Page 23 of Fae Unleashed
Del tossed her hand in the air. “That’s what I mean. Right there! You just called heryourprincess. This is already a problem, and you’re not doing anything to stop it.”
The statement had me lifting my head. I studied Del curiously. While I knew that this fight against Beryl would get us all killed if we weren’t careful, I didn’t see how Rhoan’s nickname for me made any damn difference in the matter.
But I didn’t have time to ask. Del waved goodbye, spun on her heel, and vanished from sight before we could say anything more. Clearly, she was done trying to stop us.
What was that all about?
10
CERRI
Iput my hands on my hips and faced Rhoan. I needed answers. There was too much going on all around us. If we weren’t on the same page, then the confusion would create gaps that we would eventually trip in.
Gesturing in the direction Del had gone, I asked, “What was that all about?”
Rhoan shook his head and reached for me. I stepped away from him. His expression immediately turned pained. His hand fell back down by his side while he scowled at the floor for a long moment.
“It’s been a damn long day,” I said. “I didn’t back Faust into a corner just to have you go quiet on me now.”
The corner of Rhoan’s lips curved upwards. A look of pride and astonishment filled his gaze when he lifted it. “You backedFaustinto a corner?”
Despite my frustration, I smiled. I lifted my chin. “Yes. I did. He was trying to use intimidation tactics like I wouldn’t know what he was doing. I grew up with Alvin Combs as my Pack Alpha. I saw right through him.”
Rhoan sucked his teeth and smiled. “Damn, woman. Maybe this Unseelie curse is doing you some good. Seelie don’t normally have a backbone like that.”
“Rhoan!”
He laughed.
We’d gotten off course, though. I needed to know why Faust wanted him and why Del kept trying to tear us apart. If he didn’t want me, I would understand. Rhoan and I clearly had chemistry. We could have something if he would just trust me.
“Faust. I need to know why he’s trying to get to you through me. Then we’ll talk about Del.”
Rhoan scratched the back of his head. “We don’t have to have two separate conversations.”
I waited, expecting him to explain it in one conversation.
Instead, he assured me that he would take care of it. He took another step back away from me as if standing too close might burn him. The moment I realized he was going to escape, I sent a vine after him.
The vine wasn’t fast enough. Rhoan darted away before I could grab ahold of him. He vanished the same way Del had.
With a howl, I clenched my fists at my sides and stomped.
“Long day?” Vi asked, leaning in the back door.
Addie poked her head under Vi’s upstretched arms. The sight of my friends calmed me.
Vi pushed away from the doorframe and announced that she was getting margaritas. She also told Morgan and Maddox to make themselves useful somewhere else. I wondered how she could get away with talking to Morgan like that, but the man said that she didn’t have to tell him twice.
He took Maddox, who was loudly arguing, and left. Maddox wanted to stay, but this was a girls’ night. We needed each other’s company tonight. At least, I knew that I needed them.
An hour later, we had taken over the living room. The coffee table was covered in snacks, tarot cards, and runes. Addie kept flipping over cards and rune stones like she was looking for a specific answer.
“I still don’t understand what I did to deserve to be treated like this,” I said before shoving a handful of spicy chips into my mouth.
I spared a moment to wonder where Feri had gone. If the little ferret were here, he would have reminded me that my behavior was unladylike. I hoped he was hanging out with Rhoan, wherever the warrior had gone.
“That man is running away from his true feelings,” Addie said without looking up from her cards. “Believe me. I know what that looks like.”
