Page 23 of A Fae in Finance
Blinked at him.
Closed my mouth.
“Are you—are you serious, right now?”
The Princeling looked surprised. “Yes.”
“You want me to teach ahuman class?”
“I would not call it a class,” he said. “Perhaps a lecture, or a practicum.” He tapped his fingers on his knee, staring over my left shoulder. He looked a little uncomfortable.Good.
I didn’t speak until he made eye contact again.
“You kidnapped me… to teach a class. That’s your solution to this Queen problem. You’re going to run an educational campaign against hermilitary incursionand hope the power ofknowledgesaves your Court.”
We stared at each other.
He didn’t blink.
I didn’t blink.
The Gray Knight cracked her neck, her face passive.
“Does Sahir know why you took me?” I demanded.
He shook his head. “Sahir is not my knight. He knew only that he should sit with you during our first meal and make sure you felt safe.”
Well then.
“He’s your spy, though,” I tried.
The Princeling waved a contemptuous hand. “I do not need Sahir to spy for me.” But his eyes flicked to the Gray Knight.
“And her?”
“My Gray Knight knew, of course,” he said.
I stepped away. “I want to go back to my room, please,” I said.
For a moment, I thought he would protest: He raised his eyebrows, as if preparing for us to duke it out by staring wordlessly at each other with progressively more incredulous expressions. But then his brow furrowed and he ducked his chin.
“I have other stratagems as well,” he said, almost defensively. “You cannot expect me to share all of my plans with a single mortal girl.”
I gnawed my lip. “Sure,” I said.
“Is there anything you want to discuss before you leave, lady?”
I didn’t know how to bring up my family and friends without getting them dragged here as well, just like my cat.
“I’m uncomfortable being here without anyone from the outsi—myworld knowing where I am. Though I’m unsure if it would be wise for me to disclose my location,” I said, cautiously. “It might cause negative feelings in the human realm… a kidnapping might lead to stronger regulations on faeries, which neither of us wants.”
The Princeling stood up and stepped off the dais, the movements so fast I couldn’t track them. He was before me in a blink, a hand on my chin.
I tried to twist away, but he pulled my chin upward and looked into my eyes.
In the fantasy books I’d read, this was usually a very sensual moment. Perhaps I should have wondered if he would kiss me. But that wasn’t the vibe. His fingers pushed my cheeks toward my lips harshly, and though it hurt, I did my best to keep his gaze and not let him know that I was scared out of my mind.
“Interesting,” he said, searching my eyes.
