“Both are good points. Thank you for telling me. Really.”
He nodded. “I’m on your side. My clan is, and not just because of Hudson and…” He shook his head when I waved him to go on. “It’s not my place. Just talk to him.”
There was definitely something more to that, but I let it go. What he’d said was enough to think about, really mull over, and let sink in, and I’d had enough harsh truths lately. I didn’t need to go looking for more shit.
It always, always found me.
Neldor came out to watch towards the end of our one-hour session that was normally two hours but cut in half like Dr. Salzman told me to handle training. When we finished, he actually waved for my sword, frowning when I snorted at him and put it away. “I need to brush up on my skills.”
Then Mr. Rothchild snorted. “That’s great, Prince Neldor. Best of luck finding someone to handle that.”
Neldor’s eyes flashed shock. “You’ll train her, but not me?”
“Yes.” Mr. Rothchild smirked at him before glancing at me. “And I keep telling you to stop trying to pay me.”
“I haven’t,” I defended.
He rolled his eyes. “You sent another shipment from the co-op and bakery—”
“No, I didn’t,” I chuckled. “They do that all on their own, Mr. Rothchild. You guys protect me, help the hobgoblins, and your nieces are doing a fantastic job running HAVEN. They thank you all on their own. Tell them what you want, or they’re just going to keep sending stuff as they want. Trust me.”
“I’ll pass that along.”
“Thanks again. Tuesday?”
“Wait,” Neldor cut in. “Surely you can spare an hour at least?”
Mr. Rothchild finished packing his stuff away and hefted his bag on over his shoulder. “Yes, as I’m staying for breakfast, but I won’t.” He narrowed his eyes at Neldor. “Tamsin respected our ways enough to start with our lower trainer. You just assume you can jump in with the best of the Rothchild clan, and I like her. I don’t even respect you after how you’ve flapped your gums about sexism and treated her.”
And then he turned and walked towards the house, leaving the insult that Neldor was a hypocrite hanging the air. He was. He’d judged others, and supes, already about the sexism not getting better, fairies having queens and not allowing that… And clearly planning on mating me, as he was promised, and taking over.
Which I wasn’t sure was the plan. If queens always led, it would make sense I would have led and he’d have stood by my side.
So he was a power hungry douche who had taken the chance, the lie of unity, to seize power. Yeah, I was falling for that, like, never
“Agra, breakfast,” Darby called out the back door.
Neldor had gotten shut down and someone had ordered breakfast after a good workout? My day was definitely looking better than yesterday. I finished putting my stuff away and practically skipped to the back door, ignoring Neldor’s annoyed disposition.
“What did you order?” I asked Darby.
“I didn’t,” he muttered, stepping aside and letting me in. “Someone ran to the store.”
I wasn’t sure what was up with him, distracted by the heavenly smells… Until I recognized them. Craftsman. He’d gone to the store and was cooking in my huge kitchen. It looked as if he was making me all my favorites, like a full English and a bunch of others.
I didn’t even realize I was rubbing my chest until Darby leaned in and kissed my hair. He knew how much I’d missed this and having Julian around on breaks and weekends. He’d caught me staring at the stove or island so many times since we’d been back together.
And no, it wasn’t about my stomach wanting more food. It was about Julian and him caring enough about me to do something as sweet as making me breakfast.
When he had cared enough about me like that.
“Adding this crepe machine to your kitchen was genius, love,” Julian said as I finally got my feet to work. “I thought it overkill, but with all the fae fruit syrups the hobgoblins have stocked you up with, it’s perfect for you.”
“Yeah, and the batter’s super easy to make,” I muttered. “Plus, with all the jams, I just pile it all together when studying too. It’s not like they don’t keep or reheat.”
“They also work for savory.”
Mel snorted. “So we’ve learned. We kept using two crepes to make pulled pork wraps the last time we smoked a hog here. Damn, that was good. We need to get another hog soon.”
“Your stomach has always ruled you, Melody,” her dad teased.
“Pot. Kettle,” she threw right back. “Coffee?”
“Yes, you guys always have the super fancy good stuff.”
I snorted. More like super strong stuff that could put hair on someone’s chest simply from smelling it. I got jumpy just from sitting too close to Mel and Lucca when they drank it. At least Darby cut his with more cream. “We get it local, and I eat out a place there that’s got great everything. They see me and immediately start cooking food without spices, already knowing I can’t handle it. It’s super sweet.”
Mel snorted. “More like you buy out the cart for the whole day and tip well.”
“Yeah, apparently I’m a defective fairy like that.” I gasped, looking at Neldor, who could finally give me the answer. “Everyone’s been telling me since the beginning that fairies love spice, so I’m weird, but I’m normal about no caffeine. I could only find out about caffeine in journals, but not anything to tell me why I can’t handle spices. Have you ever heard of it?”
He glanced around, shaking his head. “Could be something from you being an unknown and those pills Dr. Salzman gave you? The medicine’s
