He stormed toward the door, so fed up with the hatred and assumptions surrounding his kind.
Not that most of them didn’t deserve it.
The older fae had worked damn hard to earn their reputation for being evil. They always used the excuse that Unseelie were inherently dark, but Raidh was living proof that it was just an excuse for them to continue their malicious ways.
“Whoa!” Jaytee grabbed Raidh’s arm and pulled him back, his grip holding a gentle strength.
Raidh tried to push away from his mate’s grasp. “You’ll only grow to resent being mated to me when you have to hide what I am from everyone you know.”
“Calm down, Moonbeam.” Jaytee pulled Raidh into his arms, and he finally crumpled against his mate, feeling helpless. “I told you on the side of the café that it didn’t matter to me what you are. I’ll always have your back. And the only opinions that matter are those of the people who live under this roof.”
Raidh sniffled, trying to hold back tears. “Your twin is twisted if he wants a dark fae to be here.”
Jaytee chuckled. “Then I guess my whole family is twisted.” He wiped away Raidh’s tears with his thumbs. “But what I do care about is why your sister was sent to fetch you.”
“Oh, shoot!” Raidh pulled away from Jaytee’s embrace. “I need to cast a concealment spell to hide my location.” He held up his hands, palms facing out. “It’s not dark magic, I promise.”
If the cat was out of the bag, he might as well be open about everything. There was no point in hiding things if he wanted the Frost men to help him.
But he also needed to warn them about what they were getting into. They’d welcomed him into their home, and he wasn’t repaying their kindness by not telling them a powerful fae might ring their doorbell looking for him.
He mentally snorted. As if Galamir would ever ring a doorbell. His father was all about grand entrances.
“Do you need a bubbling cauldron or some exotic insects or maybe the feet of a chicken?” Jaytee furrowed his brows but otherwise didn’t seem fazed at the idea of casting a spell. “I’m not sure I can locate eye of bat.”
What on earth had his mate been watching or reading? Raidh suppressed a laugh, unable to pass up the chance to have a little fun. “As well as some wolf shifter bones. Do you happen to have any lying around?”
His mate looked at him as if he wasn’t sure if Raidh was joking or not.
Raidh chuckled. “Just kidding! The look on your face was priceless though.”
Jaytee snorted. “I wasn’t worried. I was just going to offer you Damon to use.”
Raidh loved his mate’s sense of humor, though he knew Jaytee wouldn’t actually sacrifice his twin. Maybe. “I just need certain herbs,” he explained, deliberately leaving out the part about needing some of his own blood.
He had a feeling Jaytee wouldn’t be too keen that Raidh had to cut his own arm open.
There was just one drawback with using one’s own blood to cast a spell. It briefly revealed their location to those they were trying to conceal themselves from. That was one heck of a flaw in the spell.
Galamir would know Raidh was casting it. Also, by using his blood, since he was dark fae, Raidh would turn a simple spell into a dark one, but it would also make the spell twice as powerful. Because he had no other choice. He wasn’t going home. The dark fae realm was no longer his home.
“I also need a room,” he said to Jaytee. “Somewhere without any identifying objects that could lead someone here.”
“I know just the place.” Kalen spoke up from behind them. “Tell us what you need, and we’ll make it happen.”
“Why?” Raidh turned to see Damon and Jax joining them as well. “You guys don’t even know me. Why would you help?”
“You’re family now,” Kalen stated firmly. “You promised not to bring my boys any harm, so just tell us what you need, and we’ll make it happen, son.”
Raidh was touched by their immediate support and willingness to help without demanding any answers. It only emphasized how different they were from his own family.
Chapter Four
“That incompetent fool! He knows better than to leave our realm.” Galamir paced, his feet crunching on the gravel pathways of the garden, his sharp nails digging into the palms of his clenched fists. “How dare he bring shame upon our esteemed family name by abandoning his responsibilities!”
“For centuries I have urged you to exclude him from these competitions.” Farawyn’s disdain carried through the lush and vibrant garden from where she lounged regally on the settee. “We might actually have a chance of winning if he weren't involved.”
“I will not tolerate any more embarrassment from him, especially with relatives here for the competition.” The bitterness of anger lingered on Galamir’s tongue.