Page 104 of A Bargain with the Fae King

“Do you want us to come with you?” Sylvie asks.

“No. Thank you. I just need a few minutes alone.”

Sylvie shoots Galen a silent look of frustration as I stride past them out of the library.

My feet carry me to an interior courtyard nearby. The secluded, empty space beckons me like a moth to flame, offering peace and quiet, a respite from my worries.

Alone in the garden, I marvel at the majestic beauty of the place. No voices break the melody of nature. Sunlight slants through the trees while birds chirp merrily in their branches. Various floral and woody smells tease my senses, calming my anxiety.

I’m reclined on a bench, soaking in the sun, when the worst fae possible interrupts my stolen moment of peace.

“I see you wore my ring.”

Sigurd. The metal ring around my finger is suddenly chilling. I had put it back on this morning. We have enough trouble with the Unseelie. Adding to Riven’s problems or hampering May’s rescue by angering Sigurd is at the bottom of my wish list.

He steps out from between two trees, dressed in his usual gray and blue. How long has he been there?

“What do you want?” I try to keep the bite out of my voice. Fail.

He brushes invisible dirt off his shoulder. “The chance to see you one more time before I leave.”

His court left yesterday, returning to the border. He, however, had not.

Sigurd saunters over to my bench all casual, as if he were a friend. But he’s far from it, and I’m up and backing away before he’s halfway to me. He takes my seat and reclines with one ankle crossed over his knee before patting the open space beside him. “Come and have a seat. I wish to talk.”

Right, and a shark only hopes to swallow a whole school of fish. I’m very much the fish. Our last conversation alone didn’t turn out well at all, and though the bench is big enough for two or three, it still puts me way too close to him.

“I promise I won’t bite.” His smile is predatory. It implies biting and so many wicked things I don’t care to share with him.

It takes everything I have to tear my gaze from him and glance toward the library. Not far. I could run. But he’d catch me. I have no doubt of that. I could scream.

May. My throat tightens.

The sapphire he gifted me gleams in the light, reminding me why I wore it. My emeralds sparkle on the other arm, a guarantee of protection.

I won’t cause any more problems. I can’t.

Reluctantly, I take the seat next to him, putting as much space between our bodies as possible. This flirty king might as well be a pit viper, and he deserves the same attention and caution as one.

“Such an interesting thing, that door key that you retrieved,” he says.

I gasp, taken off guard so fast that all my careful thoughts flee in an instant. Only those closest to Riven know the true purpose of our little excursion or what we found out there. He even warded the doors to his room, preventing his own people from seeing or sensing our discovery—for now.

Sigurd doesn’t bother to ask, to pry out information. Heknowswhat we found. He knows. And he doesn’t mind telling me. Snow could drop from the summer sky, and it’d still be warmer than the chill spreading across my skin.

“An object created by the fae for humans and then bespelled by those same greedy humans so that only they could use it.” Sigurd clicks his tongue in his mouth and pauses. Smiling. Waiting.

A crafty hunter, baiting his prey. He wants me to ask about the stone. If this is a game, I’m losing terribly, and I can’t afford that, not now.

I tilt my head, my brows scrunching together as I blink at him in feigned innocence.

After a time, he gives up with a shrug. “Anyhow, not just any human could enter the maze and take it. It’d have been recovered much sooner if that were the case. In fact, a human must meet three criteria to even attempt it.”

More bait. I met the criteria, whatever they were. I stare at him and wait, my hands folded in my lap. It’s the only thing keeping them from shaking.

A small thrill of victory zips through my veins when his smile falters.

“Three things, Lia. Do you know what they are?” He raises his hand in front of me, three fingers up in emphasis.

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