here. I don’t know everything you’ve gone through in your life, but that’s over.” He bent so they were eye-level. “This is your home now.”
“Can you sit with me for a little while?” She patted the spot beside her.
“On your… bed?” He jumped back. “I shouldn’t even be in here. It’s not proper.”
“Please?” She didn’t care what was proper in this world. As recent as a few months ago, she’d spent the night at Myles’ house sharing his double bed. They’d never questioned it. “I’m not asking you to sleep with me, Griff. This place is so different than what I’m used to. At your house, I could imagine I was on some idyllic vacation. But this, here, is real, foreign. I can’t do it alone.”
“You’re not alone.” He sat beside her.
She nodded. “Okay, talk to me about anything else to make me forget I spat tea at the queen.”
He laughed. “I haven’t been that entertained at a tea in… ever.” He bumped her shoulder. “Okay… something different. Confession time. Seeing Lochlan here in this palace completely messed with my mind.”
She swatted his arm. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me he was your brother. I knew you guys were familiar from your fight in the woods over yours truly, but brothers? Talk about whoa.” She paused. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
He sighed. “Our family is complicated.”
“I understand complicated. Try me.”
“I lied to you before. Well, I don’t think I actually said I’m Fargelsian… maybe just implied.”
“You’re not from here?”
He shook his head. “Do you remember I told you about the three kingdoms of the fae world?”
She nodded.
“The frozen kingdom is Iskalt. Lochlan and I were born at the ice palace to the king and queen.”
“You’re a prince?” Her jaw dropped. “A real, honest to god prince?”
“Was. Our parents died when we were children, and our uncle took the throne. He sent us away, me to be raised in the Gelsi court and Lochlan to be raised in Eldur. It was a compromise, a way for the other kingdoms to allow my uncle to remain king. We were supposed to bring the kingdoms together.”
“But that didn’t happen.”
“No, it didn’t. Lochlan hates me. Really, he hates everything. I’ve never been able to get through to him. When I saw him in the human realm with you in his possession, I realized the Eldur queen wanted you as well.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. “We don’t know. Maybe Loch being here will give us some answers. Whatever the reason, it can’t be good. Queen Faolan of Eldur is born of fire. She can’t be trusted, and neither can my brother. That is why I didn’t tell you.” He dropped his voice to a whisper. “I didn’t want you to think less of me because of him.”
The corner of Brea’s lips twitched up. “I couldn’t think less of you, Griffin O’Shea.” Her eyes found his as she turned her head. “I don’t claim to be the authority on genuine people, but I would bet my last horse you’re one of the good ones.”
His lips curved into a half-smile. “You don’t have any horses.”
“I just figured it was the kind of thing people say here. I’ll amend it. I’d bet every last one of those frilly dresses in my too-large closet.”
“You hate those dresses, so I’m not sure that has any meaning.”
“How do you know I hate them?”
“Because, even though you look completely breathtaking in that preposterous mountain of tulle, I can read the discomfort on your face.”
“You barely know me, Griff. You can’t read my face.”
He reached up to tuck an errant strand of hair behind her ear. “Now… that is a bet I’d take.” His finger skimmed over her cheek. “Your cheeks redden when you think you’ve said something wrong.” His hand moved up over the bridge of her nose. “Your nose crinkles when something annoys you.”
“Usually you.”
He laughed. “And these eyes… shine the most brilliant shade of blue when you’re content.”
“They’re always blue. Eyes don’t change color.”
He pulled his hand away. “How can you see all there is to see in the fae world and still keep these human notions?”
“It’s a talent.”
“Stubbornness?”
“I was going to say idiocy.”
He shook his head. “You’re no idiot, Brea Robinson.”
She couldn’t take her eyes away from the boy saying all the right things, things she wanted to believe. There were secrets in his eyes—like the secret about Lochlan—but she shut those out, needing desperately for someone to trust in.
Leaning into him, she wrapped her arm around his waist. For the