Page 46 of Welcome to Fae Cafe
Freida lifted the package from the door and shoved it against Kate’s chest. “This.”
Kate turned the package over in her hands. “I thought we weren’t supposed to talk about anything fairy related until knitting club?” she said as she tore it open.
“Oh, we’re not. I should cut your tongue out for bringing it up,” Freida admitted.
Kate made an odd laughing sound.
Freida didn’t seem like she was kidding.
A pink sweater tumbled out of the package when Kate tipped it upside down. She held it up, her thumb brushing over the snuggly yarn. A smile broke out across her mouth.
“Is this for me?”
Freida pulled her mail bag onto her shoulder. “It should do the trick,” she said.
Kate lowered the gift. “A sweater isn’t going to save me. I’ve successfully ticked off four fae assassins.” At the thought of those assassins, she stole a look both ways down the street.
“Yes, you certainly did. You’ll be the talk of the knitting club now.”
Kate’s face fell. “Can’t you please just tell me everything I don’t know about the fae?”
The woman rolled her eyes. “Or we could cut an apple in half and watch it turn brown. It would take less time.”
“Please? If you hadn’t told me about that book, I’d be dead already,” Kate said.
Freida raised a hand. “I didn’t tell you anything about that book.Youfound it and read it yourself. And ask your questions at knitting club,” she said. “I imagine you’ll live until then. Keep your sweater on.”
Freida chuckled to herself as she climbed into the post truck. She revved the engine and drove away without saying goodbye. At the end of the street, she turned left, and the post truck was swallowed into the city buildings.
Kate drew her gaze back to the café. It looked dark inside. Nothing moved, so she dug into her wallet for the key. She flinched when she pushed the door open and it struck the bell, as though it would alert all of Toronto that she was back in the café, ripe for a fae prince kidnapping.
All was still, all was calm. All the lights were still out. Kate relaxed.
Her sigh filled the storefront as she tossed her wallet on the nearest table and jogged up the stairs to her apartment to find a change of clothes. She raked her fingers through her messy hair.
When she reached the top, she pushed the door open and a startled, strangled sound escaped her throat.
A cold hand slapped over her mouth, and a set of mean green eyes appeared. The fae’s high-collared sweater smelled of freshly brewed coffee—no, Kate’sapartmentsmelled of fresh coffee.
“Do you want to alert the Prince to where you are, Human?” The white-haired fae asked from the kitchenette as he sauntered over. He looked to the fae with the high collar and said, “Take it easy, Dranian. You’re going to scare her.” ButDraniandidn’t move his hand from Kate’s mouth. So, the white-haired fae smacked Dranian’s hand off.
Kate gaped at the three fae assassins in her apartment. The curly-haired one with brown and silver eyes sat at the island, sipping from a chipped mug Kate had bought at a yard sale last year. He grimaced after he took a drink.
“What are you doing here…?” Her gaze took in the spilled coffee grounds covering the counter, the puddle of coffee water on the floor, and the heap of wet coffee filters that all seemed used. Tiny piles of random things were strewn between it all: coins, straws, jewelry, etc.
The white-haired guy shrugged when he saw Kate looking at the piles. “I steal things,” he said.
“What do you mean, what are we doing here?” Dranian took a threatening step toward Kate. “Youcommanded us to protect you from the Prince of the North!” he growled.
“Seriously, settledown, Dranian.” The white-haired fae folded his arms. “It’s not like she had a choice. You were going to snap each of her bones in half, one at a time.”
“I would have let Cress do it,” Dranian mumbled to the white-haired fae, who grinned.
Kate looked between them, hyper aware that her door was only a short sprint away. But the auburn-haired fae’s words cut through the tension in her brain and sank in.
“Wait… you’re here to protect me?” she asked in disbelief.
“Prince Cressica is planning to come here for you. Mor heard him say it.” The white-haired fae nodded to the curly-haired fae at the island. “Do you think we’re here by choice, pesky little Human? We were compelled to come. And we waited all night for you, but you never returned home.”
