Her face goes slack. Apparently, she knew he was a Faerie, but she didn’t realize which Faerie.
Brahm inclines his head toward her. “Pleased to make your acquaintance.”
Visibly shaking herself out of her stupor, she drops into a curtsy. “Glad to meet you as well. Shall I seat you in the main room, or would you prefer something private?”
“Private, please,” I say immediately. It’s another reason I chose the teahouse.
“Of course.”
As we follow Callie through the room, Brahm leans close and whispers, “Embarrassed to be seen with me, Alice?”
I turn to him, ready to defend myself, but I stop short when I see the unexpected humor shining in his eyes. Instead of answering, I nudge his shoulder, wordlessly telling him to behave.
We walk past a grizzled, older man roughly the size of a bear who’s dining with a petite woman who I assume is his wife. He watches us, narrowing his eyes at Brahm with a fruit danish halfway to his mouth.
The next table holds three young women, all dressed for a day on the town. They, too, watch Brahm, but their eyes are hungry, and they look seconds from leaning their heads together and giggling like young girls.
Thankfully, I recognize no one.
“Here we are,” Callie says as she escorts us into a small room with a large picture window that looks out on the bustling street. Gentle, lazy snow falls on people as they go about their business. They carry packages and parcels and hurry to and from waiting buggies and carriages.
I’ve been at Brahm’s estate for almost a month now. In just a few more weeks, it will be Year’s End. For the first time ever, I won’t have any family to spend the holiday with.
Nor will I be home. I’ll be in Rose Briar Woods, where it’s eternally late spring, right on the cusp of summer. And I doubt the Fae celebrate human holidays anyway.
“You’re thinking very hard about something,” Brahm says as he surveys the menu Callie gave us before she left.
“I went ice skating with Gustin last year about this time.” I watch the people as they pass by outside the window, feeling a painful tug at my heart. “Grandmother passed away that summer. It was the first holiday season we spent alone.”
If I can’t secure Gustin’s freedom, it might be our only holiday.
Brahm sets the menu down, clasping his hands on top as he gives me his full attention.
“Afterward, we came here and had hot chocolate and the yule log Callie’s mother makes. It’s delicious.” I turn to him, working up a smile. “It was a good day. One of the very few good memories I have with Gustin.”
“I’ve heard of ice skating,” Brahm says, “but I’ve never seen it.”
“The pond in the middle of Danson Park is shallow, and it freezes over early in the year. About this time, they clear it and set up stands where you can rent blades that attach to your boots. Local businesses construct booths and sell spiced wine, squares of chocolate nut fudge, and candied apples.”
A sob builds in my throat, taking me completely unaware. I choke it back, looking away.
“Are you all right?” Brahm asks gently.
“I’m sorry.” I laugh as I blink furiously. “I don’t know what’s gotten into me.”
He pulls a handkerchief from his pocket and offers it to me. “According to Regina, it’s called homesickness.”
I dab the cloth to my eyes. “I didn’t realize what it would be like to come back and not feel as if I belong.”
“This is your home, Alice. Of course you belong.”
“I have nowhere to go, no one to even spend the holiday with.”
“Alice.” Brahm watches me carefully. “When a human barters with a Faerie—when he makes a bargain or a wager—magic binds the agreement. It becomes a vow that’s very difficult to break. However, if you can think of any reason why Gustin’s wager was unjust, please tell me. Let me give you back your home.”
Brahm might as well pull the mask from his pocket and proclaim he’s my bandit. Why is he being so transparent?
But I told him I would play along, and I will. Even if it’s terribly frustrating.