Page 14 of Fallen Star

“I believe in her,” I snap. “Just… let me think for a minute.”

“Think away.” He steps back, infuriating me as he does. “But remember—every minute you take is another minute your friend’s life hangs in the balance.”

His words hit me like a punch to the gut.

He’s right. Of course, he’s right.

But it doesn’t make it any easier to accept.

However, I can’t just agree on the spot. Fae are tricky. I have to make sure there are no loopholes in his offer.

I square my shoulders, my mind racing. “I need specifics—every detail,” I tell him. “No vague promises or open-ended terms. I might be new to this realm, but fae deals are like razor blades. I’m not slicing my throat open on a technicality.”

Riven’s smirk returns, infuriatingly smug. “Smart,” he says. “You’re learning.”

“I might be ‘just a bartender,’ but I’ve always been smart,” I snap, although my anger isn’t totally directed at him.

Matt used the fact that I worked at a bar while deciding my college major—if I could even figure out how toaffordcollege—against me. Because of him, I hate when someone assumes that what I do as a job means I’m not smart.

But I’m not talking to Matt right now.

I’m talking to Riven.

And I need to focus.

“First, you said you’d help me heal Zoey to the best of your ability,” I say. “What exactly does that mean? Because I don’t want you bailing halfway through because you think you’ve ‘done enough.’”

“It means I’ll guide you through the entire process,” he says without missing a beat. “I’ll provide the ingredients, explain the steps, and give you all the guidance I can to help you brew the potion correctly.”

“And what if something goes wrong?” I ask. “What if you’re wrong about the ingredients or the process?”

“I don’t make mistakes,” he says coolly. “Any mistakes made will be yours, as a result of not following my directions well enough. Which means that while we work together, you can’t afford to get distracted.”

His eyes linger over every inch of my body, and I can’t help it—I turn the humidity in the air into water and splash him in his beautifully arrogant face.

Sapphire

Riven blinks,water clinging to his lashes as he wipes his face with the back of his hand.

“Really?” he says, his voice laced with dry amusement. “Is that your idea of negotiating?”

“It’s my idea of keeping you focused,” I say, refusing to admit that I lost control from his testing my patience. “And proving a point.”

“Point noted.” He nods approvingly, already dry thanks to using his own water magic.

“Good.” I steady myself, refusing to let him throw me off balance again. “Now, back to the deal. Promise me that Zoey will be safe. That this—” I pause, motioning to her. “Won’t happen to her again.”

His approval vanishes. “I can’t do that,” he says. “This realm is dangerous, and so is the journey we’ll be taking. All I can promise is to do everything in my power to protect her. The rest will depend on her—and on you.”

“Fine.” I bite the inside of my cheek, hating that every moment I spend interrogating him is another moment closer to Zoey’s death. “Any other catches I should know about?”

“Just one.” He steps closer, his gaze locked on mine.

The air between us crackles with tension, and I know I should step back. But I don’t.

“What now?” I ask, my magic buzzing at the tips of my fingers.

He leans in, his eyes glinting with something dark and wicked. “This deal needs to be sealed.”

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