Dark Promise (Between Worlds #1)

  Chapter Sixteen

  The next day when Lena came, she said, “Varwik said you could walk around the gardens today, if you’d like, as long as I accompany you.”

  “Gee, how nice of him,” I said sarcastically, turning another page in Romeo & Juliet. I was almost done with it.

  “You shouldn’t be like that,” Lena told me gently. “He’s giving you some freedom. You should be grateful.”

  “I wouldn’t call it freedom,” I told her without looking up from the words on the page. I fingered the corner of the page for a moment before turning it down. “But I guess I’ll take what I can get.”

  A few minutes later, I was out in the sun, taking in the beauty around me. I could hear a bunch of low male voices ahead and followed the sound. Through the leaves, I spotted Kallan with three other faery men. They were standing in a group with what looked like lacrosse sticks. Kallan had a big goofy grin on his face as he talked to his friends. It looked so out of place from the Kallan I knew. He was wearing a T-shirt and jeans, something much different than the clothes he normally wore. This was a different side of Kallan. One I found myself wishing I could see more often.

  Ugh. I needed to stop thinking of him like that. The only person I should be thinking about was Adam.

  Lena tried to pull me back, but I shook my head. I wanted to see what they were doing.

  One of them held up a finger. He was a short, thick-necked guy with platinum-blond hair. “There’s someone else here.” The boy spun in a circle, his eyes scanning the woods. They passed right over me.

  Kallan’s eyes, however, landed right on me. “Come out, Oleander.”

  Slowly, I walked into the clearing, heat rushing to my cheeks. I felt so exposed, and slightly embarrassed to be caught spying on them.

  Kallan’s hair was ruffled, and his eyes cold. “What are you doing out here?”

  “Just walking the grounds. I heard voices. I wanted to see who it was.” I stared at him defiantly. “Do you have a problem with that?”

  The tall, red-haired faery to his right let out a whistle. “She’s hot and feisty, Kallan. I like it.”

  Kallan shrugged. “She’s okay.”

  “Okay?” the shorter blond one said. “She’s gorgeous. Look at those wings.”

  “You want her? Take her. She’s yours,” Kallan said hotly.

  He laughed. “Isn’t she promised to you?” The guy was giving me the creeps the way he kept looking up and down my body.

  “She wants nothing to do with me, nor I with her. So, you go for it. Good luck. She’s a pain in the ass.”

  I narrowed my eyes. I couldn’t believe how much anger welled up in my chest. “I hate you!” How dare he pawn me off on his friends? Who did he think he was? I picked up a rock and threw it at him before storming back in the direction of the castle.

  Lena hurried to catch up. “He didn’t mean anything. He was just showing off for his friends.”

  “Whatever.” I didn’t bother looking back. I wasn’t okay with the tears in my eyes, so I definitely didn’t want her to see them, either.

  “You have to understand your rebuttal is hard for him to take. He’s used to getting what he wants.”

  I spun around on the balls of my feet. “Are you kidding me? He doesn’t want me. He can’t even stand the sight of me.”

  Lena just smiled.