Page 22 of Kingdom of Betrayal and Unknown

I place my hand on my hip, cocking it to the side. “What’s changing?”

“You’ll see in time.” He takes a step forward.

I scoff, turning around and collecting water in the first bucket, completely ignoring him. It’s definitely not wise for me to have my back to a Fae, but I feel at ease around him.

“Did you play with yourself when you got home?” he asks.

My mouth hangs open as I stand fully, looking at him like he’s lost his mind. “What did you just say?”

“I don’t think I stuttered, but I’ll ask you again.” He takes another step forward, and I don’t move. “Did you play with yourself when you got home the other night?”

I open and close my mouth several times, not believing what he’s saying.

“Well?” he asks. “I would like to know if my mate touched herself because she was thinking of me.”

My face reddens. I don’t know whether it’s from embarrassment or being caught red-handed. “That is none of your business!”

I turn around before he can search my expression, filling the rest of the bucket before placing it on the ground. I stare at the second bucket, empty, but I’m going to have to fill it and carry both of them back. No doubt I’m going to have to stop several times to give my hands a break.

“I think it is when you’re my mate,” he whispers in my ear.

I shriek, attempting to pivot but bumping into his chest, throwing me off balance. Strong arms wrap around my waist, pulling me into their embrace.

Warmth.

That is the first thing I notice coming off him. The second is the slight pleasure I get from feeling him, wanting him to run his hands up and down my body. I open my mouth to beg him, but quickly shut it.

“Mate?” I push against his chest, something I don’t want to do.

I want to stay in his arms. What is wrong with me? Where have these thoughts come from? What is happening to me?

“Yes?” he asks, plucking up the other bucket.

“Wait!” I raise my voice. “What are you doing?”

He cocks his head to the side. “Filling up the bucket. You stay there,” he demands.

And that’s exactly what I do. I stay right there, watching him fill my second bucket with water.

“What does mate mean?” I ask.

“You’ll find out soon,” is his only reply.

Frustration builds inside of me, and I growl. It takes everything in me not to stomp my foot.

“Why can’t I know now?” I question him.

“Because by saying you’ll find out later it means you’ll come back and talk to me.” He sends me a smile.

“You don’t think I’ll go back to town and speak to people?”

He places my now-filled bucket next to the other one and steps in front of me, bending down so our faces are less than an inch apart. “No, I don’t. I think you secretly want to come back and be around me. I’m giving you a reason.”

I blink several times. How does he know?

“Pfft, you wish.” I roll my eyes. “I could easily ask someone in town what a mate is.”

I won’t, but he didn’t need to know that. If I started talking about Fae’s, someone would alert the guards, and I would be detained. I may be whipped and questioned as to why I want to know so much.