He thought for a moment, then nodded. “Agreed. But I will do it. I don’t want you putting yourself at risk like that.”
“Worried I’ll get offed before I can defeat the witch?”
His jaw tightened, but all he said was. “Yes.”
“But I can help.”
“You will stay with the guards. I’ll take care of it.” He rose and stalked away.
What the hell?
I blew out a breath. That had gone…
Weirdly.
I’d gotten a lot of information, but we’d gone at each other like badgers. And he didn’t want my help finding whoever threatened us?
I would be good at that. I’d proved in the competition that I could sneak around and get answers. And yet, he didn’t want my help. Was it some kind of misplaced protective instinct?
No. That was crazy.
He disappeared through the door to another car, the flick of his dark cloak the last thing I saw.
5
Sia
* * *
Since Lore wasn’t willing to discuss the threat with me, I talked about it with Meria and Eve. I needed a plan, after all. What I didn’t need was him.
We’d found a spot in the casual dining car and ordered coffee and pastries. It was a gloriously opulent place that looked straight out of the 1920s, with dark wood trim and navy papered walls. The large windows provided a view of magnificent snow-covered mountains as the train rumbled down the tracks. The heavy wooden tables and velvet padded chairs were mostly empty, giving us enough privacy that I could lay out my plan.
When I finished, I looked at them expectantly.
“So let me get this straight,” Meria said. “You want to play train detective and find out which fae court sent your stalker.”
“Then you want to kill them before they kill you,” Eve added.
“Pretty much.” I grimaced at the idea of killing someone. “Though I’d rather just have them thrown in prison.”
“Either way, they’re out of your hair.” Eve nodded. “I like this plan.”
I sipped my coffee and mulled over what was coming next. “Do you guys have any idea which courts might be a threat?”
“The Irish,” Eve said. “Maybe the Mountain Fae, too.”
“How do you know that?” Meria asked.
“Gossip.” She grinned. “I told you earlier that I loved it.”
“Thank God for that,” I said. “When will they get on?”
“At least one of them should get on the train today,” Eve said. “Along with two other courts, which we shouldn’t rule out either. Just because I’ve got my ear pressed to the ground doesn’t mean I’m getting good stuff. It could all be crap.”
“Gotcha.” I nodded. “Suspect everybody.”
“Pretty much.” Eve grinned, then shoved half a pastry into her mouth and chewed.
“You really aren’t what I thought you were,” I said, remembering the staid woman that I’d met at the competitions.
“That was my game face,” she said. “Now that I’m no longer trying to be queen, I don’t have to act like one.”
“Lucky bitch.”
She grinned like the cat who’d stolen the salmon off the counter.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Meria said to me. “I’ve seen how you look at the king. You don’t hate him.”
“I don’t hate how he looks. But the rest of him…” Actually, I didn’t think I hated that either. But it was easier to pretend I did.
The door at the end of the car opened, and the king stepped inside. He’s taken off his cloak, and the dark clothing that he wore underneath made him look like an assassin.
Dain entered behind him.
Both men scanned the room, their gazes stopping as soon as they landed on me. I drew in a low breath. It felt like sitting beneath the heat of the sun.
They took the table closest to the door, both looking away from me.
Somehow, I still felt the force of their attention. Awareness sizzled through me, impossible to ignore.
“Now that’s interesting,” Eve whispered, her voice so low I could barely hear her.
“What?”
She scoffed but lowered her voice so they couldn’t hear. “Don’t play dumb. They’re both into you.”
“No, I mean—no, of course not.”
Meria and Eve exchanged looks.
“Fine.” I raised my hands in front of my chest in defeat. “Maybe you’re right. A little bit. But Dain is just a friend, and you know how the king is. Won’t touch anybody.”