Page 29 of Faerie Trials

“The quick switch. I didn’t realize you were such a talented actor.”

He shrugged. “Just giving Lane what he expects.”

Mike didn’t seem to see anything weird abut his haughty behavior, or the way he so easily affected it like putting a coat on and taking it off. But it really freaked me out.

I finished the rest of my ambrosia and he moved to refill for me.

“Now, where were we? Ah, the date discussion,” he said when he turned around, his free hand moving to my side and squeezing lightly. “I want to know how you feel about an actual, for-real date. I’m talking we pull out all the stops and we call it what it is.”

I accepted the refill with thanks. “Depends on the date, I guess,” I replied.

My blood was already singing from the first drink and I knew a second without food in my stomach might not be a good idea. With Mike standing so close to me, what was a little extra fire in comparison? My skin was practically glowing.

“Wherever you want to go, name a place. We’ll take off and see what kind of trouble we can get into.”

I laughed. “Knowing us, it would be terrible trouble. Except I wasn’t talking about a place. I was talking about aperson. I guess I should say it depends on my date’s identity.”

The ambrosia definitely helped the final walls come down and unleashed my flirtatious side. I reached out and lightly trailed a finger down his arm. Loving the way a tic developed beneath his left eye. I watched his tongue dart out to wet his lips.

“You are being very mean to me, Tavi. Very mean indeed. Teasing me.”

“What will you do about it?” I wanted to know, trailing my finger back up his arm.

And so the flirting began in earnest. Still harmless, though, since we were in a public place with a lot of laughing and drinking and talking going on around us. Nevertheless, with the help of ambrosia—because while they might frown mightily on imbibing hard liquor, apparently Fae elders didn’t see the harm in their children drinking copious amounts of ambrosia—Mike and I had a moment.

And then Coral showed up.

Coral didn’t need to ask people to move aside. They did it naturally, twisting their bodies out of her way until she stepped forward like she had a spotlight all her own. Her elegant gown dazzled the eye and drew everyone’s attention to her. So chic, so sophisticated.

And of course there I was lookingcomfortable.

“Prince Michael,” she cooed. Elegantly, of course. She did everything elegantly, even inserting herself elegantly into a private conversation. “It’s so wonderful of you to join us. I hadn’t realized you’d arrived.”

She, like Arlyss, did not acknowledge me. I still didn’t care. What bothered me more? The way her gaze fell proprietarily on Mike.

“Coral, thank you for the invitation,” Mike said. He reached out for her hand and brought it to his lips very gallantly. Hopefully it was just the custom and nothing more. “It’s a lovely party but a little crowded.”

“Say the word and I can have everyone go home. Everyone except you, of course. You’re welcome to stay as long as you like. I was hoping you’d stop by.”

I could have stayed too and fought her for a place at his side. My wolf wanted to. She lurked just beneath the surface of my skin with her teeth bared, prepared to attack, to defend her mate and her territory.

Nope, terrible idea. I needed to get myself out of this situation fast.

I noticed Lane chatting with another boy at the end of the buffet line and decided it would be better to take myself out of the equation before I did something stupid. It wasn’t like I needed provocation.

The ambrosia quickly worked on my system, making my head light and the sweater itchy. I found Lane more than willing to chat. From that vantage point I could keep a close eye on Mike and make sure Coral didn’t try to make a move on him.

I knew she’d try at some point. I wanted to be there to intercept it when she did.

Lane was in the middle of a story about last year’s Summer Games. I struggled to keep up and laugh when appropriate, express concern when appropriate. Offer up the odd comment here and there, such as wondering why the people here wanted to torture their children.

But the more I drank, and the more I watched Mike with Coral, the angrier I felt. He hadn’t looked at me once. He didn’t seem to care where I was or what I was doing. She had his complete attention.

I’d nearly had enough when I overhead the juiciest bit of their conversation.

“These are your people, Michael. You should be out there enjoying yourself,” Coral was saying. “Instead of turning your focus to less savory outlets.”

Me. She meant me.

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