My lips pressed into a tight line as I glared at her, a reluctant “yes” falling from my lips.
“Wait!” Emberly half-screeched. “Howdo you have his number? What aren’t you telling us?”
My scowl deepened, and I looked toward Kira. “How didyouknow that I had his number?”
She grinned at me, “I didn’t. Until just now. But Xander mentioned you leaving the tavern last night on a motorbike . . .”
“Raelyna Kingsley,” Finned half scolded. “You’ve been keeping secrets.”
“And I shall continue to keep them,” I replied, giving each of them a death stare. “Got it?”
A collective groan of frustration sounded from my friends, but I thanked the stars as none of them pushed the topic any further. Because if I was being honest with myself, I didn’t know where I stood on the topic of Callum anymore. And I wasn’t quite ready to explore it any further.
21
RAELYNA
Evidently,sleep was for the weak. Or at least . . . that’s what it seemed like when I finally rose from my kitchen table at an early hour in the morning. We’d been scouring the photos we’d managed to get for the duration of the night—searching for any further hidden insights or clues that would point us in the right direction.
It had been pointless.
We’d foundnothing.
My phone buzzed on the counter, then again. Then a third time.
And just when I thought it was done, it went off again.
For the love of—I stalked over to the island, picking up the device and checking the screen.
Luc: You’re expected to perform at Solis Court today.
Luc: And not only that, but it’s been two days since you’ve performed. I’d hate to think you already forgot yourreminder.
Because how . . . just how on Aurelia could I forget?I wanted to scream at the audacity of the male.
Luc: Don’t make me regret our deal.
Well, Luc . . . I, for one, already regret the deal.
Well, that’s only partially true. I was grateful that Orela was free from servitude. But that was the only aspect of the bargain I didn’t regret as I glared down at the mark inked on my skin.
Callum: Have you started looking for the answers you need?
My heart stuttered at the last text message I received, my mind flicking toward a certain RSG member whom I hadn’t seen since the other night. It was easy enough to tell myself I’d forgotten about him entirely after our last encounter.
But . . . I’d be lying to myself. Even now, my heart remembered the way he’d held back my hair, offering me support, the way it felt in his arms as he moved across the floor at the Festival of Brumalis, the way it felt to cut through Solis on his motorbike.Gods, why was I doing this to myself . . .
I tapped Callum’s message first, wondering how he’d saved his number in my phone before typing up a reply.
Me: You claim you’re not a stalker. Yet I don’t recall giving you my phone, so how is your contact saved?
His reply was near instant, the text bubble flickering on my screen in a way that excited me far more than it should have before the message came through.
Callum: I have my ways . . . And you’re avoiding my question.
A call filtered through before I had time to reply. I sighedas Luc’s name appeared across the screen, and my heart stopped in my chest, only this time in worry, rather than excitement.
“Yes?” I answered the phone in a less-than-enthused voice, although the lack of sleep wasn’t currently doing me any favors.
