task.
Think. Think. I could do this.
But not in here. It was too dark and close, and I was pretty sure that the clay jugs on the ground were full of the ashes of dead people.
Carefully, I picked my way out through the tunnel, arriving in the bright light of day.
I blinked, temporarily blind in the sun. When my vision cleared, I spotted Tarron. The king stood near the exit, leaning against a tree I hadn't noticed before. Had he made it grow there?
He no longer wore the suit from yesterday. Instead, he was dressed in clothes more suited to the kind of danger I’d be facing out here. Leather boots, sturdy pants of a deep midnight blue, and thin green sweater with a brown leather jacket. Had to be modern Fae fight wear.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded as I approached.
“Did you learn anything good?”
“Answer my question.”
“I’m interested in you.”
“Cut straight to the punch, don’t you?”
“I’m the king. Of course I do. There’s no point in dancing around.”
“Yeah, you’re the king. Which means you probably shouldn’t be here. Aren’t we being watched by the audience?” I couldn’t feel the prickle of awareness that meant we were being watched, but I’d felt it before I’d walked into the cairn.
He waved a hand, clearly unconcerned. “I’ve created a bit of magical static. I’d prefer they not see me here.”
“I don’t understand why you’re so interested. None of this makes sense.” Dare I mention the crystal obelisk I’d found in his grove last night?
No. Not yet. I didn’t know if I could trust him.
“I wouldn’t worry about it,” he said. “You’re beautiful. That’s enough reason for me to be interested.”
He moved, skillfully managing to get me with my back to the tree. I gasped, trying to hide my reaction. He loomed over me, tall and broad. Sunlight glinted off his hair.
“What are you doing?” My breath came short.
“I’ve no idea what you mean.” He crowded me closer to the tree, his scent wrapping around me.
Tension thickened between us, an awareness that made my heart thunder. My gaze moved to his lips, and memories of kissing him flashed through my mind.
I want to kiss him.
I ducked out and to the right.
I didn’t have time for this.
Was he here to distract me so I wouldn’t win? “I need to get a move on.”
“Perhaps I can help you.”
“Really? Is that even in the rules?”
“I’m the king.”
Uncertain, I chewed on my lip and studied him. He was here, interested in me. Whatever his reasons—and I didn’t buy that it was solely because he was attracted to me—did they really matter?
“Do you want me to win this?”
He shrugged. “Not particularly concerned on that front, no.”
“Then why would you help me?”
“Entertainment?”
Did I believe that? Not really. There was something else at play here.
But he was Fae, and I could use the help. He might be able to help me with the riddle from the seer. “Something is going to happen early tomorrow morning. It’s the summer solstice, correct? That’s the highest day of summer.”
“Correct.”
Good. I could already guess that the ring where the sun would reset the world in the morning was a stone circle. They were often built to align with solstices. It was very logical, in their magical Fae way. It would have to be the biggest one in the region. But the Unseelie Mer…
“The seer said that I will need a key to access the gate, and it can be found ‘drowned in the darkness with the Unseelie Mer.’ What the hell are the Unseelie Mer?”
“She must mean the Finfolk. Like the Merfolk. But dark. Often evil, like the Unseelie.” Disgust echoed in his voice.
He really didn’t like the Unseelie. “They are an Unseelie version of Merfolk? Dark to your light, like the Unseelie and the Seelie?”
“Exactly. But where is all of this supposed to take you? Where does the gate lead?”
“To the Rowan Grove.” I watched him closely for any sign of surprise or interest. “Accessed by an ancient stone circle.”
How much did he know about what was to come? Was he possibly trying to get information out of me? Maybe I should play it closer to the vest and stick to getting information rather than giving it.
I turned from him, inspecting the terrain around me. “So I need to find the Unseelie Mer. The Finfolk.”
Tarron strode up to stand beside me and pointed to the coastline. “They live in the ocean.”
“Thanks.”
“Anytime.” With that, he disappeared.
Weird.
I called upon my transport magic and let the