Page 133 of Threadbound

Jamie blinked rapidly. “Bran, I?—”

“Dinna apologize,” Bran interrupted him, recognizing the guilt in the shift of Jamie’s features.

Jamie pressed his lips together, but he didn’t say anything.

His phone buzzed, and Jamie twitched, then looked down at the screen.

“Your friends are here,” Bran said.

“Jamie, love,”the human woman’s brow was deeply furrowed, one finger nervously tucking a lock of wavy blonde hair behind one ear. “You know that’s not possible.”

The human man, Rob, had his arms crossed over his chest, an equally deep frown on the dark skin of his forehead.

Jamie looked over at Bran, fear and a little desperation clear in his eyes.

Bran waited. Not that he had much experience with humans learning about about the existence of the fae—just Jamie, in fact—but he understood that accepting a different vision of the world—of Fate—was hard for anyone, fae or human. He also understood that you had to be ready to accept a new reality. He’d had to be ready to accept Jamie as a part of his life. Ready to accept that Jamie was his bondmate. Ready to give Jamie his heart.

Rob and Trixie weren’t ready yet, even if Jamie didn’t know how else to try to convince them.

When Bran had revealed his raven form to Jamie, Jamie hadn’t been ready, either, of course. But Bran hadn’t had a choice. He was hoping not to have to shock and horrify these two—they’d be more likely to accept the truth if they started to question whether or not it was possible for Jamie to be right.

“I know it sounds crazy,” Jamie said, the slight tremor in his voice drawing Bran’s attention and tugging at his resolve to wait. “But itisreal. Magic. Spells.”

“Fairies?” Rob interjected, and it was clear from his tone that he was torn between thinking Jamie had lost his mind and being angry that Jamie was lying to them for some reason he didn’t understand.

“Fae,” Jamie corrected. “My momma called them fairies, but they call themselves fae.”

“And you expect us to believe that your ma wasn’t just off her rocker?” Rob asked, anger starting to win.

Jamie’s cheeks flushed. “I thought it was just fantasy, too. But think about it,” Jamie persisted. “For hundreds of years,thousands, people have believed in other worlds. In magic. In creatures like elves and fairies.”

“People believed in all sorts of bullshit,” Rob snapped, grey eyes narrowed.

“Robbie,” Trixie interjected. She was worried—it was clear from both her expression and her tone that she thought Jamie was delusional, or at least had been badly deceived. It also seemed like she blamed Bran for it, at least if he was going to judge from the occasional side-long glance she shot in his direction. In a way, she wasn’t wrong—it was his fault. But she thought he was lying to Jamie—manipulating him, although why, Bran wasn’t sure.

Jamie shot him another pleading look, asking him to help, asking why he wasn’t doing something to prove to the humans that he was real.

Trixie turned on him, then. “Well? What do you have to say about all this, since it seems to be your doing?” she demanded.

Bran met her blue eyes, sharp and cold, a pale color so unlike Jamie’s it was a wonder you could even call them the same color. “He’s telling the truth,” Bran replied.

“The truth,” Rob muttered, a glower shadowing his features.

“Aye,” Bran answered.

“There are fairies.” Rob repeated, although this time it was flat—not a question, but a statement of derision.

“Fae, aye,” Bran replied.

“You’ve seen one?” Rob’s tone was belligerent, but he was clearly looking for something—some explanation or answer.

Now we’re getting there.“I am one,” he said.

Rob’s mouth worked, but he didn’t say anything.

“Youareone?” It was Trixie who repeated his statement with incredulity.

“Aye.”

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