Page 9 of Fae's Mate
“Sure,” I shrug.
“I only asked, because I spent time in Asia last year. I’m a travel blogger.”
“That sounds fun.”
“It is, I can’t stay in one place too long or I go stir crazy!”
I nod, still staring at the fire.
“I saw you were wearing an apron. Are you some kind of chef?”
“A baker, I own a cake shop on ninth.”
“Oh, the one with the rose gold sign?”
“Yeah,” I turn to her, “How’d you know that?”
“I live just down the block. I was actually heading to your shop to get cake—because I had the munchies—when I got sucked into that portal thingy.”
“So… you were nearby when the portal opened?”
“Yeah… I guess why?”
I don’t answer her, instead I turn to Alana.
“Hey, where were you when you were dragged here?”
“At work,” she answers, raising a brow.
“Where do you work?”
“In a bookstore… why?”
My stomach does a flip. “The bookstore on ninth, next to a cake shop?”
“Yeah…”
I focus on Riley. “Where were you?”
The cogs turn behind his eyes, and realisation crosses his face as he answers. “I was driving home from work… I was driving down ninth… past the bookstore.”
“So, we were all in close proximity when the portal opened?”
“I think so. Charlotte was in my shop, we should ask the others…”
As it turns out, I’m right.
Edith was in the bookstore where Alana works. Mollie was stock taking in the restaurant she owns, on theotherside of the bookstore, and Amber was at home, in her apartment on the other side of the street. Sascha was in the alley between the bookstore and Mollie’s restaurant, tagging the wall, much to Mollie’s horror. When Alex and Yasmin return—and Sascha is summoned, halting her argument with a furious Mollie—we ask them. They were nearby too; Alex was also at home, and lives three storeys above Amber, while Yasmin was in the coffee shop on the side of the street opposite to my shop. The one with the nasty ‘cook from frozen’ cakes.
“Do you think we should tell the High Lord?” Alana asks.
“Why?” I reply.
She shrugs, “I don’t know. I assumed we were from all over, but we were within a block from each other. I guess that might be relevant when they send us back.”
I consider her words for a minute. I had also assumed they plucked us from all over the place, but I suppose one big portal rather than a few small ones makes more sense—as much as fae and portals can make any sense.
“No, I don’t think we should, not until they confirm wearegoing back.”
