going to trust you two to stay out of trouble,” the bar owner whispered.
“Why would we get into trouble?” Sorcha asked with a warm smile. “I got out of the trouble-making business, Paden. Don’t worry.”
“Yeah…” Paden sighed. “If I had known it was you marrying Cassius, I would have packed my bags and left town, like every other smart fae probably would have.”
“I’m obviously missing something,” I said, shaking my head in confusion, hoping they would back up. “Sorcha is famous, and I’ve never heard a damn thing bad about her. What am I missing? And why did you walk in here as if you own it?” I turned that last question on her, getting to the root of the strangeness.
“I’m the only fae who works with iron. That might make me famous to other supernatural species, but it makes me infamous among the fae. I used to do a lot of business in places like this. I didn’t grow up with a title or a high-class family, I had to earn it. In the end, most people will tell you I bought it. I was too rich and too outspoken for the fae nobility to ignore, so they gave me a title to make me respectable. There are fae who dislike me for that and for my particular skills.” Sorcha shrugged nonchalantly. “I never planned on marrying a man like Cassius. I can already see the questions swirling in your eyes. Of course, he knows my past. When you invited us here, I had to remind him I’m used to places like this.”
“She’s making that sound much simpler than it really is,” Paden said, eyeing her. “Lady Sorcha was once a silver worker. That was the power of her clan. They fell more into the light side of the fae, being a clan of Oberon, but her father wasn’t very talented, and he fell in love with a fae from the clans of Titania. She’s both, but not really either.”
“And being both gave me the power to work with iron, not just silver,” she finished, her little smile never leaving. I got the distinct feeling she was very proud of her accomplishments, but from the way Paden was acting, those accomplishments were covered in blood. I also knew the story wasn’t nearly as simple as it sounded. There were plenty of weak clan fae who could trace their lineage back to both Titania and Oberon.
Cassius, you have a type, and one day, I’m going to call you out for it. For such a stick in the mud, you sure love dangerous women.
“I’m obviously still missing some of this story, but you know what? I’m here to drink whiskey and get Raphael out of the house, not stick my nose in fae politics.” Nodding once, I turned to Henley, who pointed at the two drinks he left on the counter next to me. I picked up my whiskey as the other disappeared with a wave of Paden’s hand. I checked the booth to see the beer appear in front of Raphael.
“I’ll take a martini, and Cassius will have a…hmmm. Do you have any wine?” Sorcha went up on her toes and looked over the bar.
“I’ll see what I have in the back for him,” Paden said stiffly, walking away.
“So, I’m never inviting you here again,” I declared quietly, catching Sorcha’s eyes. “I lived with you for nearly two months, and no one thought to tell me you had a past.”
“As you said, it’s fae politics,” she replied kindly. “I haven’t gotten into any trouble in over twenty years. It was a long time ago for me, and I’m just grateful that Cassius saw through all of it and accepted me. I love him, you know. It’s not about the power. I could have married anyone for power. I’ve rejected fae who would have been more advantageous than him, but Cassius…”
“He’s something,” I agreed. “I’m not saying you’re bad for him, or I think you used him. I was just a little caught off guard. Me? I was bad for him.”
“As a lover? Oh, yes.” Sorcha laughed as Henley put down her martini in front of her. “As a friend? I think you give him something no one else can. You keep him humble and on his toes. I met him once, long before you and him and me and him. He was rigid, and his father was still in power. He was an asshole, and I hated him. Two and