A weighted silence made my nerves sing.
Leaning forward on his knees, Soren looked like he was trying to find the words. “It made him suspicious... He wanted to know why these humans were so important to me.”
Oh no.
“What’d you say?”
“That it was none of his business, obviously.” Soren smirked as he sat back. “Though I kept it civil. And then I asked him if I could offer a better trade.”
When he didn’t explain, I wondered what he meant by that. But more importantly—
“What did he say?”
“Unfortunately, it had the opposite results of what I intended. It made him think your family has some unknown value to me, and now he is refusing to let them go at all.”
No...
“Aren’t you important here?” I demanded. “Don’t you have any sway?”
“I’ll be honest, Brynn,” Soren said in an unusually vulnerable moment. “In the Hollow Court, I am no one.”
“But I thought you were the master of the south entrance, with a fancy title and everything?”
“Do you think my post at the south entrance has any real meaning when every single fae in the court can and likely does have their own entrance point?” He snorted derisively. “They gave me this supposedly crucial role to mock and belittle me. Anyone can dig their way out, Brynn, at any time. My role is meaningless, and yet they insist that I be present to account for visitors and report weekly to the court. If anything, it’s their way of humiliating me and imprisoning me in my own home.”
I hadn’t thought of it that way.
I flung the covers off. “Is my glamour still there? Can you freshen it up for me? I’ll go see the prince myself.”
Soren didn’t react right away.
I scooted forward on the bed impatiently.
He raised a hand, and his knuckles brushed my cheek, but he didn’t have his usual focus or close his eyes, acting almost lost in thought as he lightly traced my jaw.
I shivered.
When he pulled back, I grabbed his hand. “No, do the whole thing. I need to get his attention. My face is too plain.” Everyone said so back home, and I’d accepted it, which was how I knew that Soren’s glamour was the only reason Caius had even looked twice at me before.
“The glamour has barely faded since last night,” Soren said, glancing at my hand on his. “It doesn’t need any refreshment.” Fine lines appeared between Soren’s brows as he stared at me.
I let go, blushing. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I never changed your face, Brynn.” His eyes tracked my hand as I returned it to my lap. “You’re far from plain.”
“Oh.” That did weird things to my heart. I ignored it, lowering my gaze and climbing out of bed. I turned to make the bed as an excuse not to look at him. “Can you give me directions to court? Or... wherever Caius will be?”
When he didn’t answer right away, I finally looked up.
He’d stood as well, posture tense. “I’ll take you,” he said stiffly, turning to the ladder.
“If you come with me, he’s just going to say no again,” I protested, even though everything in me wanted to agree.
“I’ll guide you to court and then leave you in peace,” he promised, and when I opened my mouth to argue, he added, “I have business there.”
Okay, then. I guess that works in my favor.I’d say thank you, except I didn’t want to owe him, and honestly, I already felt like I did.
We traveled silently down to the main level of his burrow, where we found the others passed out on the couches. I swallowed the lump in my throat. Had they given the remaining humans their beds?
