaned forward and traced a long, sharp nail across the surface of the table. “Why would a pretty little thing like you be here with a Summerfae?”
“He’s a half-breed,” I blurted out, though I wasn’t entirely sure that was the truth. It was what Liam had told several fae along the way here, but I was pretty sure it was a tall tale designed to make the Autumn fae accept his presence in theirCourt.
“Even worse,” he sneered. “Surely you would be better off with a pure Autumn fae such asmyself.”
“I ah...” Desperately, I cast my eyes around for any sign of Liam. He was at the bar, lifting two glasses of orangey liquid into his hands. Relief poured through me. As soon as he got back to my side, he could tell this fae to leave mealone.
But when he returned to the table, he did no such thing. Instead, he slammed the drinks down onto the table, and the sound of splintering wood echoed through the bar. The murmured conversations fell into a quiet hush, and every head in the bar turned ourway.
I swallowed hard, nervously twisting my hands in my lap. This wasn’t going well. And I had a feeling it was about to get a lotworse.
“Why are you in my seat?” Liam bellowed, his voice a boom against the wooden walls. “Are you hitting on mymate?”
The Autumn fae folded his long, thin hands into his lap and looked up at Liam with a chilly smile. “Your mate informed me you’re a half-breed. I was merely suggesting that she might be in a better position if she turned her romantic interestselsewhere.”
“So, you were hitting on her.” Liam leaned down and snarled into the fae’s face, his face blotchy with a brilliant red. “You. Were. Hitting. On. My.Mate!”
The Autumn fae didn’t even flinch. He merely tsked and rolled his eyes. “Honestly, the Summer temper tantrums are sotiresome.”
Liam leaned forward, bracing his fists on the table, which shook underneath the force of him. “You think this is a Summer temper tantrum? Trust me, it gets a hell of a lot worse than this. Now, get away from my mate or you’ll see what the true force of my anger cando.”
“Liam,” I said in a harsh whisper, the heat on my cheeks deepening, Though, this time, it wasn’t because his words were making my heart and body do weird things. It was because he was starting to scare me a little, not to mention the Autumn fae who was trying to stake some weird claim onme.
I didn’t know why Liam was reacting like this. I wasn’tactuallyhis mate. And both of us knew I never would be. So, why was he getting so pissed off that another fae was talking to me? Especially since we’d come here to getinformation.
The Autumn fae pushed back his chair and stood, crossing his arms over his golden-cloaked chest. All around us, the entire bar did the same. Dozens of Autumn fae stood from their tables, the room a hush that was louder than the murmur of voices frombefore.
“I think it’s time you leave. Your mate is welcome here, but you are not.” The Autumn fae rested his hand on the ornate, golden hilt of a sword that he’d somehow kept hidden until thismoment.
I swallowed hard, my heartbeat flickering a frantic beat. Eyes wide, I glanced from the Autumn fae to Liam’s fiery eyes. Both men looked on the verge of a violent fight, though they were so different in how they held themselves. Liam was visibly angry, his fists trembling with his passionate emotions, as if he were two seconds away from pummelling the fae with all the strength of his body. The Autumn fae, on the other hand, was still, quiet, calm, like a dangerous predator ready to pounce on itsprey.
“In Otherworld,” Liam began in a low, dangerous voice, “we do not attempt to steal another male’s mate. It’s devious and cruel. But I guess I shouldn’t be so surprised, should I? You’re soulless assassins. Failing ones, at that. When was the last time you managed to get a worthwhilekill?”
My eyes slightly widened at his words, though I kept the rest of my face blank. I understood what he was doing now. Provoking them. Inwardly, I rolled my eyes at myself. I couldn’t believe I’d thought he was actually angry that another fae male was talking to me. Of course he wouldn’t be jealous. What an idiotic thing for me tothink.
He didn’tlikeme. There was no real connection between us. Just meaningless flirty banter that would go away just as soon as he confirmed who his Manhattan matewas.
Come on, Norah. Get agrip.
The stillness of the room deepened, and the Autumn fae’s eyes flickered with a strange, eerie darkness that hadn’t been present before. “Perhaps the reason you believe we’re unsuccessful in our assassinations is because you never hear of them, being a Summer half-breed andall.”
Liam leaned forward just the slightest of breaths and dropped his voice even lower. “Oh, I hear about them alright. And I know what you’ve got planned against the other Courts. But you’ll fail. You lot alwaysdo.”
The Autumn fae let out a low chuckle, a sound that sent a storm of goosebumps over my entire body. “Doubt us, if you like, but you won’t be mocking us when your entire stifling season has been replaced by the cool breezes ofAutumn.”
I jerked back in my seat, shocked by his words. And it had the unfortunate side effect of drawing the fae male’s attention—as well as the rest of the fae in the bar—away from Liam and right atme.
“You look as though you don’t approve,” he sneered, his fangs flashing against the dim overhead lights. After a moment, he waved dismissively. “Your time with this Summer half-breed has made you weak, and I have no time for soft little things.” He shifted his attention back to Liam. “Now, take your mate and get out of here, or we will put our swords to your necks, starting withhers.”
Chapter Fourteen
Outside of the bar,Liam was silent as we bustled our way through the city streets and back toward where we’d dropped of his horse. His shoulders were tight, and the skin underneath his jaw rippled with tension. He didn’t have to say a word for me to understand what he wasfeeling.
On the one hand, we’d gotten the information we’d come to get, but it had turned out to be far worse than Liam must have been expecting. The Autumn Court was planning something, alright, and it sounded as though they wanted to take down the entirety of the SummerCourt.
