Page 89 of Thorns of Frost
“Then what would you have us talk about? The Trial? The test today? My wonderful performance?”
He laughed when I batted my eyelashes. “You blew the other three away. I had no idea you’d mastered such control of mistphasing.”
“I had to. Without wings...” I shrugged. “I needed to learn how to travel, and mistphasing was the only solution.”
He eyed my bare back. “It is peculiar that you lack wings. I’ve never met another Solis without them.”
“Be careful, Lord Crimsonale, or you may offend me.”
He chuckled. “Something tells me you’re not easily offended.”
I sighed. “You may be right. Many fae have singled me out because I’m different. I’ve grown used to it.”
“I wasn’t singling you out, and I certainly wouldn’t whisper about you like the commoners were at the test.” He took another sip of his champagne, a genuine frown knitting his features.
A moment of doubt hit me at his sympathetic response. It looked...sincere.
Months ago, my initial impression of Michas had been mostly positive at the Betrothal Ball, even though I hadn’t been sure if I could trust him. But Cailis’s truth affinity had warned me to be careful. Michas was too gray to fully trust...
I shook my head. Everything had always been convoluted with the young Crimsonale.
Stepping closer to him, I studied his expression. “You know, I’ve been wondering if you’re kinder than your father. He would no doubt gloat if he saw the Solisarium citizens ridiculing me.”
Michas studied me over the rim of his glass. “Back to my father, I see.”
“Can you blame me?”
“Why do you want to speak of him?”
I scrunched my eyebrows together. “Can I be as frank with you as we were the night of the Betrothal Ball?”
His lips quirked up. “I don’t see why not. There’s something about you that just begs me to be honest.”
Hopefully, that’s true. “In that case, what does your father have against the king?”
“Back to this...”
“In all fairness, you’re the one who started this conversation when we first met. You can’t be annoyed now just because I’m curious.”
His wings ruffled slightly. “But that was before.”
“Before what?”
“Before I knew you were the prince’s mate.”
I arched an eyebrow as a cold breeze drew goosebumps from my skin. “So you believe since he’s my mate that you can’t speak freely with me anymore?”
“I believe that the prince is loyal to his father, and since you’re the prince’s mate, I’m assuming by default that you will also be loyal to the king.”
I sucked in a breath. Michas Crimsonale, for all of his tactile maneuvers, didn’t seem truly evil like his father, even if he did have a competitive history with the crown prince, so I decided to throw caution to the wind.
“What if neither of us was loyal to the king?” I said quietly.
Michas’s drink paused halfway to his lips. “What game are you playing now?”
“No game. I simply gave you a statement, and I’m curious what your response will be.”
He brought his glass to his lips and sipped slowly, his gaze locked in scrutiny. “If neither of you were loyal to the king, I would ask why not.”