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“Would that be the normal where we’re using a frozen statue of a fairy for decoration?”

I lifted my middle finger to him. “Yes, I mean that normal. It beats letting snooty guardians and selfish parents control our every move. I’m going to have to throw a sheet over him while they’re here.”

“If you say so,” Conn said with a smirk.

“Kiss my ass,” I said, stomping away from him. “I’ll see Mulan and ya at dinner. The two of ya can help me navigate the guardians and I’ll drop the news about Mulan’s parents coming. It’s called a win-win.”

“Or a lose-lose in our case, eh?”

Letting Conn have the last word, I headed back to finish my unpacking.

Chapter Four

Dinner was a tense affair. Zara refused to hold my gaze for more than a few seconds. Rasmus glowering at me across the table made nothing better. I was tired of the guardian’s snippy attitude and pleaded a headache as I excused myself. I’d had all I could handle of his snide comments and haughty glares.

I had nearly escaped the foyer when a throat clearing caught my attention and made me pause mid-flight. Since all my guests were still at the dinner I’d just run away from, I nervously turned only to sigh in relief when I saw Dylan sitting on one of the foyer couches.

The far darrig was in his tall, blond, and muscular human form, which always made me want to ask where his surfboard was.

“Well, hello, Dylan. Why didn’t ya join us for dinner?”

He shook his head. “I didn’t want to interrupt so I asked Henry to let me wait for you. I’m sorry I left the other day without saying goodbye. It was rude of me to leave the way I did.”

So much had been going on for me that day and every moment since that I had lost no sleep over Dylan’s departure.

I waved the apology away. “Let’s take this discussion to the library. Are ya hungry? I’m sure there’s food left. Rasmus and I were too busy fussing at each other to eat much.”

Dylan smiled at me. “I sort of heard your fussing through the doors.”

I blew out a breath. “The guardian is acting like a bear because he didn’t get the warm welcome he was expecting from me. Lately, all my headaches have been caused by him. I’m truly not feeling my best.”

“You’re probably still hurting from the fight and still grieving the fairy’s betrayal. ”

I nodded and smiled. “Yer sympathy far outshines the token concern I got from most people in my life.”

“I believe I’m showing empathy rather than offering sympathy. But I’m not feeling my best, either.”

I looked at him as we entered the library. Soft lamp lights came on automatically. Leave it to Henry to make the room even cozier. The library was a room a person couldn’t help but love.

“Ya’re making empathy sound ominous. I want to hear all about it.”

“It’s not entertaining, though. It’s just...sad.”

I went to the mantle of the fireplace and found a remote. It worked like the one in my sitting room. Clicking it on set giant flames full of heat and light blazing in the grate. This fireplace was the mega version of what I had in my quarters. The ambiance improved my mood. If I’d hid in my quarters, I would have missed sharing this with Dylan. I was glad he caught me.

I quickly turned and rushed back to the door. “While I’m gone, change to yer true self and get comfortable. I’m going to ask someone to bring us tea and food. Everyone in this place can read my mind at the moment but I want to shock them with my presence. I haven’t been in the kitchen since Henry and Gale moved in. I’m sure they’ll think I’ve gone mad.”

Dylan chuckled. “You’re such a strange person sometimes.”

His comment made me smile, and his teasing lifted my spirits. I realized how starved I was for a kind soul to show me they cared. “My strangeness makes me likable, though, don’t ya think?”

“Oh, yes,” he agreed. “It makes you very likable.”

“Don’t move from this room then,” I ordered as I raced out.

Five minutes later, I returned to the library with someone pushing a tea cart right behind me. There were two vegetarian plates from the dinner I’d left, which I knew the far darrig preferred.

“They were working on our tea when I got there. Let’s eat before talking.” I landed in a chair and positioned the cart between us. “Are ya planning to stay the night? Yer room is still available. I’m glad now that I asked Henry’s people to hold off cleaning it for a few days.”