Chapter 17
“Are we just back to square one, then? Since Bandthral was a bust?” I asked Liam and Audrey a couple of days later.
We were all in the office of my coffee shop, and Audrey was massaging my shoulders.
Training that morning was rough, but the good news was that I was able to roll a massive Liam off of me with success.
He tried pinning my body to the ground with his entire weight, but I stuck my arm out above my head and rolled, using it as leverage to throw him off.
Audrey and Liam were excited by that move, confident in the fact that most Hyvenmerians wouldn’t expect a human to accomplish such a feat, which would work in my favor, should I need it.
“I couldn’t find anything useful,” Liam replied as he sipped the cold brew I made for him.
He was manspreading on my office loveseat as he hummed his appreciation for the lavender syrup I added to it.
“Caelena was eager, but a little too eager.” Pink stained his cheeks.
“I couldn’t figure out how to encourage her to take me anywhere important without actually…
” Liam shook his head as he stared down at his drink.
“Why didn’t you just go for it?” I asked Liam, wincing when Audrey’s grip on me tightened even more.
“I’m going for a run,” Audrey randomly announced, obvious irritation lacing her words. Liam and I both stared at her wide-eyed as she called over her shoulder, “I’ll be right back.”
I waited until Audrey’s heavy footfalls led her outside the back door of my coffee shop, and when the door slammed closed, I leaned forward in my chair. I folded my arms and rested my elbows on the desktop as I gave Liam my best stern expression.
We fell into silence, and he seemed very unbothered by it. I was staring daggers at him for what felt like five solid minutes before I finally groaned and broke the silence for us.
“Can you just fuck each other already?” I asked him. Liam choked on his cold brew but managed not to make a mess of himself as he turned to stare at me wide-eyed.
“I beg your pardon?” he gasped out, pounding his chest with his fist.
“You’re both clearly into each other. It’s been years. Why haven’t you done anything?” I was tired of playing around with this. Liam blushed again as he flattened his lips together.
“It’s complicated,” he muttered.
I lifted an eyebrow at him in disbelief. “Are you saying that you aren’t interested in her? Because I’m calling bullshit—”
“You cannot fathom how very interested I am, Van,” Liam interrupted me, “Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.” He frowned at his drink as one large hand rose and rubbed his chest absentmindedly.
“Why? What’s holding you back?” I pressed. Liam glared at me, but I held my ground. My friend was sexually frustrated, and if Liam was “very interested,” then I didn’t see why he hadn’t gone for it yet. What was stopping two consenting, age-appropriate adults from—
Fergus’s longing expression at his birthday party floated to the forefront of my mind, and it clicked.
“You’re waiting for your mate,” I whispered.
Liam’s light blue eyes drifting over to me were all the confirmation I needed.
Oh my god, were all the men in Hyvenmere hopeless romantics?
“That’s so messed up,” I scolded Liam with a point of my index finger.
“You need to turn her down gently. Let Audrey move on. Give her space. Let her meet someone else if—”
“Audrey is mine,” Liam practically growled the words, which made every muscle in my body lock up. “I knew it the moment I laid eyes on her, curled up behind her library, confused about her new powers.” I sat up and leaned back in my chair, anxiety filling my chest at what he was saying.
“Audrey is your mate…” I didn’t ask; it was obvious at this point. How did I miss that?
“Yes.” Liam nodded once. “Why else would I leave my sister on her own, to deal with the politics of my territory, so often? Audrey is powerful; she can easily protect both of you on her own without my assistance.” He gained a few extra points in my book by acknowledging how Audrey didn’t need a big, strong man in her life.
“But it physically hurts to stay away from Audrey too much. I was hoping that the longer she spent in Hyvenmere, the more the realm’s magic would fuse with her cells, producing the same pull I feel for her every time—” He cut himself off, shaking his head.
“Unfortunately, our hearts are still out of sync. I’m terrified that while she is my mate, I might not be—” he groaned and scraped a large hand down his face.
I didn’t know what to say to that. This man had just admitted to hopelessly pining for my best friend for years, holding himself back, because he was waiting for her to feel the same magical pull that he felt.
I drummed my fingers on the wood of the desk. “Have you ever considered that because she’s half human, she won’t ever feel the same pull as you?” Liam hummed as he leaned back on the loveseat and stared at the ceiling.
“Yes. However, every other mated halfling that has fae blood has eventually felt the pull—but it only took them a couple of months to establish.” Then Liam snapped his head up to me, “You cannot tell Audrey yet.”
I scoffed and said, “I’m obviously going to tell her immediately.”
“No, Van,” Liam argued. “Audrey already has too much to balance right now. Taking an important title from Ilia. Ensuring the gates stay open. She’s even worrying about the missing sirens.
I don’t want to add to her list of concerns.
If she truly wants to be with me, I want her to be without the obligation of how—how unbearable my need for her is.
” Liam gave me a pleading look. “Please, promise me that you won’t tell her. ”
I groaned in irritation at him. “We can’t just keep this from her forever.
She deserves to know. She deserves to have all the information available to her.
I know what it’s like when someone you trust keeps big secrets from you—” I gave him a pointed look, and panic rose in his features. “So, I’ll make you a deal.”
“Anything,” Liam agreed.
“I won’t tell Audrey that you think she’s your mate, but only if you promise to tell her yourself.” Liam stared at me, his expression marred by conflict, as unease created fine lines around his eyes. I didn’t back down. I kept my expression cool but stern as I waited for his response.
“Fine,” Liam muttered after several unbearable moments of silence. “Fine. Agreed.”
“What are you agreeing to?” Audrey’s voice echoed down the hallway, seconds before she walked through my office again. Liam and I gave each other a look before I chimed in.
“I agreed to be a little nicer to him.” I grinned at my best friend. “Since we’re working together to help you bring peace to the realms and whatnot.”
Audrey smiled, looking between the two of us. “Really?” I nodded while Liam mouthed thank you to me behind her back. I raised my eyebrows at him in a silent reply, uphold your end of the deal.
Audrey plopped herself down next to Liam on the loveseat, rubbing her hands together.
“I had an idea while I was on my run.” Audrey didn’t even look sweaty, as if going on an impromptu run didn’t ruin her hair or energy level at all. Must be the fae side of her. “Since we have no leads, we need to confront Ada about what the hell is going on with Ilia and the nereids.”
“I’ve been thinking the same thing,” Liam admitted before draining the last of his cold brew.
He held the empty glass up at me in silent appreciation and continued, “I would be genuinely shocked if Ada felt influenced or manipulated by Ilia at all. I wonder if the rumors she’s heard in her unit aren’t fully biased. ”
“Also, I just really miss Enhavenn,” Audrey sighed. “It’s so beautiful there. It’s my favorite city in Hyvenmere.” I lifted an eyebrow at Liam, acknowledging that this must be good news for him, but he ignored me.
“Are there any fae mating rituals we could crash?”
Liam snorted. “That was last month for us.” I was mostly joking, but it brought me joy that mating rituals were such a normal thing in his realm.
“Additionally, we don’t need a formal reason to visit my sister.
I’m her brother, and she already loves Audrey like a sister.
” Well, thank god for that, I thought to myself.
“Let me check my calendar, and I can go with you, if you want.” I lifted a shoulder as I pulled my phone out of my jeans.
“You’re always invited to join me in Hyvenmere, Van.” Audrey grinned. “God, I love that you’re in on all of this.”
“You’re preaching to the choir, my friend.
” I scoffed, quirking my lips to the side in mild annoyance that my empty calendar reminded me that Drew and I hadn’t been able to nail down another date quite yet.
I had fun dancing with him, and I swore he had fun, too, based on those sexy texts we’ve exchanged since.
“How about tomorrow? We have no events, which means Shane will be able to handle running this place without me.”
“Works for me.” Audrey nodded.
“It’s settled.” Liam clapped his hands together and stood from the loveseat. When he reached down to grab his empty cold brew cup off the arm, he lifted it at me with a sheepish expression. “Can I have another?”
I rolled my eyes but pushed myself away from my desk, not wanting to admit that he enjoyed my recipes. “Sure, big guy.”
“Wow, you were serious about being more cordial.” Audrey grinned. “Thank you.”
“I wish I had more answers for you,” Queen Ada said as she bent to admire a pale pink rose with a deep inhale.
We were wandering through her gardens in the back of the courtyard.
The sun was setting, already hidden beyond the horizon, inviting a deep blue to take the place of the pinks and oranges that danced in the clouds when we first arrived.