Betrayal by Cyndi Goodgame Page B

was unusually quiet compared to our previous encounters. 
    “I aim to please!” His flippant attitude towards everything in front of others didn’t fool me.
    “Why are you so quiet?’  I just had to ask, didn’t I?
    “Thinking.”
    “About.”  I am troubling disturbed to ask this.  Men never answer my questions the way I wanted.
    “I might not be thinking things that are so cool to say in front of others,” he tried to surprise me.  He smiled “coolly” as he said it, still watching me too close, no one else.
        I decided to ignore it as much as I could.  “The Nyms are pliable and assured of our better etiquette on boundaries toward all, correct?”  There was a method to my madness whether they wanted to comply or not.  Eventually, with time, even the Fey would see that sharing space in the world doesn't mean everyone is out for the kill.  Changing Kin was the harder job.
    A larger smile played across his lips, “Pike was convincing.  They will rest, for now.”
    “For now means?” I crossed my arms across my front.
    “Until he goes back on his little hidden adventures.”
    Kin knew where or at least that Pike was sneaking around more than just his guard dog duties.  “He won’t.  I’ll talk to him.”  I’d check on Pike another time.  Pike let out the smallest grunt of displeasure.
    Kin’s eye raised a small bit with a virulent smile, “You will?” He crossed his arms mocking me and took a step closer causing Ian and Pike to sync in step with him.  “Be sure to whisper sweet nothings in his ear as you have mine and your precious treeboy prince.”
    Kin was baiting me and I refused to aid him in his stupidity.  The irony of their differences hit me.  Ian was a solid man where Kin was still searching for his wall to stand on.  Pike was the brittle wall that exemplified power, but without a meaning or purpose.  My hand flew out stopping both of Ian’s possessive arms that were snaking their way to my waist, “Kin, do you have any other business or are we done?”
    Did I help to make Ian appear solid and therefore because of my smaller link in their lives, make Kin and Pike weaker?  That would crush me.  I needed to define our friendships better to solidify their greater being.  I sound like Buddha or Ghandi but hey, they have great advice. Sometimes wisdom comes later, not early in life.  I feel like I’ve learned so much about people in general since coming to the Fey courts. 
    “Just one item of importance.  My father wishes to see you.  Give you back something that belongs to you.”
    Was he joking?  “Belongs to me?” 
    “He didn’t say what, so I don’t have the foggiest.  He said you may bring whoever you like with you for safety for he understands your first concerns coming to our court.”
    “Concerns, Kin. That’s what you call it.  He has some kind of agenda like you.  Wouldn’t you hope to convince daddy that you are in charge just a little or will you just continue to let him order you around?”
    His eyes turned dark with the indignant comment on my own part, but it would get results.  After an intense jaw clinching second of anger towards what I guess was aimed at me, he turned his glare to Ian.  “She has no idea.”
    Ian nodded in agreement siding with the enemy.  Traitor.
    I tightened my arms and glared back at both of them.  And this time my mojo was in swing.  I focused exclusively on what I wanted sort of aiming at each of them and stopping only seconds later.  I eyed Pike to see if he would side with the other two boys and found the same look staring at me.  He was with them.  So he joined them in my asinine power struggle I vowed to keep despite my naive dealings sometimes.  This mutual need to side with each other would get old fast if they were going to keep secrets together.
    When all three of them bent over and bowed in my direction, I felt a certain once again, naïve superiority.  They were all knowing of my