I opened my mouth to deny it, but something made me stop. Maybe because it felt dangerous to lie to this fae’s face. Or maybe a part of me wanted to see how he would react if I told the truth.
“I don’t even understand why I’m here,” I said hoarsely. “Why I can’t leave. I’m not fae.”
Lonan leaned back in his chair, the wood creaking softly under his weight. “You are half fae.”
“Bullshit.” The word burst out of me before I could stop it, and I pressed my lips together tight immediately after.
He was frozen, staring at me with hard eyes. His long fingers twitched where they rested on the table beside his untouched mug.
“I cannot lie, mortal,” he said softly. “Unlike you.”
“If I’m half fae, why do you all call me mortal?” I blurted without thinking. “How am I supposed to know what to think?”
“You are still half mortal.” The words were filled with disdain as he rose from his seat and stared at me coldly. “And my mother told you why you are here. To shed your mortal trappings. Have you even begun trying?”
My face flared with heat as I stared up at him, but anger sparked in the pit of my belly. I wasn’t going to let this haughty fae come into the one place where I felt at least somewhat comfortable and try to shame me.
I stood up abruptly, my chair scraping over the stone floor.
“I’ve been here less than a week. And how the fuck am I meant toshed my mortal trappings? What does that even mean?”
He huffed a disgusted sound, but his black eyes stayed locked on my face. When they dropped to my mouth, I froze, my breath catching. Heady anticipation curled through my belly, shocking me.
Lonan’s eyes slid back up to mine as if that loaded look hadn’t even happened.
“I will repeat your words exactly to my mother when she asks,” he told me in a flat voice. “But if she questions whether you ate, or drank, or danced, I won’t be able to lie.”
I stared at him, confused, because it sounded like he was… almost warning me. Giving me a heads-up, despite the way his words could be construed as a threat.
“You can tell her that I said the food was lovely. And the wine was delicious,” I said carefully, watching him closely.
His full lips pursed briefly, before he gave me a single nod and headed towards the door. I eyed the twin blades on his back as I followed him. The shift of his long hair as he walked. The top third was tied back from his face in a long braid down the back of his head. I wondered if he’d done it himself, or if he had servants who made sure he looked beautiful and polished every morning. I highly doubted he’d tell me if I asked.
“Well, this has been a lovely visit,” I couldn’t help but say snarkily as he opened the front door to leave. “Come back anytime.”
He looked back at me over his shoulder, black eyes narrowing. Then he was gone, closing the door quietly behind him.
I exhaled hard and resisted the urge to run to the bedroom window so I could watch him leave. That would have been beyond weird. I wandered back into the kitchen instead, staring at the two untouched mugs of tea on the table.
My gut tightened as I remembered that heavy, tense moment when his black gaze had locked on my mouth. I let out a hard breath and took a jarring step closer to the table. What waswrongwith me? Everyone had told me to stay away from him. To not draw his attention—any of the Carlin’s sons, but especially him. So why the hell had I just gotten lippy with him? Practically tried to goad him.
I’d told him to come back anytime. My voice had been dripping with sarcasm, but still. I was both terrified and breathless from the exhilarating rush of nerves that swooped at the thought of him taking me up on the offer.