“My Lord?” It was the maid he’d been talking to in the hallway, who stopped him. A few blonde curls creeping from her mob hat to frame a face that seemed far too angular to be human. Huge eyes dominated her face beneath that prominent brow. She had a small nose and a tiny bow mouth over a sharply pointed chin.

She wasn’t pretty but there was something mesmerizing about looking at her.

My attention averted back to Bodin standing between she and I.

His gaze had darkened purposefully on me, and he looked nothing like the boy I knew.

“Don’t forget your promise.” The maid whispered. Clasping her hands demurely before her.

What promise?

The thought danced through my mind that perhaps she and he were lovers. But seeing the way he was looking at me and had not yet even acknowledged her behind him made me doubt it.

But I recalled him touching her ear so intimately.

As he hid it. I tiny part of my mind argued.

Bodin’s eyes narrowed. His jaw tightened until that muscle ticked.

As if often does when he’s annoyed or impatient.

“I recall.” He announced. Rounding and exiting my chamber as quickly as he’d entered.

The maid bowed her head slowly in my direction as though I were some manner of royalty before gliding off behind him.

***

I slumped to sit on the edge of my bed.

“I’ll tell you a secret.” A tiny voice said quickly.

My eyes widened and I peered down near my ankles from where the wispy little voice had emerged.

From the dark corner of my bedpost, I could just see huge yellow eyes. I realized I was looking at a face turned sideways to look around the wooden leg.

“Who are you?” I whispered. Eying the door furtively.

“Vix.” She slipped out from the bedpost, and I saw she was only about a foot tall with pointed ears jutting from the top of her head. She walked on two legs but there was a long full tail dragging behind her. “I heard what you said.”

“What?” I stared at her stunned. Having never seen the like of her before.

“About foxes.” She stepped in-front of my feet, not even reaching up to my knees as she stared up at me through those glowing yellow eyes.

“I-I love them...”

“Me too.” She snickered. “They’s mine to tend for.”

“What?”

“I’s look after foxes. So, if you like them, you’ll surely like me!”

***

There was a booted footfall in the hall.

“Ssh.” She urged. Leaning forward to put a pointed claw over her mouth.

I peered at her in the blackness, but it was too dark to make out more than her shape. “What are you?”

“I’m a feydie fey of course.” She said as if I should know.

“Feydie Fey?”

“Feydie Fey.” She nodded decisively. “We’s all over this House. Cause ‘em he’s our Lord.” She gestured to the closed door.

“What?” I reared back as though she’d slapped me.

“You don’t know who he is?” Her voice rose.

“What the devil are you talking about?” I was eying the strange creature, wondering if I’d fair lost my mind.

“He’s the son of-”

“Vix!” I heard something call from outside my open shutters. I lunged over the creature and peered out but saw nothing there.

I turned and slumped down the wall, pushing my bangs back as I stared at the creature.

She slinked over and climbed up my leg to stand on my knee.

“It’s okay. He didn’t know who him was for a long time, either. But him knew him wanted you.” She pointed at me. “They say when a fey prince bonds with a woman he becomes part of her. And they are united by spirit.”

My jaw gaped. What kind of tea did I drink before bed?

***

I closed my eyes hard and when I opened them, Vix was gone, and the room was empty.

By the time morning light crept in my window, I was still wide awake. Unable to rest.

What was Vix?

Who was Bodin?

Why the Hell am I in this House? I suddenly was very curious as to why I’d never been to Charters House before. Despite how close our fathers had been it was always Lord Charters that came to Demetrius House.

I smelled eggs and either bacon or ham cooking. The scent wafting up the stairs to my chamber. I threw open my door and skipped into the hallway. Planning to head downstairs and determined to find answers.

Instead, I met the solid wall of Bodin’s chest just as I rounded the corner.

One of his hands encircled my lower back the other caught my hair and tugged it enough to tip my head back.

“Now, just where are you off to?”

I blinked huge blue eyes up at him. “Breakfast.”

“Grand. I was just coming to invite you.” He lowered his face to drop a soft kiss on my lips. Seeming nothing like the wrathful creature that had caught me spying on him last night.

Or had I dreamt all of that?

“Let’s go in search of food. I know how you become when left hungry.” He released me and turned but his hand somehow found mine. Wrapping it as he led me down the steps.

“I thought I might show you the grounds today?” He suggested.

“I think that’d be wise.” I gave him a sideways look. “I wouldn’t want to get lost.”

I already am. I don’t know what is going on?

Did he drug me last night?

“Bodin?” I asked slowly as we entered the expansive Dining Hall.

“Yes?” He pulled my chair out for me.

Sweeping back my cream-colored skirt I sat. Still watching him in his long-sleeved black silk shirt and matching breeches tucked into his boots.

He looked sharp, on point, and ready to verbal parry with me.

I wanted to outwit him and get some answers.

“What’s on your mind?” He took his seat and scooted a plate, already served, nearer him.

“Why have I never been here before.”

“Did you ask to be?” His gaze shifted to me.

“No.”

“Did you want to be?”

“Well, probably not.”

“Then why would my father have brought you here when you were perfectly content where you were?” He lifted a dark brow haughtily.

“Are you hiding something from me?”

He gave me a long look. His face unreadable. “Many, many things...”

What kind of chess are we playing?