Resonant

Chapter 10

Fen

"My mother wants to have dinner with you," said a deep voice behind me just when I was about to enter my suite. I would know that sound anywhere, and I felt a flutter of nerves and excitement in my chest.

I waited a few seconds before turning around, but quickly accepted that there was no way I was going to be able to school my expression. This whole week had been kind of incredible. Every single day, Zale had sought me out if our paths didn't happen to cross. On Monday, he found me during lunch and we ate together. On Tuesday, I saw him in a staff meeting, and he sat with me instead of with that witch he usually hung out with at those things. Wednesday, he came and sat in on one of my lectures about the fae and even asked a question about what my home realm was like. Then, yesterday, he showed up at my classroom and walked me to my suite after the final period ended.

Most of those interactions were so small, but I had learned that Zale was a creature of habit. He didn't usually change his routines and he didn't usually let new people into his life. In fact, he largely ignored everyone outside of his classes except that mer boy, Adras. So seeing him like this without having to seek him out at all, it was surreal. It meant he was putting in the effort.

And I had been happy with that. Truly. I wasn't picky. I didn't need much, and just making any kind of progress had felt like enough. But there had been a lingering sadness anyway in the fact that, even though Zale sought me out and was actually spending time with me, I still felt like I was at a distance from him. I hadn't learned anything about the stern merman all week. Not really.

When I was with him, he was polite but still didn't seem to have much to say to me. If I didn't fill the silences, they could stretch out to encompass our whole time together. And sometimes when I asked questions about his past, he would completely shut down.

"Fen? Will you have dinner with my mother?" Zale asked, sounding annoyed.

Even though teasing Zale seemed like a colossally bad idea, the words slipped through my lips anyway. "Will you also be there, or just her?"

Based on everything I knew about Zale so far, I really thought he would react badly. He was so serious and stern all the time, and had so little patience for people. But instead of getting annoyed with me, his eyes warmed with what I would have sworn was amusement if it didn't look so foreign on him. "I might be," he said with a playful tone.

"Then I guess I could go," I said. Then it hit me that I had just agreed to meet his mother, and felt instantly anxious. I was still wrapping my mind around Zale being a prince. Now he wanted me to meet the queen. At least I would have some time to prepare. Maybe I could look up some video tutorials on etiquette, so I wouldn't make a fool of myself.

"Are you available tonight?" he asked.

No!

Only, I didn't say that. No, my pushover self said, "Sure."

A brief ray of hope that maybe we would have to put the dinner off came through when I asked, "How will I get there?" and Zale got a confused look on his face.

"What, can't you teleport?" he asked, frowning at me.

"Sure, but I have to know where I'm going. I have to teleport to something or someone," I explained, feeling like this was sort of obvious. How did he think my magic worked?

"Oh." I was just starting to feel an acute sense of relief when his expression brightened and he said, "Well, I'll go ahead and you can come to me."

"Okay," I agreed reluctantly, seeing no way out of it. Then I realized there was a flaw in his plan and bit my lip to keep from grinning. "Actually, I don't think that will work. I won't know when it's safe to come."