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“Time for something stronger.” Mara grinned sympathetically, motioning for the bartender. The whole pub must have been magic because only a few seconds later, two whiskeys were placed in front of Fern and Mara.
Mara tossed some of her long auburn hair over one shoulder and narrowed her eyes as she sipped her drink. After a couple of minutes, she sighed.
“All right, out with it, Fern. You’ve been moping since we got here, and I know you want to talk about it.”
Fern’s stomach churned, and it wasn’t the alcohol.
“Calum and I hooked up.” She swallowed thickly and couldn’t check for Mara’s response. It was silent for a second before Mara burst into laughter.
“Is that it?” She clapped her hands together. “Because, oh my god, that took you both long enough. Emmett and I had a bet going and…”
“That’s not it,” Fern cut her off. “Just now, and it was for the second time…wait. What do you mean, you had a bet going?” Fern turned to face Mara with a scowl. The stunning baobhan sith only raised a brow, unaffected by Fern’s stare.
“Darling,” she cocked her head to the side, “surely you’ve known that this was inevitable, no?”
“No! Oh my god,” Fern groaned, “I am so tired of being the last person to know everything.”
Mara’s face softened, and she put her arm on Fern’s shoulder. “You aren’t the last to know everything. Calum filled us in on everything that happened with the bean-nighe. You have answers to questions that we didn’t even think to ask.”
“Still,” Fern sniffled, “it’s not… That’s not what I’m saying. We hooked up for the second time, and I don’t think he wants anything more than that with me.” Fern’s voice got quiet, vulnerability seeping its way into her tone.
“Oh, no. Oh, no… That’s not it. I promise you that…that is not what is happening.” Mara stuttered over her words.
“What the hell!” Fern swore impressively under her breath and finished her drink. “I told him I chose him. He is what I want. He keeps telling me I can’t possibly know that.” Fern turned and looked Mara dead in the eye. “I know what I want. It took me years to figure it out, and it’s been a long time since I put my wants first, but I know now.” Fern swallowed and everything started pouring out of her at once. “Most people were always interested in Saoirse or Finley. I gave everything to raise them.”
“I know you did. You did a great job. I haven’t met Saoirse, but Finley is a great man.”
“That’s not what I’m saying.” Fern exhaled and pinched her brow. “Everyone has always been interested in them and… What if the first thing I want in all these years doesn’t want me back?” Fern’s voice cracked, and Mara pulled her into a hug.
“My sweet friend,” Mara sighed. She rubbed Fern’s back as she furiously wiped at the tears threatening to spill out. They stayed there for a few moments until Fern finally pulled back.
“What did Calum say to you before he left?”
“He told me to read these,” Fern scoffed, motioning to the messenger bag at her feet and waving down a server for another drink. “Can you believe that?”
“Yes,” Mara said easily, holding out her hand. “Let me see.” Fern shrugged and handed the heavy leather bag over to Mara.
“Go for it,” she grumbled.
Mara started reading the spines. “Let’s see… Mating rituals… Scottish fae society… Biology and the mating process…” Her eyes went wide. She let out a loud tirade of curses in Gaelic that earned her a ‘Slainte mhath’ from across the bar.
“Fern,” she grabbed the drink from Fern’s hand and stared at her, “did you look at these? Did you see what they said?”
“No.” Fern pouted and unsuccessfully tried to wrangle her drink back. “Why would I? I’m sure it’s something on the etymology of Scottish curses or some shit. It must be something that he wants me to study since we got the full wording of Gweyir’s spell.”
“Men are idiots,” Mara sighed dramatically, finishing her own drink and then Fern’s. “And academics, sometimes, aren’t much better.” Fern stared at her with a confused look on her face.
Mara handed one book to Fern. She ran her fingers over the gold-etched title, scanning the words.
“What is this? ‘An Analysis of How Faerie Mating Changes Biology’?” Fern looked insulted. “I already know this. Does Calum think I don’t?” She snapped her eyes to Mara. “There are more fae communities than just the Gaelic ones, and I studied this in the first few weeks after I learned about you all.”
“I forget how horrible academics are with their feelings.” Mara shook her head. “I’m going to take more mercy on you than Calum did. I think he’s trying to tell you something, Fern…” she motioned to the stack of books in her lap. “These are all about fae matings.”
“Oh my god.” Fern wobbled in her seat as she paled. “Does he… We’re not… Does that mean…?”
“Yeah, sugar-coating things has gotten you both nowhere, so I will not play that game anymore.” Mara’s smile turned cunning. “Yes, Dr. Calum Welsh, the deposed prince of the Seelie fae—and now your boss, which is so hot, by the way—is your mate.”
Fern gripped the sticky bar table to keep herself from sliding down the seat. Her heartbeat picked up in her chest, and she thought she might faint.
