Page 14 of Fae's Mate
“What do you mean you don’t know?” he asks, and there is a tone of irritation in his voice.
“I mean,I don’t know.”
“Seki—”
“Frustrating isn’t it! Not being able to get a straight answer! Now you know how it feels!” I snarl at him.
“Seki, what do you know about fae mates?”
“Nothing.”
Clenching my jaw to stop myself from yelling at him, I keep my gaze on the horizon. The sun has now set, but the sky is still streaked with orange and pink.
With what I can only describe as a growl, I hear him stomp away, slamming the door behind him. Released of the strange tension that envelopes me whenever he is near, I feel an odd chill now that he is gone. I glare at the door none the less.
Infuriating Fae prick.
Why couldn’t he have just answered my questions? I would have gladly answered his, but no, he insisted on his stupid deal, and twisting his answers so that he didn’t actually tell me anything. Still seething, I storm down to the dining hall, but when I enter, my rage disappears like the air released from a popped balloon.
The High Lord isn’t there.
Chapter 10
High Lord
I am a coward. The most cowardly High Lord that ever ruled over Autumn Court… perhaps all the courts in the history of the Fae. Last night I did not eat with humans so that I could avoid Seki. This morning I did the same. Instead, I ate in my chambers, like a fates damnedcoward.
How has this human woman already gotten under my skin? Yesterday was a nightmare; I didn’t mean for things to get so… twisted. I am reluctant to tell her anything through fear of frightening or offending her, but my avoidance only angers her and pushes her away. No matter what I do, it is wrong. Perhaps I should answer her questions more concisely, but I know how dangerous that could be, even if she does not. Yet surely, if Seki is my mate, she is worth the risk.
I huff with frustration, leave my chambers, and head for my study. Maybe I should speak with each of the humans again to try to determine which one is my brother’s mate. I need to know if she feels the bond… if Seki does. My feet, it seems, have other ideas, and before I realise what I have done, I am in the south wing, at the start of the hall where the human’s rooms are.
I guess I’m speaking to Seki first.
Straightening my tunic and smoothing down my hair, I make my way to the end of the corridor. Once outside Seki’s room, I take a deep breath before knocking gently.
“She’s not there,” a hostile voice informs from behind me.
Turning, I find it to be the redhead; Alexis. The tall female leans against the wall, her arms crossed. She has an air to her, like she revels in a fight.
“I wish to know where she is.”
Alexis glares at me, clearly not wishing to answer me.
“Tell me,” I demand, pouring every ounce of authority I can into my voice.
I watch as the red head bristles.
“She went for a walk.”
“There now, that wasn’t so hard.” I snap, before turning and stalking back down the hall.
Now that I have made my mind up to speak to Seki, I can focus on nothing else. As I pace through the palace in search of her, I find three humans, two female and the male, sat in the library. I am about to ask them if they have seen her, when I hear female voices talking further down the hall. I follow the sound, but as I near, I realise neither of the voices belong to my mate. Rounding the corner, I find Willow, the one with the blue hair who jangles when she walks, and the one with tight blonde curls that always seems angry, sat in the drawing room, discussing something—I don’t care what.
When I peer into the room, they stop talking abruptly. I am about to ask if they have seen Seki—etiquette be damned—when a female with shoulder length black hair passes by the window behind them. Ignoring their confusion, I hasten away and head out into the gardens. My boots thump along the paving as I pace along the pathways trying to catch sight of Seki again and I am filled with a strange sort of desperation to find her.
Eventually I see her walk past a maple tree, and I quicken my steps to catch up to her.
“Seki!” I call out when I am close enough.
