Virelai leaned against the wall next to the bedroom doorway, folding her arms over her chest. Everyone was once again gathered in the tiny main room of the cabin to hear some announcement or other. Kai was the one doing the speaking this time, and he was flanked on either side by his Commanders. Seraiah had taken Virelai’s earlier place at the table with Wisteria and her father. The necromancer stood a short distance away, pointedly ignoring her.

  Earlier, Virelai had followed him back inside and into his bedroom. While he’d shuffled through papers on his desk, she’d seated herself on his bed and prodded him about being her ally.

  “Why are you helping them?” she’d asked. “Or are you still working for my father?”

  His shoulders stiffened under her gaze, and he stopped moving papers around for a moment.

  “I will never work for your father again,” he said without turning.

  The pages resumed moving, organized into neat little piles only Ren would understand.

  “So you want revenge against him then, and that’s why you are helping them. Did they promise you a place in their new world once they’ve saved it from the shadow creature?” She paused, and he continued shuffling papers, saying nothing. “Or maybe you will go back to being exactly what you were before.”

  The papers stopped again.

  She took it as a sign that she’d hit a nerve. They hadn’t promised him anything, but he still hoped he would get the one thing he hoped for: belonging. She recognized the yearning in him because she, too, had once desired to find a place where she belonged.

  “We are the same, you know. We both want—”

  “No,” Ren said, voice low and steady. He turned to face her, giving her his full attention. “Let’s get one thing straight. You and I are not the same. We never will be. I will not be your ally in whatever you are planning. Do not bring it up again.”

  Virelai had smiled at him. “As you wish.”

  Ever since he’d been avoiding her, making sure to move away whenever she entered the area like he was afraid just by being near her, his reputation would be tarnished. She wanted to tell him that if it was that easy to ruin his allies’ trust, then perhaps they’d never trusted him in the first place.

  “All right, everyone. So it has been decided that a group of us will be going to the Seelie Court to seek help from the Summer King. Myself and Seraiah will go along with Kestrel. Wisteria and Eryx will remain here along with Seraiah’s father.”

  By the way Kestrel’s eyes widened, Virelai guessed this wasn’t the plan she had agreed to.

  “Wait a minute,” Wisteria said, shooting up from her chair before Kai could go on with whatever else he wanted to say. “Why am I being left behind? Prince Kaimana,” she added hastily and dropping a quick curtsy.

  Virelai shook her head. She’d warned Wisteria this would happen. There was no reason to take the servant girl.

  “I thought it best if you stay behind to ensure Seraiah’s father heals properly since you have experience tending wounds.”

  “That was once, and I didn’t know what I was doing. I still don’t know any more than the rest of you.”

  Virelai raised a brow. She’d expected the girl to say “yes, your highness” and leave it at that. Good for her.

  “I’ll stay behind,” Kestrel said. “Wisteria may go in my place.”

  “We discussed this,” Kai said.

  “With who?” Kestrel asked coolly. “Because it wasn’t mentioned to me that you planned to leave Eryx here.”

  “Someone is needed to ensure their safety in case the wards don’t hold.”

  Virelai flicked a glance at Ren, who was fighting to keep his expression neutral, but doing a poor job of it. She wanted to sidle up to him and tell him she’d told him so. They didn’t trust him, just as they didn’t trust her.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  “I’ll stay,” Kestrel repeated. “You do not need me to bargain with the Summer King. Let Wisteria go if she wants.”

  “I do want to go,” Wisteria said, resuming her seat.

  “Fine. Then it will be myself, Seraiah and Wisteria while Kestrel, Eryx, and Seraiah’s father stay here.”

  “What about us?” Virelai asked, gesturing to Ren. She could feel him frowning at her.

  “I will leave that choice up to you. You are free to stay or go as you please,” Kai said.

  Virelai translated this to mean he did not expect them to be any help and didn’t trust them enough to assign them any tasks.

  “Ren should go with us,” Seraiah said. “He was the one the Summer King offered to speak to about the shadows.”

  “I will go,” Ren said, “as long as I can be promised, no one will burn my cabin down in my absence.”

  Kestrel snorted. “You have nothing to fear from me.”

  “Good. Then I will also go.”

  Virelai wasn’t particularly excited about another journey to another court, but if he was going, then she would too. Nothing interesting would happen if she stayed here. Kestrel and Eryx would go off alone, and she’d end up supervising the human.

  No, thank you.

  “I’ll go as well. You never know when you might need someone to negotiate for you. I am excellent at making deals,” she announced.

  “Very well,” Kai said. “Then that is all I have for everyone. Be prepared to leave at dawn. I would like to reach the Seelie Court before night.”

  As the group broke into chatter amongst themselves, Virelai slipped into the bedroom.

  Let them all talk late into the night. She would be smart about this and get some sleep. Better to be rested and clear of mind when she met the fae.

  Virelai loosened the laces on her dress and slipped out of it, leaving it to pool on the floor. There were no fancy nightgowns for her to sleep in here, so her shift would have to do. She tucked herself into the only bed in the cabin and did her best to fall asleep. She’d almost achieved it when someone else entered the room.

  She cracked one eye to find Ren staring at her.

  “What do you want?” she asked, sitting up and clutching the sheets to her chest.

  “This is my room, and that is my bed.”

  "Not anymore. I've claimed this room. You didn't think I was about to sleep on the floor, or worse," she widened her eyes in mock horror, "the ground."

  "That is exactly where you and everyone else is going to be. This is my house, and as such, I will be the one deciding who gets what room."

  Virelai laughed as if it was the funniest thing she had ever heard. “Don't fool yourself, necromancer. This may be your house, but you are far from the one in charge around here, and as you can see, I have claimed this bed. You will have to find somewhere else to sleep tonight.” She settled back against the pillows.

  “I don’t think so.” Ren pulled off his ever-present gloves and laid them on the desk. Then he reached for the hem of his tunic and tugged it over his head, draping it over the back of the chair.

  Virelai quickly averted her eyes in case he planned to drop his pants next. “This bed is only big enough for one.”

  “Guess you will have to find somewhere else to sleep then,” he retorted. The bed dipped under his weight, and Virelai was forced to scramble back against the wall if she wanted to avoid touching him.

  Ren didn’t seem bothered. He bunched up one of the pillows and reclined as if she weren’t there.

  Now that his eyes were closed, Virelai had a chance to study him. Even in the dark, the shadows stood out against his pale skin. They covered his hands, wrapping around his forearms to almost reach his elbows. She had noticed the same sort of shadows, peeking out from beneath Seraiah’s hair.

  “Please, stop staring at me.”

  “I wasn’t.”

  “Yes, you were,” he said, not even cracking an eye.

  She watched his Adam’s apple bob up, and down as he swallowed.

  “You’re still doing it.”

  “How would you know,” she huffed, “your eyes aren’t even open.”

  “Doesn’t matter. I can feel it.” Ren rolled over, putting his back to her.

  The movement sent his scent washing over her. He smelled of a mix of lemons and herbs—he smelled clean.

  She stabbed him in the shoulder blade with her finger.

  “Ow. What was that for?”

  “Did you bathe?” she demanded.

  “Of course, I bathed. I’m not an animal.”

  “Where did you get soap from? Have you had it this entire time and not told anyone?”

  “This is my house. Where do you think I got it from? Now be quiet or get out. I’m trying to sleep.”

  She poked him again. “Give it to me.”

  “Give you what?”

  “The soap,” she said, exasperated. “Do you know how long it has been since I’ve had a proper bath?”

  “I can guess,” he said, earning a glare from her. “And no, I will not give it to you. I don’t have much, and I’m not about to share it, no matter how much you stink. This is your last warning. Be quiet or I will forcibly remove you. Got it?”

  Virelai didn’t bother responding. Instead, she pulled the other pillow over to her corner and settled in as far away from him as she could get. She didn’t want to be sharing a bed with him, but the alternative of sleeping on the floor with the others was worse.

  Before she knew it, someone was knocking on the door. Virelai blinked up at the ceiling, reorienting herself. The last thing she remembered was trying to think of places one could hide soap.

  “Come in,” Ren called.

  He stood near his desk, fully clothed and gloves back in place.

  Right. She had shared a bed with Ren last night. And he had a secret stash of soap that he refused to share with anyone.

  Kai stuck his head in and barely concealed his surprise when he realized Ren wasn’t alone.

  “We’re leaving in a few minutes,” he informed them, trying not to look at her. “Get ready.”