Page 17 of Seared Fates

“Fae tempt.” I glance at him from the corner of my eye. “Tease.”

Smiling, he shakes his head, his death grip on the seatbelt relaxing. “I’m not teasing anyone.”

“No? So you always allow strange men into your flat?”

“Oh, piss off, you know this is a very different situation. Now tell me about the Fae.”

“As you wish, little prince,” I tease.

“I ain’t a prince of anything.”

“No? But you're so demanding,” I reply. “‘Vidar, don’t do that’, ‘Vidar, tell me this’, ‘Vidar, press me against the door.’”

He gasps and slaps my bicep; all his fear of our car ride vanished. “I have never said anything like that.” And when he glares at me, all I feel is pure satisfaction.

“Maybe you should. Golden says you’re always taking care of people, who takes care of you, little prince?”

“Vidar, tell me about the Fae,” he orders, a flicker of mischief glinting in his green eyes.

As we drive through the dark streets, the noise outside is drowned out by the rumbling engine, and I can almost pretend the only two people in this world are him and me. Maybe that would make everything less complicated.

“Even a drop of Fae blood from five generations back can manifest in odd ways. Fae are powerful after all, older than trees and winds.”

“Older than the wind?” Kai snorts. “How is that possible?”

I grin. “Sometimes the magic is as boring as a bit of foresight. Sometimes it’s more—your fire, for example.”

He frowns while thinking, twisting one of his braids around an elegant finger.

“But it only happens when I’m drawing these symbols.” He gestures to his jacket. “I don’t know what they mean, but they sorta…call to me?”

I shrug one shoulder, desperately trying to ignore the growing need to reach out and touch him, instead filling my lungs with his calming lavender scent. It’s just the soulmate connection. Nothing more. It can’t be, and I will not hurt this lovely man by testing something I already know will only end in a second rejection.

“I have some experience with magic, but I’m no expert.” He begins to sag, and I simply can’t have that. Quickly, I add, “However, I could reach out to some old Fae friends to see if they can help.”

They're more like enemies, but when his radiant smile shines I would make those pesky bastards my best friends for him.

“Really?”

Anything. Always. Ask for a mountain, a lake, the very sky, and I would gladly lay it at your feet. “Of course.”

“Thank you, Vidar,” he replies as we park outside the mansion. Kai far more relaxed than when we got into my Range Rover.

I don’t say anything as we exit, just grab the orange plastic bag from the backseat, Kai having shoved the spellbook in before we were evacuated, and make our way inside, heading towards the voices in the kitchen.

“Kai.” Golden slips out of Lucero’s arms and rushes over. “Are you okay?”

“I’m all good, Golden,” Kai assures.

“Why do you smell like blood mages?” Ramy asks, nose wrinkled.

I drop the bag on the kitchen counter with a rustling thud. “Kai had Jace’s spellbook.”

“What?” Ramy moves around the counter to get to us, but keeps his distance from the bag. “How is that possible?”

Kai takes a deep breath, and he explains the whole story. Once he’s done, Ramy and Golden try to fuss over him, but he brushes them aside even as they drag him away. I’m tempted to follow; however, I can tell they have more to discuss.

Most likely me.