The Dare of Truth [slash]

Chapter 7

Fyn and Celia got to the hotel on time. The press conference would take place in the big ballroom in which all the reporters could fit. Valkyrie Falls and other big cities in Avras had lots of tabloid magazines who had sent their reporters, but a lot of serious newspapers like the "Valkyrie Times" also sent their people since Othric Holden was one of the richest men in the country.

Celia craned her neck to look for Eondar since she was a bit taller than Fyn in her heels. The press conference would start in a just a few minutes, and neither of the two could imagine that the sire would let them down. Finally, she spotted Eondar's tall frame and waved to catch his attention. The photographer made his way over to them. Fyn noted immediately that Eondar looked somehow shaken although he tried to hide it behind his usual, stern expression. But there was no time for it now; he would ask later what exactly had happened. The important thing was that the sire had his camera with him.

The side doors opened, and a lashran couple entered. Celia muffled a squeal. "Oh, he's beautiful!"

Fyn just gaped. Othric Holden was a tall, good-looking sire with short silver hair framing his strong face. He was wearing an expensive steel-gray suit and slightly tinted glasses, but that wasn't what shocked him. It was the lifebearer at his side, smiling and indeed very beautiful. It was Kalish.

The flashlights of dozens of cameras went off as they stood in front of the journalists. Othric waited for a moment, then he started to speak. He had a pleasant yet commanding voice. "Ladies and gentlemen, thanks for coming. I'd like to introduce you to my fiancé, Kalish Norwell. We've been dating for two years, and now we've decided to take the next step. The bonding ceremony will be in three months."

As soon as he had finished, several reporters shouted questions, mostly at Kalish. The lifebearer smiled and answered.

A nudge from Celia brought Fyn back to reality. She was madly scribbling into her notebook. "Mr. Sheldon, shouldn't we ask something as well?"

"No. In fact, we'll be getting a private interview," Fyn declared. Now that he was over his initial surprise, anger took over. How on Wyndrah could Kalish have kept that from him? Sure, Fyn had never met Kalish's boyfriend "Rick" in all the time they had been dating due to the sire's tight time schedule, but from what Kalish had told him, the man had seemed extremely controlling and jealous. Fyn had always expected that Kalish would come to his senses, not bond to the guy! And now it turned out that the mysterious boyfriend was Othric Holden, of all people!

Fyn gritted his teeth. Best friend or not, Kalish was about to get his ass kicked.

The lifebearer let Celia and Eondar do the work, and when the press conference was over, he just pulled out his cell phone and typed a message. "Let's go get some coffee," he simply said and left. His companions had no choice but to follow him into the hotel bar. It was an elegant, quite place, and Fyn let himself fall into one of the overstuffed leather seats. His face promised murder.

"So what was all that about a private interview?" Celia asked cautiously. "Do you know Mr. Norwell from somewhere?"

When the journalist didn't answer, Eondar told the girl, "They're friends." And with a side glance to Fyn he added, "Apparently, this announcement was kept secret even from those closest to Mr. Norwell."