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He huffed a laugh. “We can finally converse in the open, and we do not know what to do with ourselves.”

“What are you reading?” Scarlett asked, glancing at his stack of books. “Hopefully something to keep your interest? Unless you are looking for something to help you fall asleep?”

“No, I—”

She reached out with her good arm and plucked a book from the top of the stack.The Heart of the Beginning. She looked up at him with a quizzical look.

“I figured since I am to be king one day, I should know as much as I can about our land and relations, so I have been studying the history of the Fae,” he explained with a small shrug.

“Smart. Have you learned anything interesting?” she asked as she thumbed through the book.

“Some, yes. Listen, can we walk somewhere so I can set these down?” he asked, lifting the stack of books in emphasis.

“Of course. Sorry.” She followed him to a little alcove with a table. More books and papers littered the surface. “How much research have you done exactly?” she asked with a raised brow as he plopped the books onto the table.

“I have some time on my hands here,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. He turned to face her fully. “I am sorry. About what happened in the courtyard.”

“What could you possibly have to be sorry for?” she asked.

“Sorin did not tell you?” Again he had that peculiar look.

“Tell me what?” she asked slowly.

He took a deep breath. “The Fae Queen did not kidnap me. I went with her willingly.”

Scarlett stilled. She could hardly draw a breath as she said as evenly as she could, “Why would you do that?”

“It had seemed like a good idea at the time, to get to know another leader of the lands. To build relations.”

“Oh, Callan.” She didn’t know what else to say. When she’d asked how Talwyn had crossed the wards to get to Callan and the others, Sorin had only said they were working on it and that it wouldn’t happen again.

He swallowed. “She had questions. About you.”

“I’m sure she did,” Scarlett muttered.

“Why?”

Scarlett waved the question off. “What kind of questions?”

“She commented on your ring, about how it is a Fae family heirloom. She wondered how you obtained it. Then she asked if you had any of the tattoos the others have.”

“She asked if I had any Marks?” Callan nodded. “How curious,” was all she could say as he looked expectantly at her.

“Which part? The Marks or the ring?” he asked, running a hand down the stubble along his jaw.

The action caught her off guard. How many times had she watched him do that when they were strategizing in the same hours of the night in his own private rooms?

“All of it, I suppose,” she said with a sigh. She eased herself into a seat at the table. “Tell me what you’ve learned.”

Callan took a tentative seat opposite her. “You are not at all curious about her questions?”

“Not tonight I am not. Tell me the most interesting thing you have discovered.”

Callan studied her. “There used to be two Fae Queens who ruled the Courts. They were sisters, but some say there was a third sister. That Esmeray was that third.”

“So I’ve heard. What did you learn of them?”

Callan shrugged. “Most accounts say that Deimas and Esmeray tried to overtake the Courts to get to the mortals. I am not surprised that their history books are so different from our own, I suppose.”