Page 27 of Beauty At Stake
“Well, it's a good thing we won't be her judges in this matter. The Fairy High Council will be impartial, I'm sure.”
“Seren, is that truly necessary?”
“Raza, I love you. I love you more than air. I would do anything for you. So, know that it pains me to say this. Go the fuck home before I kick your ass!”
Raza shook his head. “We're doing this here?”
“We can go back into the bedroom if you prefer. This isn't our house, and no one here will care if we bust it up a bit.”
“The bedroom where you kissed me and apologized for not scrying sooner?”
“I'll give you that one because you need to save face. I get it. But you know why I said that. And you also know that I didn't have to scry you. So, what's it gonna be? You wanna stay and keep fighting, wasting my time when I'm chasing a witch-killer? Or are you going to leave with dignity and save this shit for when I come home?”
Raza looked from me to Star. Then he whispered, “I see.”
“What?”
“Don't make me say this in front of strangers.”
“Just fucking say it, Raza.”
“You're scared, mo shíorghrá.”
I went still. “Really? That's all you got? You're gonna call me chicken?”
“Seren.” Raza took my hand and pulled me into an embrace. “I love you. It's going to be all right.”
“Raza, cut it out.” I pushed.
He held firm, folding himself around me. “We will figure it out together.”
Gods, this man knew me so well. Better than I knew myself. All that bluster. All that anger. It was for about me, not him. I was scared, but mostly, it was guilt that had me in its fists. I could have ended Star's pain and eased my husbands' minds. But I had chosen to deceive them instead. You'd think that being a traitor would make me behave nicer to my men. But nope. I was being a bitch. Going off about another traitor. Pointing my finger at her instead of myself. I guess Jung got it right; What you hate most in others is the shadow within yourself.
I sighed and hugged him back. With my face in his chest, I said, “Yeah, all right. But you still gotta go.”
It came out more like, “Yawah mite buuugahh.”
Raza grinned as he leaned back. “What was that?”
“I'm sorry for snapping, but you gotta go home, babe.”
Raza let out a huffing breath. “Seren. I've come a long way. I'm not gonna just turn around and fly home.”
“Um, excuse me, Ambassador,” Team Leader Sullivan said. “I've been trying to wait for an opening, but we can't wait any longer.”
“Of course.” I stepped away from Raza. “What is it?”
“We've tracked the camera feed.”
“Damn it!” I snarled. “You see?!” I pointed at Raza. “Sullivan, interrupt me next time. Personal shit can wait. Do you have a location?”
“Yes, Ambassador.”
“Where? Let me see.”
“Phuket.” He angled his laptop toward me.
“Can you get me a visual?”
