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‘It’s not like that,’ I said, flushing hotly.‘I’ve been staying at the Summer Palace to stay safe from the Unseelie Queen.I’m a guest there.Nothing more.’

‘Oh, sure.Makes perfect sense.’He scanned the room, plucked a flower from a vase on the table by the door and began to strip it of its petals.‘Tell me something, though, that ceremony, did Solas happen to talk you through the ins and outs of it?How it all comes together, the order of the blood-letting, all that jazz?’

My brow furrowed.‘What are you talking about?I mean, I wasn’t given an instruction manual or anything.Did I do something wrong?’

‘No, you did what you were supposed to,’ he said, a smirk tugging at his lips.He was leaving something out, and whatever it was clearly had some kind of entertainment factor in it for him.Jerk.

‘What are you doing here, anyway?’I asked.‘I thought this was just for the High Fae courts?’

‘Areyougetting prejudiced with me now, Immy?’he teased.

‘You know what I mean.’

‘I’ve teamed up with your mate,’ he said brightly.‘Awfully moody, that one.But I suppose we have that in common, ey?Nothing quite as tantalising as tall, dark, and brooding.’

‘Wait, what?’I asked, shock rendering my brain completely blank.‘What do you mean, teamed up?You’re helping Tarian?’

‘Sure.’

‘After everything he did?’

‘Well, I weighed up the options and I chose the lesser of two evils.Besides, Tarian may be an idiot, but he’s not all bad.’

‘He’s certainly managed to winyouover,’ I said bitterly.But I wasn’t sure what was worse, that Ethan had befriended him after all that had happened or that I wasn’t as mad at him for it as I should have been.The fear that Tarian had died seemed to have ground some of the sharp edges off my anger and I wasn’t sure that was necessarily a good thing.

‘Yeah, well, this fated mate stuff is powerful magic, and honestly, I think you’ll be happier with him than without him.You’ve probably figured that much out for yourself already.’

I fiddled with the folds of my dress, smoothing my fingers over the silky fabric, watching it shimmer so I didn’t have to look at Ethan.I didn’t want him to see how much his words hurt me.‘I hope not.He betrayed me.I can’t trust him.And even if I could, I’m not even sure what it is he wants.I haven’t heard from him since I left.Not once.’

‘Then it’s your lucky day, because you’ve suddenly got the chance to go and talk to him and figure all that out,’ Ethan replied flippantly, tossing the flower to the ground, plucked of its petals.

‘So, I should be the one who takes on that responsibility because I can’t control my feelings?’I scoffed, feeling my irritation beginning to stir.I should just overlook his betrayal because of some stupid bond I didn’t understand?Why should he get off so easily?

And why did I miss him so damn much?

Curse this stupid bond.

‘Stop being so stubborn,’ Ethan said, amusement tinting his words.‘You’ll never sort anything out if you just sit alone with your feelings.’

‘And how am I supposed to do anything else when this masquerade ball makes it impossible to know who anyone is?’I asked.I hated it, but I really did want to talk to Tarian.Tonight would have been the perfect opportunity, while everyone else was busy eating and flirting and God knew what else, Tarian and I might have been able to slip away unnoticed and then… what?Did I really think this mess could be untangled with one conversation?That was assuming he even wanted to talk.I went back to fiddling with my dress, trying to imagine what I’d even say to him.Last time I’d seen him, I’d left him unconscious and half frozen and he’d left me heartbroken.It was hard to know where to begin.

‘What happened to that fighting spirit of yours?’Ethan asked, sounding disappointed.Then he held up a silver ribbon.It wasn’t anything special and it didn’t appear to be spelled, not that I was the best judge of such things.

‘What’s that?’

‘Never mind what it is, just make sure you keep it on,’ he said as he tied it around my wrist.I raised an eyebrow at him.‘Trust me.Have I ever steered you wrong?’

‘You’re being awfully cryptic tonight.’

A mischievous smile stretched his lips.‘You can’t blame me for having a little fun.’When he was done, he released my arm.‘Alright, that’s all we have time for.Remember what I said, don’t take that off.’

‘You’re going already?’

‘Things to do, you know.But don’t worry, you’ll see me later.You can’t get rid of me that easily.’He winked at me before disappearing through the door and leaving me alone.I wished he’d stayed.The fact that he’d flitted off again so quickly stung a little, when I hadn’t seen him in so long.It stung even more to know that he had somehow joined team Tarian in that time, and that he hadn’t come to the Summer Palace looking for me either.But I knew Ethan, knew he had his reasons for doing what he did, and I was just going to have to go along for the ride until those reasons revealed themselves.

Chapter 13

Tarian