It wasn’t until I heard other gasps and a few urgently spoken Fae words that I realized Dariyah’s friends were staring at something happening behind me. They backed up a few more steps, and Dariyah went with them, her mouth now curved into a malicious smile.
My stomach knotted. Anything that would make her happy did not bode well for me.
Chapter 10
My heart leapt into my throat as I stood and spun to look up the way I’d come with Faris. I expected to see a dozen bunneks coming to tear me apart, but I was greeted by the sight of Kaia making a beeline right for me. Her lips were pulled back into what I used to mistake for a snarl until I got to know her. She looked scary, but at heart, she was a big old softy.
When she reached me, she pounced, knocking me back down to the bench. Her huge paws rested on my shoulders, and she growled playfully before she rubbed her head against mine. I laughed and then sputtered when I got a mouthful of lamal hair.
“Kaia, down.” I pushed her away, and she fell back to all fours. Then she jumped up beside me on the bench where she seemed to notice the three females for the first time. She clearly didn’t like what she saw because she showed her fangs to them and hissed.
I scratched behind her ear. “Be nice.”
Faris returned and smiled at Dariyah and her friends before he looked at me. “Shall we continue our walk?”
I nearly jumped to my feet. “Absolutely!”
Kaia leaped off the bench, and the three females stepped back so fast I thought they would end up in the lake. I won’t lie and say I wasn’t a tiny bit disappointed when they stayed on dry land.
We resumed our stroll along the lake with Kaia walking beside me, and I didn’t miss the strange looks we were getting from people around us. I waited until we were out of earshot of anyone else to mention it to Faris.
“Why does everyone look like they’ve never seen a lamal before? Lukas said some are bred in captivity and domesticated, so Kaia can’t be the only one here.”
Faris looked over at the big cat. “She’s not. But what you probably don’t know about lamals is that they imprint on the person who raises them. They will tolerate family members and close friends, but they don’t often show affection for anyone except their owner. Everyone at court knows who Kaia belongs to. Her familiarity with you tells them you’ve spent a lot of time with her and Lukas.”
I made a face. “I’m guessing that won’t earn me many friends around here.”
“On the contrary. I’d say your status at court just shot up considerably.”
I could think of at least one person who wouldn’t be happy about that, but I didn’t mention her. The less I heard her name the better.
As if he knew what I was thinking, Faris said, “I heard part of your conversation with Dariyah. I was ready to come to your rescue, but I’m not surprised you didn’t need it.”
“Dariyah might be the resident mean girl here, but I’m a Brooklyn girl.” I tipped one corner of my mouth up. “And she hasn’t trained with Faolin.”
Faris laughed. “Or hit him with a wooden bat. And that was before you started your training.”
“Imagine what I’ll be able to do with even more training.” I paused. “Will you be able to train me here? It’s not against the rules or anything, is it?”
“Few rules apply to the royal guard,” he said without a hint of arrogance. “We assumed you’d want time to adjust before resuming your training.”
“God, no. When can we start?” The other faeries might enjoy this life of leisure, but I needed something more.
His eyes sparkled with amusement. “I’ll talk to Faolin. I’m sure he will appreciate your eagerness.”
Ahead, three children raced up a small hill under the watchful eyes of their parents. It reminded me of the conversation Faolin and I had on my first day of training.
I looked at the tall cliffs in the distance and shivered. “Faolin’s not going to make me run up a mountain, is he?”
“Not at first.” Faris grinned. “He’ll save that for a special occasion.”
I grimaced. “Forget I asked.”
* * *
The bell rang, announcing I had a visitor, and I smoothed down my hair as I ran to get the door. Lukas had said he’d be here for dinner, and it was nearing that time. I’d hardly seen him since we got to Faerie, and I was looking forward to spending the evening with him.
I swung open the door to a smiling Conlan, and the second I saw him, I knew Lukas wasn’t coming. My smile faltered, and I tried to mask my disappointment. The empathy in Conlan’s eyes said I hadn’t been successful.
“Is he still meeting with the king?” I asked in an attempt to sound nonchalant.
“The king is having a dinner party, and Vaerik’s presence is mandatory. Vaerik asked me to tell you that he won’t be able to eat with you tonight.”
I let out a long breath. “I guess not even the crown prince can say no to the king.”
Conlan sat on the couch. “The king can be demanding of Vaerik’s time when he is at home. It’s one of the reasons he likes to get away from court.”
I bit my lip. I was upset about not seeing Lukas, but he was the one who didn’t have any choice in the matter. I’d known when we came here that he had many responsibilities and obligations, and I couldn’t expect him always to be available for me.
What I needed was something to occupy my time and to not be dependent on Lukas and the others for everything. At home, I had my family, a job, and my independence. Here, I didn’t have to do anything, and I was already missing my life back in New York.
Conlan held up his hands. “Lucky you, you get to have dinner with us tonight.”
“Us?”
“Iian and Kerr will be here soon. They are bringing the food.”
I joined him on the couch. “You guys don’t have to keep me company. What about your own families?” Aside from Faris and Faolin being brothers, I knew nothing about their home lives or their families. Why was that?
“My mother and sister are at our home near the ocean,” he said. “My father is one of the king’s advisors, and that role keeps him very busy.”
His answer surprised me. “I thought all royals lived at court.”
He smiled and stretched out his legs. “Many do, but we all have family estates away from here. Some, like my family, prefer the quieter life away from court. Iian and Kerr’s family estates are near mine. Faris and Faolin’s home is in the Daerig Mountains, but they spent most of their lives here. Their mother is one of the king’s advisors, and their father is the head of court security.”
“Why am I not surprised that Faolin’s father is the head of security?” I said wryly. “Is he a ray of sunshine like his son?”
Conlan let out a laugh. “If you think training under Faolin is bad, you should have seen what Korrigan put us through. I don’t think a day went by in the first year of training that at least one of us didn’t throw up or pass out.”
“How old were you when you started training?”
“Ten.”
I gaped at him. “Ten?”