Yew Queen Trilogy, стр. 18
I met his searching eyes. He almost seemed to be looking for the blame I would throw at him.
“You believe you deserve this curse,” I whispered, feeling as if the fae I’d seen so alive and beautiful had died only a minute ago, the panic still fresh in my mind. I could almost feel the boy Aurelio shivering beside me like he had next to Lucus in that long-ago moment. Baby Francesco’s tiny ears were as clear in my memory as the last time I’d held my mother’s hands before she died. My own hands shook as I gripped the back of the chair.
“I do deserve it,” Lucus said. “But my kind did not. My brothers do not.”
More questions darkened my thoughts, but a knock at the door made me jump. “I’ll get that,” I said numbly.
“If you must. Know that they will not see me because of the curse.”
I nodded, recalling his explanation as I strode toward the door. “The first woman who sees the castle is the only one who can.”
“Exactly.”
I spun. “Why are you reminding me?”
He shrugged. “So you don’t look like a fool in front of your people.”
My fingers trembled as I opened the door to see Hekla’s wide and innocent smile.
She shoved a Tupperware container of what smelled like chicken soup into my hands. “You don’t look sick, lady.”
“Uh. Well, I am. Thanks for this, but you should really go. It’s been pretty ugly. Fever. Chills. All of it. Besides, Ami can’t run the bakery alone.”
For a fleeting moment, I wished so hard that Hekla could see Lucus and help me out. I wanted a friend in this.
A lavender light washed over my vision.
Fatigue was straining my eyes, I guessed. I forced my wish to the back of my mind. No, I couldn’t want that. Hekla needed to remain ignorant and safe. I loved my friend, and I didn’t want her anywhere near this.
Hekla leaned sideways. Her mouth fell open, then she grinned all sly and side-eyed me. “Fever, eh?” She pushed past me and stuck out her hand to Lucus.
She could see him.
I stood there, silent and stupid. How?
Lucus’s hazel gaze went from Hekla to me and back again. He appeared as stunned as I was. “Charmed,” he said quietly, taking her hand and kissing it.
“Oooo. I love the old-fashioned bit. I’m Hekla. I assume you are what my lovely friend came down with this morning.” She winked.
He grinned back. “I suppose so.”
He was playing this off. I took up the ruse of having a secret lover. No way Hekla would buy this, right? I half hoped she would see through us.
I elbowed her. “You cool with me skipping work today?”
She gripped my arm and pulled me closer. “Duh.” Releasing me, she threw a smile at Lucus, her gaze dragging over him like she was really enjoying the view. Couldn’t blame her there. “Do you live here in Franklin? I assume you are an…actor?” She pointed at his cloak and boots. “Oh, this was what you were joking about yesterday, Coren, with the castle and all.” She laughed and poked me in the stomach with one little finger. “I didn’t realize anyone was shooting downtown this week.”
Crap. I had to get her out of here. “Yeah. He’s doing this Shakespeare thing.”
“Oh, like down near the Parthenon? I went to the outdoor plays once with my ex.”
Lucus looked a little sick. He fisted his hands. “I enjoy theater.”
I frowned. Okay. Not the smoothest response.
Hekla didn’t seem to notice his awkwardness. She did, however, seem to notice his nicely jacked arms. She was basically devouring him with her eyeballs. “How long will you be in town?”
His color returned to normal, and his fists uncurled, his fingers relaxing. “Ah. Yes, well, I think I have approximately twenty-six days until I must depart.”
Hekla grimaced at his phrasing, then glanced at me. “Twenty-six. All righty. Has Coren told you about how amazing she is in the kitchen?”
“I am aware. I enjoyed her pancakes.”
“I thought I smelled them!” Hekla smacked my arm. “He must be doing something right to get pancakes out of you on the first date.”
I swallowed, cheeks burning. Lucus was doing absolutely nothing right. Why had I allowed him to have my fabulous pancakes?
Lucus held up our syrup-slicked plates. “Where should I place these?”
“In the kitchen.” I nodded toward the sink.
Making and sharing pancakes had been a simple case of me wanting to be praised for my cooking, right?
Lucus set the plates in the sink, then proceeded to turn on the faucet. He jolted, obviously surprised. His eyes were bright as a kid’s when he looked at me. “Ingenious, Coren.” Fingers splashing in the stream, he grinned wildly then began washing the plates.
Hekla snorted a laugh. “He’s a little weird, but I wouldn’t kick him out of bed, that’s for sure.”
Yeah, sharing my pancakes had nothing to do with Lucus, the fae lord who was currently holding up my two dishtowels and examining them, perhaps deciding which one to use for drying the dishes. There was no way I had anything but anger and contempt for this immortal monster.
I sighed. I wasn’t buying this lie I was telling myself. I did feel more than rage. I understood Lucus a little bit, and I actually felt bad for him. I didn’t want to, but I did. My life had gone from perfect to perfectly insane.
Hekla jerked my sleeve and tugged me close. “I will need all the details tomorrow. I can’t believe you thought you could keep amazingly hot actor guy a secret! No wonder you were being so strange