Page 103 of Crown of the Fae King

He scowled, let go of my hand, and tapped his chin for a second. “I wonder if I might have a kilt in my closet.”

“Well. Let me tell you. A certain Welsh/Irish professor in a kilt is awholedifferent story.”

We saw a sign for Jubilee Bridge and decided to go watch the rowing teams practice, but two cars pulled up along the curb about fifty feet away. Persi sat it the driver’s seat of the first one, Brian in the second. She rolled down her window as a sign it was time for Cinderella to leave the ball.

Griffon and I turned toward the street and cut across the grass. I could feel my friends swarming behind us. At the curb, he bent to wave at Persi.

Persi grinned and waved her fingers. “Would you like a ride? I’m hell at staying on the right side of the road, but if you’re feeling lucky…”

Griffon shook his head. “I like my life—today at least.” He winked at me. “But I’ll keep you in mind for gloomy days.” He took my face in his hands and kissed me briefly, then chuckled. “Thus far, no one has choked to death. Wouldn’t want to push our luck.”

“Goodbye,” I said, and finally let go of him.

He shook his head. “Talk to you soon.”

No one spoke until we were away from the college and on our circuitous route home, through the countryside. Persi had been kicked to the backseat with Flann and Kitch so Wickham could drive. I rode shotgun but kept as much space between us as possible. I was grateful for the chance to see Griffon again, but I wanted to start my moody campaign right away so I could talk Wickham into allowing a phone call later.

Kitch broke the silence. “So? Did you get what you wanted?”

“No,” I said, at the same time Wickham said, “Yes.” He glanced sideways once, then again. “Yes, we did.”

I stuck my chin in the air. “You found out one way or another, that he is or is not Fae?”

“I did.”

41

Test Results

The world around me began to spin. Fuzzy blackness edged into my vision.

“Deep breath, lass.”

Air. Yes. A good idea. A couple of deep breaths chased the shadows away. I gripped the dashboard before I asked the question. “So? What did you see? Did he sprout wings while my eyes were shut?” I wasn’t going to say the word kissing.

“As good as.”

A physical pain in my heart made me gasp. “He’s not,” I whispered, and shook my head. It felt right to keep shaking it.

“Aye, lass. He is. Saw his eyes flicker when ye ran into his arms. Passion can make any man lose control, and he did. Ever so briefly. But more importantly, he didn’t notice he’d been caught. When ye’re ready, I’ll show ye the video.”

The world started shattering, and no one seemed to notice but me. The fields outside the car tilted forward. I tightened my grip on the dash like the rollercoaster was about to tip over the edge.

“You…you knew this from the first minute, but you just let me go on thinking…” I gaped at him. “Why didn’t you tell me right away? Why didn’t you warn me, somehow?” The memory of what I’d done made me wish for that hole to open up again, to swallow me. “If you’d warned me, I would never…” Well, that wasn’t true. I had known Griffon might be a fairy and I’d still let the words fly out of my mouth.

Wickham checked the mirrors, looked frantically in all directions, then suddenly popped our car back home, to the back of the house. He killed the engine and turned to face me. “It’s all right, Lennon. Tell me.”

I let go of the car and hid my face in my hands, but I had to tell him, warn him. “I’m such an idiot. He said he was jealous, worried there was more between you and me than…” I shrugged. “So I laughed, told him you were like a brother to me, and besides…you were married.”

Okay,I told the universe.You can take me now.

I didn’t hear him breathe. I couldn’t hear anyone breathing. Persi sat in the back with Flann and Kitch, but the silence was deafening. Finally, I put my hands down to face the man I’d betrayed.

“That’s it, then? Nothing more? Ye didn’t confess I am the Seanathair of the Muir Witches?”

I didn’t understand.

“It matters not if O’Ryan kens about my wife and children. We were surrounded by wives and children at the wedding, aye?” He reached out and ruffled my hair. “It only matters that he’ll never find them.” His hand dropped to my arm and he squeezed. “And it means the world that ye take their safety as a grave thing. For it is. And I’d trust ye with any secret I might have.”

---