26. Chapter 26 #2
“I prefer delightfully unrestrained. Besides, I was forging. For a noble cause. I have my own sword now. Do you have your own sword?”
“You’re lucky no one took advantage of you in this state. Some fae have a taste for foolish, reckless mortals.”
Ren tilted her head, grin widening. “Oh? And are you one of those fae, Your Royal Highness?”
Kaelin narrowed her eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Right,” Ren muttered, swaying.
Kaelin grabbed Ren’s elbow, steadying her with a surprisingly gentle grip. “Come. You’re going to trip over your own pride next.”
“I’m shocked,” Ren drawled as they turned down the corridor toward her room. “Why soil your precious reputation for helping me? A mere mortal? Filth, vermin…what else have I been called? Useless? ”
Kaelin was quiet for a beat, her gaze fixed forward as she led Ren to her door. Then, she asked, “Why are you staying when it’s obvious you’re not welcome here?”
Ren let out a bitter laugh. “I’m not a complicated person.
The answer is simple. It’s because I need the coin.
Unlike you, I wasn’t born with a title or the luxury of choice.
I just want to get far away from here. But I can’t do that without money.
Everything comes with a price.” Ren’s lips curled into something that was almost a snarl.
“Tell me, Your Royal Highness. Have you ever struggled a day in your life?”
“More than you think,” Kaelin answered.
Ren huffed out a short laugh, the bitterness softening into something almost playful as they stepped in front of her door.
“Gods, you’re impossible. You know…” She gave Kaelin a deliberate wink.
“I’m beginning to enjoy pushing your buttons.
Maybe I’ll stay just for that little bit of entertainment.
Do we need to sign a contract for that, too? ”
Kaelin’s gaze slid to her, assessing, but there was the faintest twitch at the corner of her mouth, as if she were holding back a smile. “Let’s get you to bed before you say something even more ridiculous.”
“Ridiculous? I’m making perfect sense.”
“Of course you are. Which is exactly why you need sleep, because you clearly have no idea what you’re saying.”
Ren fumbled with her keys, dropping them once, then again, before finally jabbing the wrong one at the lock. “Saints, I swear the fae cursed these things.”
“Mortals don’t need curses to be clumsy.”
Ren leaned a little too heavily on Kaelin as they entered her room. “You’re lucky I’m drunk, or I’d have the perfect comeback for that.”
“Mm, I’m counting on it.”
“Well, you’re still a frigid, royal pain in my ass.”
Kaelin’s fingers lingered a moment longer before letting go. “And you’re still a fool who clearly doesn’t know when to stop drinking.”
By the time they reached Ren’s bed, her steps had slowed, the flush of rum fading into something quieter, more tender. The room flickered with soft light from enchanted sconces, casting gold across the wood paneling .
“You don’t have to tuck me in. I’m an independent, grown ass woman,” Ren muttered, trying to tug off her boots with far less grace than she’d like.
“And yet,” Kaelin said coolly, stepping in front of her, “you can barely walk in a straight line.”
After three failed attempts of taking off her boots, Ren gave up with a huff and switched to pulling the tie from her braid instead. “Must be your ego. Throws off my balance every time.”
Before Ren could protest, Kaelin sank gracefully to her knees, deft fingers brushing against Ren’s ankles as she reached for the boots. “Hold still before you topple over and embarrass yourself further.”
Ren jerked her foot back. “Hey! I’m a grown-ass woman,” she repeated, pointing vaguely at her own chest. “I can take off my own boots.”
“You could scarcely climb the steps. You talked to them.”
Ren opened her mouth, closed it, then tried again. “That’s beside the point.”
Kaelin finally lifted her gaze, one pale brow arching. “You held a full conversation with the stairs.”
Ren gawked. “Were you watching me?”
“Yes,” Kaelin said without an ounce of shame. “You were very loud. I’m certain the entire palace heard your drunken humming.”
Ren sputtered. “They should be honored to hear my voice.”
Kaelin tugged another boot free and set it neatly aside. “It was off-key.”
Ren flicked her hair over her shoulder with drunken dignity. “We’ll have to agree to disagree.”
“No. You will disagree, and I will be correct.” Kaelin rose smoothly to her feet, dusting her hands as if the task had soiled them. Pausing at the door, she glanced back over her shoulder, voice dry. “It’s polite, you know, to say thank you .”
Ren’s braid slipped free, auburn waves cascading down Ren’s back.
She didn’t miss the way Kaelin’s eyes lingered.
Ren snorted, sprawling back against the mattress.
“Yeah? Then thank you kindly, now piss off. Go do whatever it is you do in your free time. Scheme, spy, alphabetize your grudges – whatever makes your cold heart happy.”
Kaelin leaned a shoulder against the doorframe, arms crossed. “I’ve seen less refined creatures stumble into this room with more charm. ”
Ren met Kaelin’s gaze. “Why are you always testing me?”
“Because mortals always act in their own interest. Your kind would trade trust for advantage if they could.”
“And you think I’m like that?”
“I think you’re dangerous precisely because I don’t know.”
“Maybe you should just try to get to know me instead of scheming around me.” Her mouth curved in a humorless smile. “I’m pretty awesome once you get to know me.”
“You’re drunk. You don’t know what you’re saying.”
“And you’re deflecting. Did I hit a sore spot?
” Ren leaned in, her words low and laced with venom.
“Someone must’ve done something truly terrible to you, to make you this distrusting.
” She gave a slow shrug before stretching out among the pillows, crossing one leg over the other with deliberate ease.
Her gaze raked over Kaelin, cool and unhurried. “Or maybe you were born that way.”
“Or maybe,” Kaelin said softly, “you know nothing of the brutality of the fae.”
Ren gave a humorless laugh, the sound brittle. “Oh, that’s where you’re wrong. I’ve got an idea. Two months ago, I was shackled to a wagon on my way to the butcher’s block because of the fae. So don’t tell me I don’t know your kind’s brutality. I’ve seen it up close.”
Kaelin’s mouth tightened. “That was… unfortunate. Things like that happen when order must be kept.”
Ren’s eyes narrowed, fury flashing hot. “ Order ?” Her voice cut like a blade. “If chains and butcher’s blocks are your idea of order, then maybe your kind doesn’t deserve to survive at all.”
“Careful. Words like that tread close to something worse than insolence. Something that sounds very near treason.”
“Isn’t treason for subjects? Last I checked, I’m not one of yours.”
Kaelin’s lips curved, the faintest edge of mockery in her smile. “You’ve lived in Vaelaran territory long enough. That places you under our domain,” she bared her teeth, the expression caught between a grin and a snarl, “whether you like it or not.”
Ren went to retort, but Kaelin was gone, leaving only the scent of jasmine and frost behind.
Ren glared at the empty doorway. “Yeah, well, your domain can kiss my mortal ass.”