“I mean... really,” he pushed. “Are you sure your father was human?”
I let me body relax; I could lie my way through this. If I was able to do it with everyone else, Tavlor should be no different.
“Look, that was what I was told but...” I shrugged. I hoped he understood I was trying to tell him that anything was possible.
He stared at me, his gaze intense. “You’re lying.” He said it so simply, like it was a fact. Like he knew it so I shouldn’t even bother trying to argue with him.
I smiled at him. “Do the Fae have some sort of hidden lie detector?” I teased.
He leaned forward, lowering his eyebrows and glaring at me. I clenched my teeth together. My heartbeat quickened. I sucked in a breath, preparing myself.
For what? I wasn’t sure.
I swallowed hard as fear crept through my veins. There was dark, powerful magic swirling in his eyes, and it was so much of a turn on.
I looked away. What was wrong with me? I shouldn’t want this darkness; I should be running from it. It made no sense.
Like mother, like daughter.
Looks like falling for the bad boy was genetic.
I almost reached up to clutch my locket, but I stopped myself.
“I may need to report this to the Council, Ava,” he said, looking away from me.
My body tensed. “No!” What did he mean? “Report what? That I’m more powerful than you realised? That’s not a crime... I mean... I’m competitive, that’s all it is. I just... wanted to win.”
I rushed through my words, stumbling over them in the same the way I’d stumbled over my heels yesterday.
He slunk even closer. I hated how badly I wanted him. “Ava, if you’re what I think you are, then you could be a danger to our realm. I can’t let you just walk around...”
His tone was firm, it was obvious he wasn’t going to argue otherwise. But his eyes... They were regretful, as though he didn’t want this to be true. He didn’t want it to be this way.
I staggered back, putting up my hands in a universal language that said ‘stop.’
“What are you going on about?” I said, my tone defensive. “I am not a danger to anyone!”
There was a heartbeat of silence, and then Tavlor said, “Prove it.”
“Gah!” I threw up my hands again. “I don’t know anything about this world! How do you suggest I do that? How
can I prove anything to you when I didn’t even know I was a threat to begin with?”
“Easily. Tell me who your parents were.”
“My mother was a witch. A powerful one. She was born in this realm fifty years ago, but left before I was born, and hasn’t lived here for over twenty years.” All the words came out in a rush, as I found myself desperate to prove to him that I wasn’t lying. That I wasn’t dangerous, because I wasn’t being entirely honest, either. However, I couldn’t give myself away. It wasn’t just about me. I had to worry about my sisters as well.
“And your father?” he pushed.
I opened my mouth to tell him the lie I’d made up, but one look from Tavlor and I couldn’t do it.
It wasn’t just that I sucked at lying, but I didn’t want to.
And yet, I couldn’t risk my sisters.
I was caught.
“I can’t... I’m sorry.” I looked away. I wished he could see the struggle on my face, how difficult it was to deny him his request.