Freed (Imprisoned by the Fae 3)

And now I have it.

No. This is bad. So, so bad. How do I tell Jim that I’m in love with someone else? When Rys went to such great lengths to bring Jim to Faerie, almost like he wants to just get rid of me?

I think that’s what hurts the most. That I was willing to be anything to Rys, even if I couldn’t be his ffrindau, and all along he was arranging for Saxon to give me Jim.

A gift, he called it.

Yeah.

I can honestly say that I preferred my box of paints and the rolls of canvas he gave me.

When the knock finally comes, I’ve been expecting it. I just thought it would’ve come a little sooner.

It’s been about fifteen minutes since I dashed upstairs. Fifteen looooong minutes when I peeked out of my window and wondered if there was any way I could hop out and not hurt myself. I figure, I survived being thrown into the oubliette twice, not to mention the steep fall when me and Morgan walked right into the redcap’s pit trap. I should be all right.

Of course, I’d also be a way bigger coward than I already am. So, yeah. I don’t run, even if the idea of taking off is pretty tempting.

I’m sitting in the middle of my bed, my legs folded underneath me, my heavy head resting in my hands. At the gentle knock, I sigh and slowly scoot toward the edge of the bed.

I don’t ask who’s out there. Why? Either way, this isn’t going to be fun. I just need to suck it up and hope that I can try to explain… everything.

I yank open the door, an apology halfway to my lips. I choke on it, though, when I recognize the Seelie waiting in the hall.

Saxon still looks like crap. Up close, I notice that his normally bronzed skin is still more of a sickly yellow, his golden eyes underlined with dark circles that, for once, make him seem less than perfect. If he was feeling any better, I have no doubt he’d pull on a glamour so that he didn’t let me see him like this.

I try not to wince. Something—or someone—has definitely done a number on him.

“May I come in?”

Can I really stop him? Even in this bad of shape, he’s still way more powerful than I am.

I step aside, allowing him to cross the threshold into my room. As he does, I can’t help but wonder, “Where’s Rys?”

“You ask about him first. Interesting.”

I’m immediately defensive. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. Just an observation.” Saxon waits until I’ve walked back to my bed before he turns, closing the door behind us. He leans up against it. I’m not sure if it’s because he wants privacy or because he’s still hurting, but I keep quiet so that I don’t accidentally offend him. I mean, he is still fae. “To answer your question, Elle… Rysdan has left the manor.”

Of course he has. Why should I have expected anything else?

“What about…” God. I can’t even say his name.

“Your human mate?”

“Yeah. I guess.”

“Before he left, Rysdan escorted him to his room—”

“His room?” It comes out like some kind of strangled squeal. “Rys’s room?”

“No. One of the spare rooms that he keeps for guests on the first floor.”

“Oh… oh. Okay.”

That’s a relief. I don’t know why I thought Rys would put Jim in Rys’s bedroom, but the idea of my… whatever using the same bed that I slept with Rys in… yeah. Not good. It’s almost as worrying as the sudden idea that either of the males would think he should share mine with me.

Saxon can tell that I’m this close to losing it. “It’s for the best,” he says, using the same no-nonsense voice he did when he was the guard and I was the prisoner. “Rysdan explained that you just needed a moment to yourself. He brought the other human to the room he’ll be using, while I came up here to check on you.”