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"Cas–"
The air crackled and I was a wall of shadows between my mate and the sound before I recognized the intrusion for what it was. I reformed and pulled my power back into me.
"Sorry!" Kree squeaked from the other side of the portal she'd made. Her hands were covering her eyes and her body was braced.
"You can lower your hands, Kree. Casimir and I are fully clothed."
"Oh, good." The golden-haired female relaxed her stance, but tension remained in her face.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"We have a situation."
Raven stepped closer. "With the fae from last night?"
"No. It's ... well, Draven sent me to get you both. No one's in danger. Well, he might be once Casimir meets him."
"Him?" I pressed. "Him who?"
She looked at Raven apologetically. "He says he's your betrothed and is demanding we produce you immediately."
White hot fury shot through my veins. "Raven will not be around any fae, especially one claiming to be engaged to her. Draven knows better than to summon us for something like that."
Kree ran her hands over her braid nervously. "Well, that's just it. He's not fae. He's a shifter. He says he works for Brokk. Draven can't get past his shields so he needs to verify who the male is."
I looked down at my mate who had become very still. "What's this shifter's name?" I demanded, having a feeling I knew it already.
"Nik," Raven answered before Kree could. "It's Nik."
‡ ‡ ‡
Kree created a portal directly to our closet so we could change into more appropriate clothing. The rigidity hadn't left my body since Kree had said the wordbetrothed.
Granted, it had only been some seven or eight minutes, but it surely had to be a record for biting my tongue when I wanted to rage at something. Preferably the shifter. While holding my sword.
Finished lacing my boots, I stood straight, watching Raven slide her feet into her own pair. "Who is he?"
"I told you, he works for my father."
"To you, Raven."
She stilled, only a moment, then went back to tightening her laces. "A friend."
Not a lie since it slid smoothly past her lips, but her tone was off. "What kind of friend claims to be betrothed to someone when they are not?"
Raven stood and faced me. "I assume the kind who is trying to get to the bottom of something and needs to know I'm alright."
I moved close, towering over her. "Have you fucked him?"
Her violet eyes clouded, mouth tightening. "Don't.”
Her answer left her tongue and speared through my heart. I followed her out of the closet. "Don't what? You obviously have."
"So? You've fucked Vera and acted like it was no big deal,” she shrugged and walked past me.
I followed her out of the closet. "I was never set to marry her. Can you say the same?"
Raven turned. "I can, in fact, say the same. I never once had any intention of marrying him. He was a close friend, one I cared about deeply. It grew into something else, but I never wanted it to be more than a short term relationship."
