A Discovery of Secrets and Fate (Chronicles of the Stone Veil #2) - Sawyer Bennett Page 0,89

midnight hair as his mother and sister, along with the pale blue eyes. Their facial features are the same, except his are obviously more masculine. He’s tall, broad-shouldered and fits his suit very, very well.

Also… his tone is polite.

“Hello,” I return a little distractedly because the word demi-god keeps knocking around inside my head.

“You must be the human the entire castle is buzzing about,” he surmises. He doesn’t say “human” as if it’s a curse word and instead smiles at me. “I’m Pykalias, but my friends call me Pyke.”

“Finley,” I reply, not sure if I should extend my hand to him or not. We’re not friends, nor do I think we ever will be, but since he offered the name Pyke to me, that’s what I’ll use so as not to offend.

He takes the decision away as with a flip of his hand, it seems I no more than blink before the chair I’m sitting on is gone and instead, I’m sitting on a plush loveseat in the same exact spot. Beside me, Pyke sits angled toward me, one arm extended across the back of the sofa so his fingers are but inches from my shoulder. He props a booted ankle on his knee.

Nodding his head toward the door, he asks, “Carrick in there with the queen?”

“And your sister,” I mutter, casting a glance at the door.

Pyke chuckles. “Deandra has it bad for Carrick. Has always had too grand of notions when it comes to him.”

“So they… haven’t been together?” I ask, just laying it out there.

“Oh, they’ve been together,” he replies with a wink. “But just on a few visits over the centuries. Nothing serious for him, that’s for sure.”

My head reels.

Over the centuries.

Carrick is centuries old. My lifetime will pass in the space of a deep breath for him. I understand now why he looks at me the way he does, and why he’s not happy to be thrust into this prophecy with me. I’m truly beneath his efforts, but, then again, he’s being offered Ascension if he helps me and we’re successful.

Whatever Ascension means.

Pyke so casually tossing out an inference that Carrick is centuries old means he assumes I know what Carrick is. He has no idea I just found out and the implications are staggering, but I smooth out my features and tuck it away for future thought.

“Care to tell me why you two are here in Faere to save me the time of hearing it from my mother or sister?” he asks genially.

I narrow my eyes. “Why are you being nice to me? I have it on good authority fae hate humans. I’ve seen it firsthand since arriving here, and I have had my life threatened on more than one occasion.”

Pykalias smiles in understanding. “As with any society, you have those that hold on to old biases and prejudice, and then there are those who evolve and become more progressive.”

“And you are?” I prod.

“Evolution is my middle name, baby,” he replies with a laugh, and crap… it’s a sexy laugh, too.

I remember when I first learned about fae and endeavored to research them on my own through Google. All I kept finding were thousands of romance books written about fae, and I remember thinking to myself, how in the world could any woman find anything even slightly appealing about a fae.

Now I get it.

His engaging personality, movie-star good looks, and just a tiny bit of devil in him would make most any woman swoon at his feet.

Not me though.

“How did you get to be so evolved?” I ask.

“That would take an exceptionally long time to explain. Since I’ve heard word you and Carrick will be staying the night and there will be a grand party, I would very much like to entertain you with that story.”

Groaning, I don’t bother to hold the sound in. “We’ll have to stay the night?”

“It’s a given as Deandra will pout until the skies rain tears if the queen refuses the chance to make Carrick stay so Deandra can have a crack.”

My eyes flutter closed and I rub at my forehead, a slight headache forming.

“At least promise me time to talk, and I’ll make you see not all fae are bad,” Pyke says charmingly as he rises from the sofa.

My eyes pop open and I lift my chin defiantly, but admittedly… I’m a bit taken in by said charm. “Carrick says I shouldn’t trust any fae.”

“He’d be right about that.” He gives me a cheeky grin. “For the most part.