Marked By The Unseelie

Chapter 26 Coping Prince

Chapter 26 

Having dinner with Zhier in my room struck me as odd. It's been almost a week since we went to the fairy market. By that time, Zhier seemed to have taken the initiative to always join me for dinner. I didn't question him about his recent change in demeanor toward me because I suspected he was stressed. I figured that spending time with me might be an excuse for him to temporarily get away from his responsibility as a prince to the princess and his mother.

"What's wrong?" Zhier inquires when he sees me pushing aside the bowl of fruits. "Is the taste not to your liking?"

"Hmm?" I look up at him before I realize what he meant by his question. "Oh, it's not that. It's just..." I look away for a second. "I just...miss human food." It's not the whole truth, but it is closer to the truth than telling him that I miss eating meat.

I have a love-hate relationship with the fairy realm because things are always trying to kill me there, but after learning the rules, I've begun to appreciate its beauty. Actually, I believe a big fraction of me would be in love with the realm if it weren't for the fact that our meals are either vegetables or fruits. I also miss my parents. I have been here for so long that I wonder if they are still looking for me.

"What kind of human food are you missing? If you want, I can secretly bring it here for you." Zhier offers, which greatly surprises me.

"You're kidding, right?" I raise a brow at him.

"I'm not. Tell me, is there anything that you wish to eat?"

"Anything?" I repeat.

"Anything." Zhier confirms with a nod, his gaze unfaltering along with his firm words.

I let out a short laugh before leaning back and crossing my arms. "Even meat?" I try to tease him since I know that he doesn't like the human food because we kill animals for nutrients. I'm already prepared to tell him that I am joking when his next response catches me off-guard.

"Are you being serious?"

"I don't lie, Livia. You know that."

It seems like my teasing backfires on me and that my head suddenly begins to throb from confusion. "Zhier, you do understand what I meant when I said 'meat', right?"

"Yes, I know." He uses a tone of voice that gives me the impression that he is an adult explaining things slowly to a young child.

"That..." I pause to try and think carefully of my words. "Zhier, I thought you didn't like humans eating animals? Isn't that why you curse human foods?"

"I still hate human food, and I hate the fact that animals have to suffer." He admits. Zhier sets the cup of tea that he was drinking a while ago down so he can look at me. "But if you wish to eat human food once again, then it is only imperative that I should go and get it for you."

"That sounds great, but I don't think that I should trouble you about it." I say, but then I start to remember the recent letter that I got from Efeiza. According to her letter, she agreed to take me to the Unseelie Kingdom three times every week, starting tonight. According to her, I should find an excuse to be alone. "Actually, if you really insist, I would like a burger, but that meal is usually eaten for lunch rather than dinner. In fact, most human foods are at their best when eaten during lunch. Do you think that we can meet for lunch instead of dinner thrice every week when you bring human food?"

"Lunch, huh." Zhier ponders over the decision for a while. His brows are meeting as he seems to be considering it. "I guess I can manage."

"Awesome." My gaze flies to the blooming flower, which is what usually tells the time here in the fairy realm. "Zhier, do you mind if I head to bed early? I think that I must have overexerted my eyes while reading earlier."