“Stressful morning?” an all too familiar deep voice asks.
I don’t bother to straighten or open my eyes. Honestly, when it comes to him, I’m better off without my sense of sight. “What are you doing in my room, Finn?”
“I was simply waiting for you, Princess.”
Now I do open my eyes so I can narrow them at him. He’s standing at the window, hands tucked into his pockets as he stares out at the view. My gaze sweeps across his broad shoulders of its own volition. He’s removed his cloak and tied back his dark curls in the time since our meeting, as if readying himself to work—or fight. “How did you get here before me?”
“I believe you call it magic?”
My eyes widen, too shocked to be annoyed by his sarcasm. “You can travel—like a goblin?”
He grunts and turns to me. “Goblins would be offended to hear you suggest anything of the sort. I can move from one part of a room to another or from one floor to the next. However, if you’d like me to magically whisk you away from here and take you to Unseelie palace so you can visit your beloved, I’m afraid I can’t help you.”
I set my jaw, determined not to take the bait. “Why did you leave the palace? Why give it to him?”
He strolls toward me, and the room suddenly feels far too small for the two of us. Dreams aside, the last time Finn and I were alone together, I was holding the knife I used to kill Mordeus and trying to convince myself to use it on Finn. I couldn’t. Part of me knew, even then, that he was no villain.
“The palace belongs to no one but the land, and sleeping there doesn’t make one significant. No more than sleeping in a witch’s cellar makes one insignificant.” He shrugs, those eyes scanning every inch of me. “As you already know.”
A protective instinct surges in my chest. “Sebastian’s not . . . insignificant, ” I spit.
Finn’s eyes widen in mock innocence. “I didn’t say he was.”
Growling, I stomp to my armoire. I wanted to have a few moments of peace to digest everything.
Not only do I need to think about what I learned during the meeting, I need to consider what I want to do about what I felt from Sebastian when I lowered my shields, but I guess that’s not happening.
I pull out a cloak. I’ll need it if I end up lingering at the settlement until after sunset, and I might as well get on my way. “How long until you leave?” I ask, slamming the armoire closed a little harder than necessary.
When I spin around, Finn’s blocking my path to the door. He cocks his head to the side. “Already dreading my departure?”
“Not in the slightest.” But as soon as the words leave my lips, I recognize them for the lie they are. Gods, I hate how conflicted I am when it comes to Finn. I miss our friendship, that feeling of belonging I had when I trained with his misfit faerie crew, but it wasn’t real. The only reason he befriended me to begin with—the only reason any of them gave a shit about me—was because of that damn crown, and I’m too proud to let my anger go so easily.
But now that he’s so close, I’m reminded of the way my power purrs in his presence. My power and . . . other things.
Maybe this physical attraction was never real. Maybe the way Oberon’s power responds in the presence of Unseelie royalty messes with my head, makes me think there’s attraction— chemistry— when what I’m really feeling is a great magic I’m still not able to control.
“I should’ve known Misha would take advantage of the opportunity to scoop you up.” He smiles, and for once it’s not the cynical twist of his lips I know so well. “He always was one of the smarter ones.”
“I had nowhere else to go,” I say, folding my arms. “It’s not like I rushed headlong into some sort of alliance. I’ve already made that mistake once.”
“Is that what I am to you?” he asks, stepping close. “A mistake?”
He’s so tall and broad, and when he’s this close and looking down on me with soft eyes, I feel . . .
safe.
None of this is real. They need Oberon’s power. Nothing’s changed.
“Excuse me,” I say, sidestepping even though there’s not enough room between him and the bed for me to move around him. “I’m running late.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“What?” I shake my head. “No. I go to the settlement every day. I can manage on my own.”
Finn arches a brow. “I don’t doubt that, but I’d planned to visit today anyway and figured we could go together.” He steps to the side, finally allowing me through. “After you, Princess.”