041 ※ Goats, Fae Kings, and Witches Who Can't Be Trusted

["Hahaha, you little horny boy. What did you eat?"] I asked him with a smirk, my tone playful as I leaned back in my chair.

He hummed in agreement, clearly in a good mood. ["A goat. It was delicious, but I'm still hungry."] He sighed dramatically, making his hunger seem like an eternal battle.

I couldn't help but chuckle. ["You're always hungry, Lume. How is everything going over there? Mama Vulkan okay?"] I raised an eyebrow, half-expecting him to tease me for even asking.

["You know she hates when you call her Vulkan, and you know it."] His voice was amused, but I could hear the affection for her in his tone.

["But she's the best mama ever. I swear, when she's angry, she practically erupts, like a volcano. So, honestly, Vulkan fits her perfectly."] I countered, smugly. I had this argument with Lume before, and I wasn't going to back down.

["Hahaha, you're lucky she didn't hear that."] He laughed, his voice warm with amusement. ["But seriously, how are you really? Are you okay there, with those faes? You know they can be tricky."] He poked gently, clearly concerned beneath the light teasing.

I sighed, rolling my eyes but not letting him see the worry behind it. ["For now, I'm fine. Everything's been... manageable."] I hesitated, wondering if I should say more, but ultimately decided against it.

["Did you meet the king?"] His voice dropped slightly, and I could tell he was careful with how he asked. The curiosity was there, but so was his protective instinct.

["Oh, I did."] I grimaced, leaning back and crossing my arms. "He's a hot fae male, no denying that. But, gods, he's a bastard." I paused for a moment, reliving the first encounter. ["And can you believe he lied to me when we first met? Like, seriously, he was the one who found me in that damn forest. I was practically a wild animal, out of my mind, acting like some savage. I was rude to him, but honestly, he deserved it. He really did."] I felt the anger resurface as I spoke, but I forced myself to keep it in check.

"He's so damn annoying too, you don't even know," I muttered under my breath. "And his inner circle... it's made up of some of the craziest faes I've ever met, plus a witch who's got some serious power. And get this, that witch knew my parents when they were still alive!" I felt a knot form in my stomach.

He gasped, his surprise evident. ["My gods, so the king is hot, huh?"]

I could hear the teasing in his voice, and I rolled my eyes, though I was secretly glad for the distraction. ["That's all you got out of that? You idiot, fire boy."] I was trying not to smile at how predictable he was.

["Oh come on, I'm just messing with you," Lume replied, laughing. "But seriously, what about this witch? Is she powerful? What's she doing in his inner circle? What kind of role does she play in all of this?"] He asked, his voice taking on a more serious note, and I knew he was genuinely concerned now.

I leaned forward slightly, trying to gather my thoughts. ["Is she powerful? Oh, she is, alright. I think she might be more dangerous than Kai. She's got a vibe about her, like she could destroy everything if she felt like it."] I took a deep breath, feeling a chill run down my spine. ["And she doesn't like me. I'm pretty sure she thinks I'm hiding something from them. If anyone's going to cause me problems, it's her. She's number one on the list of people I need to be careful with. Kai's number two, no doubt. And then there's his mother, Winter. She looks all innocent and sweet, but believe me, she's not as harmless as she seems."]

["Kai is the king's name? Huh, it suits a hot guy like him, I guess."] Lume chuckled, clearly amused by the thought, but I could sense his underlying curiosity.

I shook my head. ["Oh my gods, Lume. You never change."]

["What's the witch's name, by the way?"] he asked, still intrigued.

["She said her name was Samantha."] I didn't trust her one bit, but I wasn't about to reveal that. I knew Lume would take care of the rest.

["Samantha?"] He repeated slowly, as if testing the name on his tongue. "Okay, I'll look into it. You know I can get info on pretty much anyone, especially with my mom. She's so old, she probably knows a ton about this witch. Two questions though: Does she agree with the Witch Queen? And how does she look?"]

I glanced down, avoiding his gaze for a moment. ["No, she doesn't agree with the queen. She actually hates her, just like I do. As for her appearance, well... she's got long white hair, straight as a stick. Red eyes that practically glow, full lips, white skin, and a body that could make anyone do a double-take. She's taller than me too, if you can believe it."]

He clicked his tongue in disbelief. ["You witches and your unbelievable beauty. Seriously, it's not fair. And Ava," he added, his tone turning more serious, "if anyone tries to hurt you, just call out to our bond, and I'll fly as fast as I can to you. You know I would."

I bit my lip, holding back a smile at his protectiveness. ["Thank you, Lume. It means more than you know. But now, I really have to go. She's staring at me."]

["Who?"] Lume asked, his voice laced with concern.

I felt the air grow thick as I glanced at Samantha across the room. She hadn't stopped staring. ["Samantha!"] I said quickly, almost like a warning.

["Shit,"] Lume cursed under his breath. I could tell that he was already on alert, ready to jump in if needed.

["Yeah, shit."] I echoed softly, wishing more than anything that this whole situation would just go away.

His presence vanished from my mind, leaving a silence that felt too heavy. I turned the page of the book in my hands, trying to focus, but my attention was drawn to Samantha once again. Her eyes were still locked on me, those piercing, curious, and incredibly suspicious eyes.

I raised an eyebrow, trying to keep my composure. "What? Did you lose something on my face?" I asked, my voice calm but laced with tension.

Her expression didn't change. She tilted her head slightly, her gaze sharpening. "What are you doing, Avain?" she asked, her voice carrying an edge.

I froze. What did she mean by that? What was she really asking?