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“Yeah. I can’t put my finger on it. It’s like a memory of a memory in the back of my head.” His keen eyes sparkled as we continued to walk. A lot of people took Mad Dog for either a brainless muscle-head or an affable warrior, but he was rather observant. He wouldn’t be alive otherwise. “What do you know about her parents? You’re her mate, right?”
“Honestly, Ayla herself doesn’t know about them.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s a shame.” The slightly older soldier squared his shoulders. “Well, we’ll just have to be pack for her.”
We didn’t have that relationship, exactly, but he was making me want to hug him. “I guess we will.”
Once Mad Dog and I returned from our run, my mind indeed felt clearer. I went from feeling too big in my skin, thoughts rattling around my head, to feeling much more prepared to face the foibles of the court.
I wasn’t getting anywhere with military help for Canid, but Iwasgetting a better handle on what was happening behind the scenes to screw us over. If I cleared a few lines and streamlined some supply requisitions, I could get much more…
But when I returned to my quarters to see Oren standing outside of it, at attention, I got the impression I wouldn’t have a full evening of reports.
“Yvonne requests your presence again.”
“She does already?” It was a single day. I’d hoped things would go fast, but it seemed far too short for anything productive to have happened.
“That’s the word.”
I needed to talk to Ayla, but I had no idea where she was. Well, since she didn’t have a schedule or any specific duties, I guessed she’d likely be in the same library I’d found her in before.
I didn’t have time to dress in a disguise, but at least I could change into some casual, not royal clothes.
Maybe a hat?
“I’ll go collect Healer Everton. Do you want to prepare our transport?”
“Yes, sir. I’ll get on it. Sundown again?”
I nodded. “That sounds good to me.”
With that, the two of us split up, both going along with our own duties, and after about fifteen minutes, I was heading to the library I’d kissed my mate in.
It wasn’t the worst thing in the world, but it was like a bucket of cold water above my head to see Ayla wasn’t alone, and this turned to downrightfrigidwhen I realized the flirty fae from before was there.
“Your Highness,” Aodin said, standing and giving me a bow. “I didn’t recognize you in your, uh, unusual garb there.”
“That would be the point of it,” I said tersely.
“I hope no one else saw you heading here, plain clothes or not,” Darla remarked. “Kind of the last thing we need right now.”
Before I could ask what she meant, Ayla stood up and sent me a warm smile that made me forget about the more distressing feelings ricocheting around my chest.
“I’ve got plenty more books to read now,” she said happily, looking genuinely pleased. I did like seeing her happy, even in the proximity of a diplomatic fae I didn’t trust. “Aodin helped me find some sources on spells of fae origin I’m pretty excited to research.”
Oh? The well-dressed Playboy was being useful? Well, it went a long way toward me tolerating his presence.
“That’s wonderful,” I said, and I meant it. “I was just stopping by because our friend in the city requested our presence again.”
“Already?”
“Apparently.”
“O-okay.” Ayla shook her head, like she was reordering her thoughts around the news. “Same as before?”
