The tension in the room was palpable.
If I could’ve disappeared somehow, I would’ve.
“I didn’t expect you to bring him here.” Soren’s harsh whisper reached me from a few feet away. Caius had to have heard as well, but he didn’t show any sign of it. He was too busy picking through Soren’s desk like he belonged there.
“Yeah?” I was ticked enough to retort, “Well, I didn’t expect you to just abandon me back there either.”
But I should’ve.
He was fae, after all. He couldn’t be trusted and had proved it yet again.
A twinge of something crossed Soren’s face before he smoothed it out. I wanted to call it guilt, but that was wishful thinking.
“I should be going,” Caius said abruptly from the door. “In all the fun with Brynn, I nearly lost track of time, but I'm expected elsewhere.”
Soren didn’t respond.
Caius was halfway through the door when I realized I should say goodbye. “Oh, thank—”
“Don’t finish that sentence,” Soren interrupted, quietly this time so Caius wouldn’t hear.
The door clicked shut. I turned to face him, crossing my arms. “I...” I trailed off, confused, and finally just said a deeply uncertain, “What?”
“Don’t thank anyone here. The fae treat ‘thanks’ as a debt to be paid.”
When I just blinked at him, his hand twitched like he was trying to keep it still and failing. “Unless you want to owe the prince and have him call in the favor unexpectedly—”
“No,” I interrupted. Swallowing hard, I shook my head. “I don’t want that. Got it. Thank—”
“Break the habit.” Soren cut me off a second time, scooping up the logbook from his desk, where it’d lain open. He put it inside his jacket pocket.
Why had he stopped me that time, when it was in his favor? You’d think a bargainer like him would take every opportunity he could get.
He moved to sit on the couch by the fireplace. A steaming pot of something rested on the coffee table.
“Tea?” he asked abruptly, breaking into my thoughts.
I still stood in the middle of the library. Slowly, I crossed the space and lowered myself to perch on the edge of the couch opposite him. “Um, no, I’m more of a hot chocolate person, thank—that’s okay.” I expected another lecture over my slip, but he just took a sip of his hot drink.
“Nice work,” he said after swallowing the liquid.
My lips parted. “Wait, what—” I didn’t know what to say, which was more my speed and to be expected, but terrible timing. “I thought you were upset?”
“Why would I be upset? Everything went exactly as planned.”
I squinted at him. “You said you didn’t expect me to bring him here. I thought you couldn’t lie?”
“I didn’t. That was entirely true, since I wouldn’t expect you to personally invite anyone into my home. However, I absolutely expectedhimto use the opportunity to bringhimselfhere, under the guise of helping you. He’s been trying to glean information from me for a while now.”
“And you... wanted that?”
He laughed softly. “It was a good opportunity to avert his growing suspicions. Which is also why I asked you to make him believe I was home all day yesterday. He only found information I wanted him to find. Speaking of, I assume you managed to complete your task?”
“Yep, I told him exactly what you asked. He seemed to buy it.” My jaw dropped as his words sank in. “Are you saying youplantedthings for him to find? What things?”
“Brynn, you have a very trustworthy face, but even that isn’t going to make me tell you more.”
I touched my cheeks, feeling them heat, unsure how to take that.
