Their Fireheart

Chapter Thirteen

"Why is she here?" I asked softly.

Aedion shrugged as he gingerly prodded at the wound in his side with a soldier's brash approach, ensuring his stitching was still intact. "She probably has information from Arobynn."

All four of us lasered in on him at the mention of our mate's old master, and I had to fight a growl building in my throat.

I had plans for that bastard. Plans that didn't involve exchanging intelligence but centered on me hunting him down. And cutting him into little, tiny, microscopic pieces over many, many, many days.

"And why would she have information from Arobynn?" Rowan asked slowly, menacingly.

Aedion looked up from inspecting his side, swallowing heavily when he saw the death that danced in our eyes. "She," Aedion hesitated, "you'll need to ask Aelin for the specifics, but she ... she made a deal with him. Without my knowledge! But Lysandra is both their go-between and Aelin's inside source."

I was already moving, determined to be at my mate's side in light of this new information when I heard Rhysand's snarled accusation, "You'd leave your queen alone with a possible enemy?"

Thankfully, my senses had not been dulled completely, and I caught the tail end of my mate's conversation with the woman as I approached the apartment door.

"They're spectacularly built," a strange, lilting voice mused, taking on a teasing quality as she added, "You know, I've never been with a fae male. Let alone more than one at once."

I nearly smiled at the defensive snarl that instantly erupted at those words. A pealing laugh answered, and I heard my mate groan, "Stop that. You know I can't help it."

"Oh, I know," the unfamiliar voice chortled with genuine delight, "but what else am I meant to do when those mysterious mates of yours show up - quite literally - on your doorstep?"

Warmth pulsed in my chest. I was inordinately pleased by the thought that Aelin had told this woman - who with every passing moment appeared less like a threat and more like exactly the kind of friend my mate needed - about us, her mates. Even believing she'd never see us again, she hadn't hidden us, hadn't been ashamed of us.

The thump of bags and boxes being dropped onto the apartment floor preceded the stranger, Lysandra's, next words. "More seriously, I came for two reasons. One, Nesryn sent me word that you had four new, very muscled guests staying and to bring some clothes. So, I brought clothes. Unfortunately, after catching an eyeful of your guests, I think Nesryn undersold them a good deal, so they might be tight - not that anyone with eyes would object to that - but they can at least use them until you get others."

"Thank you. You brought enough for all of them?" My mate asked. There was a brief pause where I assumed her companion nodded her assent before she added, "Even the ones skulking behind doors?"

Not at all chagrined, I silently opened the door and slid into the apartment, a grin teasing at the corners of my lips. From across the room, my beautiful mate glared impressively, even if she was unable to completely hide the amused sparkle in her enchanting eyes.

"Of course, it would be you," she scoffed, "have you nothing better to do than to stalk me?"

Oh princess, you shouldn't play that game with me.

"I can think of one thing," I shrugged, a glint of heat sparking in my gaze, "But I don't think you want your friend hearing all the depraved things I want to do to your tight little body before we've even been introduced."

I revealed in the blush that immediately flushed Aelin's cheeks as Lysandra barked a laugh, before she grinned widely. "Oh, but I really do."

"That is not happening," Aelin commanded hoarsely, and I couldn't stop my lips from tugging up into a sly grin.