Page 66 of Kingdom of Betrayal and Unknown

“When are you going to move out of the house and come live with me in the single women housing?” Skylar asks.

“Maybe when the baby is older, or my parents tell me they don’t want me in their house anymore.” I sigh, looking at her. “They are happy to have me around and I get more freedom living with my parents. I don’t have to go work somewhere else. And it’s not like men are lining up to take my hand in marriage. I love my parents, and I love living with them.”

Besides the prince and Kieran. Everyone else just goes about their day like I don’t exist, and I love that. I don’t want to be the center of attention. It would be a nightmare to get anything done in my life.

“Yeah, I know. Your family is perfect, and you all love each other.” Skylar rolls her eyes. “Everyone is like that in Bellhollow except my family. They couldn’t wait until I turned eighteen and could move into the single housing.”

Because she got into so much trouble when she was younger, I don’t remind her, but she gave her parents hell the whole time she lived with them. I don’t blame them for telling her to move out. Most women move out so they find suitors easier and learn to live on their own, but I’m perfectly content with where I am.

Skylar hands me an apple, and I bite into it. If this is what she thought lunch would consist of, she is very much mistaken. An apple is not lunch and will not sustain us until dinner.

“What do you think it was like when the Fae weren’t slaves?” I ask, letting my thoughts turn into words.

Skylar looks at me like I’ve grown two heads. “Why are you asking something like that?”

I shrug. “I’m just curious. We only know what it is like to have them as slaves. I am just wondering what it would have been like for the people who knew them when they weren’t slaves. Or what it was like for the Fae who were alive before and then all of a sudden weren’t free.”

Skylar continues to look at me like I’m crazy.

“There are only stories about it,” I point out. “And you know stories get blown out of proportion over time. It’s been what, over four hundred years since they became slaves. That is a lot of generations to get mixed up. I just think it would be interesting to see what it was like. You know we aren’t allowed to talk to the Fae, so we don’t know their side of the story. I’m just curious, that’s all. I love my life and how it is right now.”

Ever since talking to Kieran for the first time, things haven’t been adding up. I’ve been questioning everything I’ve been taught to believe. I don’t have anyone I can freely talk to.

Skylar hates the Fae and wants nothing to do with them.

“You shouldn’t say those things out loud.” Skylar gives me a funny look. “You know you could get in trouble for it. Keep them to yourself. I would hate for something to happen to you.”

I sigh and nod. “I know. I have only said them to you. I just was wondering if you felt the same way.”

I also asked my sister in front of my mom, and she told me not to ask her again. So I won’t, but she said nothing about asking Skylar.

“But you know what I do want to know about the Fae? Especially the Fae men.” Skylar wiggles her eyebrows at me.

“What?” I ask, looking back at them.

“They are really handsome, and I would love to know if they are good in bed,” Skylar says out of the blue.

I cough, my face reddening. I was not expecting her to say that. I cover my cheeks with my hands, taking a deep breath. The hairs on my arms stick up, giving me the all-too-familiar feeling.

Kieran.

Looking off in the distance, my eyes immediately find his, and he has the biggest smile on his face. Did he hear what Skylar said? I didn’t think he had super hearing, but maybe that is part of his magic as well. He wiggles his eyebrows, making my cheeks blush further. I look away and back at Skylar, dropping my hand.

“You’ve totally thought about it as well.” Skylar gives me a knowing look.

I shake my head.

“Don’t lie. From how red your face is, you totally have thought about it,” Skylar giggles. “Don’t even try to deny it now. I know what you are thinking. You dirty-minded girl.”

We both burst out laughing. I clutch my stomach as I lean back, tears running down my face. I have thought about it briefly. How can I not when Kieran makes me feel a certain way about him? It’s hard not to when there is a pull between us, a connection of sorts. I can’t explain it. All Kieran has said is we are mates, soulmates, and belong together, but I don’t know what that means. There are so many questions swirling around in my mind when it comes to Kieran.

“I did—” I stop speaking as the prince appears in front of us.

I slap Skylar’s arm and bow in my seat. Shit. Where did he come from? I didn’t see any of the guards when I looked off at Kieran. How did I miss him?

“What are you girls talking about?” Prince Archie asks.

I sit straight and force a smile. He can’t know we were talking about Fae and whether they are good in bed.