Rem’s heart and navel spun simultaneously, watching him sit back down at his seat. He moved with such confidence, slowly leaning back down as he kept his eyes perfectly on her.
Nia added, “I bet you’ll be called to his den, soon, with how he’s acting now. I hear he’s very different when completely alone.”
Rem’s cheeks flushed. “Wait, do you think… Like… We’ll bealone?” Her eyes widened. “Oh, I, uh… Oh wow.”
Nia moved her eyes around, nodding her head in consideration. “I honestly havenoidea.” A beaming smile stole her face. “But you’ll make it work, if he does.”
Well, what was she to possibly do now? It was one thing to plan for this, and another to have himrespondingher. She had a feeling if he touched her, in any way, she’d be a goner. How was she to prevent her heart from mixing that up?
True guilt pitted in her stomach.
He had enemies in his shadows, and she knew all about them, and here she was, using him for her own gain. Could she possibly find a way to help OliverandRonan, at the same time?
"I need to learn more Icelandic,” Rem said, her playful subsiding.
Nia opened her mouth to speak but moved her head to look and frowned. "What are you doing here?"
Rem looked where Nia was facing, almost audibly groaning.
"I'm here for Rem," Deacon said, eyeing the Silver with caution as he approached their table.
14
THE OTHER SILVERS
R E M
Rem stared blankly at Deacon.It was odd to be facing her original captor while eating good food after lightly flirting with the very shifter Deacon took her to entice.
"What do you want?" Rem asked.
"You're being summoned last minute. Royal request."
Rem darted her gaze at Nia, clenching her fists.
"I should come, too," Nia interjected.
"No; they just want the Silvers. I'm not staying. Just collecting. Lothar stays behind as well,” Deacon said, crossing his arms.
"Wait, no. Why does he stay behind? I am not going by myself,” Rem challenged, the rush of icy nerves quick in her veins. “And what do you mean, royal request?”
"The Elders request it more than the Queen—royal request through the Elders. I just asked Ronan, and he approved of it. The Elders said to bring the Silvers alone, and you’re going to be with them for the rest of the evening."
Internally, everything told her to back away as far as possible from Deacon. "What for?" Rem asked with a crack in her voice, narrowing her eyes.
"Don't know; I am just the messenger. Stop asking questions and let's go."
Rem glanced at Nia, who looked Rem up and down with concern. "Are you alright, Rem?”
Not understanding how Rem was supposed to respond, she blinked rapidly before choosing to lie. “Yes, sure. I am fine. Of course, I am fine.”
Nia skeptically looked around, speaking with uncertainty, “Well, if Ronan approved… He's watching right now, so he'll stop it if it's not allowed."
Rem looked over at Ronan who was speaking with another, only his eyes moving to her when he must have sensed her. He seemed to understand and gave her a nod.
"Yeah… Yeah, you’re right," Rem replied, unconfident.
A whimsical part of her wished he’d just call for her to sit at his side for the rest of the night, maybe on his lap and he could breathe her in again… But that wasn’t happening. Rem hesitated as her blue eyes locked with Nia’s dark brown; she wanted to say something, to say anything that might tell the she-wolf to help Rem. Instead, she gave a weak smile and moved toward Deacon.
