Chapter 33
The Seelie is the Unseelie and the Unseelie is the Seelie.
The fact was hard for me to swallow before, but after witnessing Zhier's actions, it seems that it is more likely to be true.
After Zhier locked me in my room, he had the audacity to visit me and act like nothing happened. He tried to talk to me, but I would not respond to him. I could not meet his gaze, not because he was a fake Seelie but because I was angry with him. And I am not just angry with him; I am also anxious.
I only have three days, and I might as well be using up one of them already—well, actually, two of them.
"Livia, are you going to ignore me all day like yesterday?" Zhier lets out an exasperated sigh as he sits at the table in front of the lunch that he brought. "Are you still mad?"
I did not answer him while I flipped through the pages of a random book that I was reading. It wasn't such an immersive book, but it gives me a good excuse not to talk to him.
"Livia, I brought food from the human realm. You're not even going to eat?"
"I'll eat when I feel like it." I answer dryly and flip through a page.
"You'd rather read a book on the blossom rather than read with me?" For the record, the blossom is what they call their bed, despite the fact that it is nothing more than an enormous flower.
"You'd rather eat here with your prisoner rather than do your princely stuff?" I retorted, giving him a side eye.
Zhier gruffs. "Are you really still mad at me?"
"That depends if you are still trying to keep me as your prisoner."
"Are you ready to tell me where you have been?"
"I told you, I went to the garden. Jade and I go there every night. You can ask Jade."
"Really? You want me to ask an emerald beast?"
"You don't believe me; what else can I say to prove myself?" This time, I shut the book and settled it on the bed. I turn to Zhier with an indifferent look, waiting for him to respond.
I can tell that the prince is trying to control his temper. He slumps in his chair and rubs the bridge of his nose. "Livia, can you just sit here and let's have a meal together?" I did not answer and stubbornly crossed my arms.
I don't have the time to be playing house with him. I have to think of the best way to get out of my room so I can roam around freely and look for a mirror. But how can I get the information that I want if I am stuck here?
I turn to eye Zhier calculatingly. I wasn't able to think logically yesterday because of anger. I don't even think that I was able to talk to him yesterday without screaming or hiding behind my bed.
Maybe...maybe I can try to manipulate him. It's not like I am a fool not to notice that Zhier is developing some kind of obsession for me. Call it love or what you will, I don't care. I am way past the point of caring for him.
"If I dine with you, will you stop locking me up?"
"No." He answers flatly.
"Ugh!" I have just thrown my hands up in the air in exasperation when Zhier quickly clears his throat.
"But I will grant you one favor aside from going out. I don't trust that you won't leave me again."
"I told you I was taking a stro—" I wonder if I can grab my book and knock Zhier unconscious with it. Then again, I have a feeling that he would be able to stop me if I did attack him. What a bummer. "Alright, fine. A favor." I take a second to compose myself before heading to sit across from Zhier at the table.
If a favor is all I get, I might as well think this through. I only have today and tomorrow at my disposal before Grignel decides to attack this place.
Zhier did not even try to hide the smile on his face as soon as I settled into my seat. I try to return the gesture just to be nice, but seeing how Jade flinches and looks across the room, I am guessing that my smile isn't what I want it to look like.
"S–So," I try to fill in the awkward silence. "What human food did you bring?"
"The one that's made from dogs."
"Excuse me?" I stare at him, flabbergasted. I believe that I was ready to bolt out of the room, even if it meant I would have to ram into a wall out of fear. I haven't opened the paper bag in front of me, but I was about to. "What did you bring me?"
"A burning dog." Zhier scratches his head. "Or was it a warm dog?"
My mind fortunately has enough brain cells at the moment to comprehend what he wanted to say. "You mean hotdog?"
"Ah, yes. That's the one." Zhier nods. "You humans don't really pick where you get your meat from, huh?"
Should I explain to Zhier that the meat from hotdogs isn't made from dogs?
Yeah, no. That would require too much of an explanation, and as much as I hate to admit it, I am hungry. I have craved human food for so long now.
"Thanks, Zhier." The taste of familiar human food brings a sense of nostalgia to me. I wonder when I can return to the human realm? It feels like I have lived in the faerie realm for a long time because my taste buds are tasting something weird with the sauce. Zhier smiles as I eat, making me a little conscious. "Can you not watch me eat? It's weird."
"Sorry. I am just glad that you are starting to talk to me again."
"Zhier, how do I look to you?" I suddenly blurted out an odd question that quickly flustered him.
"How you look? You look great, of course." He answers immediately. The fact that I know that it isn't a lie since it is coming from him is a little flattering, but I won't let those emotions divert me from what I want to ask of him.
"That's nice and all, but compared to the otherfairies, I think that my looks are mediocre." I pause. "Come to think of it, I think that I have forgotten what I look like since this realm doesn't have mirrors."
"Mirrors?" Zhier looks perplexed. "Didn't I tell you that mirrors are forbidden in this realm?"
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that you guys don't keep mirrors, right? I mean, meat is forbidden, but here you are bringing me human food."
"Is that what you wish as a favor? A mirror?"
"Do you guys really don't have any mirror that I can use in this...palace?" I take a bite of my food while keeping a close eye on him when I asked the question.
"We don't have regular mirrors, but if you want, I can get you one from the human realm." Zhier answers nonchalantly. He starts to eat afterward, which makes it easier for me to hide my grin.
Gotcha.
"Thank you, Zhier. I appreciate the offer, but maybe I would not ask for a mirror since you might get in trouble for breaking another rule. Instead, can I ask for another favor instead?"
*~*~*~END OF CHAPTER~*~*~*