through space. From one location to the next. And only Winter or Autumn fae can do it.”
“And that’s what I did,” I said softly. “So, that means I’m definitely not Spring.”
A strange feeling passed through me, a mixture of both dread and disappointment. Knowing that I was a member of one of the two darker courts meant I’d end up with Kael or Rourke, a prospect that did not fill me with glee. But it also meant that the strange connection I’d felt with Finn was really nothing at all. Those moments where he passed me in the hallway and winked, there was no reason I should blush in response. He belonged to someone else. Most likely my roommate.
I’d known that deep down inside, but having it confirmed made me feel more disappointed than I would have expected.
I frowned. “I can’t believe I’m probably going to end up mated to the fae who was willing to leave me for dead just to prove a point.”
She pursed her lips and leaned back into the old wooden chair. “I don’t think he left you for dead, Norah. He didn’t shift back into the courtyard before you got back.”
“Are you sure? He disappeared right in front of me. And he left me those arrows so that I had to fend for myself, knowing there was a Redcap in that cave.”
Anger burned through me. Kael could not be my mate. He just couldn’t.
“Yeah, he did.” She shrugged. “But I don’t think he actually left you. He probably shifted, like, five feet away. Didn’t you say there was a cave? I bet he was hiding in there, watching. He would have stepped in if you weren’t able to handle yourself.”
“Well, if that’s the case, then why didn’t he come back when the Redcap bit me? I got injured, and he did nothing,” I said, frown deepening. “Face it, Sophia. I’m probably stuck with Kael, a fae who couldn’t care less about what happens to me.”
“I don’t think Winter fae are as unfeeling and emotionless as you think they are. Maybe he’ll end up surprising you as much as you surprised everyone when you appeared in the middle of the courtyard like that.” She grinned. “Remember what Alwyn said? We’re going to end up thrilled with our mates.”
I scowled. “Unlikely.”
“How’s the wound?” The sweet scent of sunflowers whispered in from the open doorway of the infirmary. I glanced up from my reading. I had gotten pretty engrossed in the book about the four different powers and gifts, to the point where I hadn’t realized that several hours had passed until I spotted the full moon outside the window.
“It really fucking hurts,” I said with a half-wince, half-smile. “How long do you think it’s going to take to heal?”
He eased into the room and shut the door behind him with a click. There was something about his movement that made my breath catch. Liam was like a graceful lion, stalking his prey, which meant…what was his prey? Me? I swallowed hard, trying not to notice exactly how well his dark tunic fit his perfectly-sculpted chest and arms.
“Unassisted? It could take weeks.” He shot me a mischievous smile.
My stomach tumbled. “You mean, without medicine?”
His eyes flashed as he strode across the room and pushed the chair around so that the back was facing me. Then, he perched in it, legs spread wide on either side of the wood. “Looks like you’ve been doing some interesting reading. Have you gotten to the chapters about the Summer fae gifts?”
“No,” I admitted. “I’ve been kind of engrossed in the parts about the Winter and the Autumn fae. I guess because...”
“Because you think you’re one of them,” he finished for me. “And you’d be right. You’re an Autumn or a Winter. Rourke is going around telling everyone you’re Autumn, though I’d place bets on you being Winter.”
“Because of the whole Redcap thing.”
I couldn’t help but notice how easily he spoke about my Court, as if it didn’t matter to him at all where I belonged. But why would he care? And why should I care that he didn’t care? I stared at him, at his bonfire eyes and hair. That sizzle I always felt around him was there again, tugging me toward him. That magic. His hidden allure.
He nodded, shooting me a wink. “It’s a shame, really. There’s a spark in you I like, Norah. You’re brave and feisty. I could have seen us doing well together. In fact, I could have