Page 6 of Fae Unleashed
Time was running out. We had to gather our forces before they abandoned us completely.
Rhoan stole a glance at me and took my hand in his. “Come on. Let’s get you something to eat.”
He led me down the street, in a familiar direction. We both came to an abrupt halt at the sight of Taliesin’s deli. So much had happened that we’d both forgotten how Beryl had the place gutted. We’d been here when there were tongues of flame pouring out the front window like a roaring mouth from Hell.
How could we have forgotten?
A familiar voice sighed, “There are other places in the city for a good sandwich.”
Rhoan turned to greet Taliesin with a wry grin. “Where else can I have a noble Seelie fae make me lunch? It’s not so much about the sandwich as it is about watching your kind work for me for once.”
I raised a brow. That was a first. I watched a bit of contempt escape Rhoan. He didn’t even bother trying to cover it up. Taliesin seemed unbothered. In fact, it was like a ritual the two had. This kind of jab was how the two greeted one another.
It reminded me that there was a lot that I’d missed out on by being a changeling with no memories of my life before my biological parents gave me to a shifter couple. My fae parents had anticipated Beryl’s attack and sought to protect me by hiding me in the arms of another family. That meant I knew nothing about my fae heritage, though.
I didn’t know what made Rhoan snap at Tal. I’d had no idea that Rhoan held any sort of grudge against the noble fae. Was it deserved? I didn’t want to assume so, but I also couldn’t imagine Rhoan being cruel for no reason.
My head was spinning. Another sip of the potion-laced drink in my hand helped quiet the tumultuous thoughts, but so many questions still remained unanswered.
Tal, with his head high and a purpose in his step, led us to another restaurant. The small, hole-in-the-wall place offered all sorts of grilled sandwiches. A man with long hair held back by a bandana and ponytail stood behind the counter. He reminded me of a cartoon I’d watched as a kid about teens solving mysteries.
Where was his dog? Where was his mile-high sandwich? Because he seemed about a mile-high, too.
We placed our orders and claimed a table at the back. Tal sat across from us like he was a CEO about to direct a board meeting. That was how I knew he had interesting information to share.
Rhoan
I kepta careful eye trained on Cerri as Tal explained his findings. There were two potential allies in the area. They were both noble fae from the Seelie court. Somehow, they’d escaped Beryl’s attack and managed to set up base nearby.
I assumed Beryl let them live because separated, the Seelie nobles had no power. Their princess, whom they should have been protecting, had been in the hands of a shifter family. Without their figurehead, the Seelie had no means to make a move on the Seelie throne.
Still, I wished they’d done more for Cerri. I already had a bad feeling about working with these nobles, and it wasn’t just because of my distaste for fae nobles. We needed allies, though. It didn’t matter what they’d done in the past. We had to get fae with power on our side, or Beryl would continue to push her limits.
“Who do you propose we work with?” I asked with caution.
Tal tilted his head and gave a hesitant half smile in warning. Once again, I could tell that this would end poorly. Perhaps I’d become a pessimist. There was too much at stake to trust just anyone, though. Cerri had been through enough.
I needed to protect my princess.
Then Tal opened his mouth. “I have been in contact with Lord Foxglove of the Seelie—”
“Your ex-boyfriend?” My jaw damn near hit the table.
Cerri spit out her drink. She blasted the acidic smelling concoction all over the tabletop right as the waiter came to drop off our sandwiches. Her face turned a soft pink, but she didn’t slink down in embarrassment. I assumed she’d used up all the embarrassment she had for the day when she passed out in a puddle of coffee earlier.
“We’re going to ask your ex for help? What is it with you two and your exes?” She asked incredulously as the waiter slid sandwiches between us.
Tal kept his cool composure I, however, stole a questioning glance at my princess. What did she mean by the two of us and our exes? I’d explained my vow of celibacy to her. I wasn’t allowed to take lovers, even if I wanted to.
“Foxglove is a cunning man. While he and I do not have the best of history, he could be an invaluable asset to your court in the future.” Tal pulled his plate close and picked at a piece of arugula sticking out of his sandwich.
I scoffed. “Fox will try to trap us into a deal that benefits him and him alone. He’s a selfish man who no one should trust.”
Cerri opened her mouth, paused, and closed it again. I knew what was on her mind. She’d been about to suggest that we use Fox the same way he might use us. She stopped herself because that was an Unseelie thought, not a Seelie one.
I knew because my beast gave me the same idea.
We had to be better than Beryl and her Unseelie Court, or else there would be no reason to overthrow her.
