His hand at my neck squeezed lightly and he whispered back, “I know, wee one and I appreciate the gesture. But that does not change the fact that I dislike you in the color of my House.”
Oh God.
Of course not. Why was I so stupid? I knew he had nothing to do with his House. I should never have listened to Mother.
I turned my eyes away and muttered, “Hells bells, I screwed up.”
“Finnie, look at me, love,” he called with another squeeze of his hand and my eyes went to his. “I do not associate with my House.”
I nodded and admitted, “I know, I heard. That’s how I screwed up.” I leaned further into him. “I’m so sorry, Frey.”
He shook his head. “Don’t be sorry. Your gesture is touching and your mother knows what she’s doing. This does not mean I like it.”
I blinked and asked, “My mother knows what she’s doing?”
He nodded and then imparted information on me that made my lungs seize.
“There will be members of my House up there. My parents, assuredly. My cousin Franka, considering the level and nature of her curiosity, almost definitely. Perhaps even my brothers though I have not heard word they’re attending.”
The news of his cousin was alarming, the news of his brothers also, but I was frozen at news of his parents.
“Your parents are upstairs?” I breathed.
“Undoubtedly,” he confirmed.
“Your parents are upstairs,” I repeated on a breath.
“Finnie –”
I pulled away from his hand at my neck, grabbed it and tugged him five feet back down the hall. Then I stood with my back to the landing and hissed, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
God. His parents. I would soon be meeting Frey’s parents!
God!
I looked freaking great but I wasn’t ready for this.
“Finnie –”
I interrupted him. “You can’t… you can’t just… just… spring this on a girl five minutes before she meets your parents!”
His hands, both of them this time, curled around my neck and he bent so his face was close when he said gently, “Wee one, calm down.”
“Calm is not an option, Frey,” I told him, panic clear in my voice. “Your parents are upstairs!”
“They are,” he confirmed again.
“And your cousin!” I went on.
“Finnie, my love –”
“And, possibly, your brothers!” Now I was working myself up into a state.
“Fin –”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I semi-shrieked, the words coming out slightly shrill, slightly loud and definitely panicked therefore Frey let me go but grabbed my hand and pulled me back down the hall another five feet. Then he stopped and resumed our positions, this time turning me so his back to the stairwell.
“I didn’t tell you, my wee Finnie, for this exact reason. I knew you’d react this way. You care, you want to make a good impression, you twist yourself into knots to make your father proud of you, you sit with your mother while she embroiders when I know you’d rather be anywhere but there, doing something, meeting people, gaming, shopping, eating, chatting. Now, you’re anxious and I’d rather you be anxious for the second it takes you to control your emotions and move forward being charming the moment you meet them then tell you days ago so you could work yourself up and spend your days in this state.”