It's been over a month since I've been pretending to be Keial's lover, and a week since I last saw him.

With relations with the woodland elves just a bad word away from setting off another war, Keial had agreed to meet with their current leader, and talk things out before talking will no longer be an option.

I wouldn't be worried, but now I was because I found out who the current elven leader was only days ago.

Arlen.

I didn't know then, but after Ash filled in the blanks, I could see why Keial and Arlen were taking this long to work out their problems with each other, and when I was told the story, it only made me feel bad for them both.

Arlen and Keial used to be friends, just like Ash and I, but once their fathers who fought over a woman started a never ending war that lasted for eleven years, their relationship had never been the same.

I now see why Arlen was so friendly in a strange aggressive way, and why Keial was just as bad.

That wasn't the worst of it though, the elven King had fathered a daughter with Keial's birth mother, the queen, who was taken out of jealousy after she had chosen to stay with Keial's father.

That was what started the war, and once she gave birth to a baby girl, their relationship had only gotten worse.

It was hard to think about, and now that I knew, I felt bad for giving Keial, even though he told me nothing about him, I can see why he wouldn't want to share anything with me.

Arlen had hit on me, if I told Keial that, it would've only worsened their relationship, which I was sure of.

If I asked Keial about his family, I doubt he'd want to tell me anything anyways, he doesn't strike me as someone who likes to share.

Ah... whatever, I knew it was none of my business, but I still felt for him.

I knew what it was like to have your family ripped from you.

After all, even I lost my parents too.

"Felix?" A soft girl's voice calls my name, making me flinch and turn around to see who it is.

Once I turned and saw who it was, I instantly felt guilty for how I had spoken to her before.

Zeri.

"I... I'm sorry if I'm interrupting your work, I just wanted to say hello." She spoke softly, with a hint of sadness in her tone making me frown.

What was Zeri doing all the way out here?

I was in the middle of the giant royal garden, it was almost like a maze in here, and I even sometimes got lost in there, which made me wonder how Zeri found me in this place.

"No, you're fine." I get up and look around, to see if an angry Gregor is behind her.

Nobody was with her, that's weird.

"What are you doing out here alone?" I ask her, looking down at her.

It had been so long that I forgot just how beautiful Zeri was, she looked like a princess from a book I read as a child, as she was dressed in a gown so extravagant that it made me feel like I shouldn't be even talking to her.

She gave off the same aura as Keial, like they were above me in every way.

"My mate is nearby and I... I saw you from the tea party and wanted to say hello and um." She lowers her head and grips her dress.

"I'm sorry for last time, I made you uncomfortable and Gregor was very rude... so for that, I apologize."

Zeri...

Why was she saying this?

I had completely forgotten about it as it felt like so long ago now, apart from Gregor, that bastard tried to kill me within minutes of meeting him, but Zeri actually helped me.

Seriously...

"I should apologize, I snapped at you, it's not your fault your mate is a..." I pause, as her big innocent eyes meet mine.

"Guy."

Her frown turned into a smile and then she started to giggle, making me smile as she looked so much prettier when she smiled and was happy.

"He really is a guy, isn't he?" She chuckled, as she looked at me with blush-filled cheeks

"Are we friends now?" She asked, making my brows raise.

Did she want to be friends?

With me?

It felt weird talking to her, she was overly friendly and I'm sure she couldn't sense danger a mile away as she was so timid and aloof, yet, it only made me want to protect her.

"Sure." I said, then just as the words left my mouth, Zeri ran into me with open arms and wrapped her tiny arms around me.

"I'm so happy!" She squealed, then let me go as she shyly looked up at me.

"I'm so glad we're friends, Gregor will not believe me when I tell him I made a friend." She seemed happy, as her sparkling eyes lit up at the mention of Gregor.

"He's going to be so happy!"

The name only put a chill down my spine.

I highly doubted that Gregor would be happy, but I kept my mouth shut and let her live out her fantasy.

"You should go back, I bet he's worried." I look around, seeing no sign of him which is not a good thing.

"I'll walk you back." I say, as she nods her head and happily starts walking beside me.

Zeri...

This beautiful girl, was I really the only friend she had? Looking at her it seemed impossible for someone so kind, and innocent to not have a group of friends.

Then again, with Gregor, I doubt he even lets her out of her sight.

"Oh." Zeri gasps. "That reminds me!"

"I was so happy when I heard the news, Felly." She said as I scrunched my brows at her.

'Felly'?

"What news?" I asked, trying to remember how to get out of this place so Gregor wouldn't kill me for getting lost with Zeri by my side.

That guy is the worst, I'm sure he wouldn't kill me because I was Keial's 'lover' but there are worse things than death.

"Well, you and my big brother of course." Zeri battered her eyelashes, as I froze mid-step.

What did she just say?

Brother?

"I don't know what you mean." I frown, what was she talking about?

I didn't know her brother, or that she had one.

She looked at me and then huffed as if she was talking to a small child as she put her hands on either side of her hips, her face resembling a chipmunk.

"You are in love right?" She asked, making my eyes go wide as I stared blankly at her.

"You're both dating each other, aren't you?" She tilts her head at me, in wonder.

It took a moment... actually, it took more than that, but when I stared at her, bewildered and completely speechless, it finally clicked and made sense of what she was saying to me.

No way...

"Keial is your-"

"Yep!" She happily smiled.

"ZERI!" A loud ferocious yell made all the birds in the trees scurry away around us, as I got a sense of deja vu.

That voice... it could only belong to one person.

"Whoopsie." Zeri smiled at me awkwardly as she moved to stand next to me and clung to my arm to hide behind me.

What the hell is she doing?

"H-Hey are you trying to get me ki-"

"YOU!" Gregor's voice made me flinch, and turn around to see that he had found us, and was now glaring murderously my way.

"Get away from her, NOW!" Gregor growled angrily, which made Zeri cling to me tighter.

"W-Wait." I laugh nervously, trying to get Zeri to remove her hands from mine, which somehow made Gregor even angrier.

"Greggy, you're being mean to Felly." Zeri pouted like a child, which made me pale as I slowly moved my eyes from Zeri to Gregor.

Gregor's face had gone completely red as he froze like a statue, and it took all my power to not break out in laughter at the nickname Zeri had given Gregor.

Greggy, what kind of name was that?

"Zeri....." Gregor groaned out, pressing his hand to his forehead with his eyes closed.

"I have told you countless times, that you cannot just go somewhere without telling me." His eyes softened as he looked at her, taking a step forward, with his hand held out.

"Come on, my love, we shouldn't keep the guests waiting."

My... love?

I almost threw up in my mouth as he completely shifted to a different personality once he spoke to Zeri, but when I looked down at Zeri, her face was in complete 'awe' as she smiled shyly at him.

I don't know what I found more disturbing, Greggy acting like a lovesick puppy, or Zeri actually into that lovesick puppy.

"But Gregor..." She let go of me and took Gregor's hand as she turned and looked at me sadly.

"I had just made friends with Felly, can't he come with us?" She asked him, her big eyes impossible to say no to.

Gregor held his head high and looked powerless, as he struggled to fight off the overwhelming power of persuasion she had once you looked into her eyes.

"He can't." He forced himself to say, as he looked at me whilst he put his arm around a sad Zeri.

"The King will arrive shortly, we will see Nif...." He paused and clenched his jaw.

"...Felix later."

That was all he simply said, before turning around with Zeri in toe, then he started to lightly scold her again for leaving without telling him where she was going.

Just like that, I'm frozen in my spot once again as Zeri waves at me goodbye as I wave back out of habit, whilst I still try to work out what had just happened.

What ...did... just happen?