"Aster Seren?" I repeated, making sure to pronounce it the same way.

He laughed, nodding. "Back to normal now, Emylin." 

I frowned. "What?"

His callous hand reached for my cheek and I found myself leaning into it. 

He chuckled, his eyes moving between mine. "As fun as this was." His voice lowered and the commanding tone returned. "Emylin Grace Sanders, I release you." 

I frowned as I felt an icy chill leave my body. I closed my eyes as a wave of nausea began to take over. 

Abruptly as it started, it stopped. 

When I opened my eyes, I pushed myself off the stranger so fast, I fell on the floor and hit my head on the dresser behind me.

He only smiled. "If you're going to be friends with one of the fae, I suggest that you don't keep your full name out in view."

I had thought that while I was under his influence I had imagined his voice to be sensual, that his magic had been the reason why it felt like it caressed me. 

I was wrong. 

"Wh-what?"

He gestured to one of my education certificates and diplomas up on the wall. "Names hold power. A fae can hold power over you if they know your full name."

I shook my head. The feeling I had experienced was not my own. It was visceral, carnal. 

I wanted only to please the fae man. 

I was so desperate to do it. 

I wiped the back of my hand against my lips in disgust. I never wanted to feel that way ever again. I fought the fear bubbling inside and was surprised my voice was steady. "Who are you?"

He watched me with an intriguing smile where I lay on the floor. "One of the fae. And for now, that is enough." 

I shook my head, grabbing onto the edge of the dresser for support as I, once again, picked myself up off the ground. "It's not. I'll call for your king-" 

He laughed again. It was loud and pleasant. His handsome smile reached his dark eyes. He thought I was joking. 

I reached for my phone on the floor from where it fell from my pocket. It vanished before I could wrap my fingers around it. When I looked at the man again, he had my phone in his hand. I recognized the Doctor Who TARDIS case. 

I reached forward, trying to snatch it from his hand. "Give it back." 

He tsked as he looked at me then back at my phone. "You're not afraid of us, that's for sure. But it's not because your are friends with the king, that's just you." 

I couldn't help the bite in my voice. "Give it back to me, fae." 

He smiled. "So you can do what, exactly? Call the king?" He shook his head. "No. I think I'll keep you to myself for now. You're fun." He stood, pocketing my phone as he did. 

I stood my ground as he began to stand. He was taller than I thought. Not as tall as Damien and also not as lanky.  His shoulders were broad but not unpleasantly so. His skin was sun-kissed and tanned. His onyx dark hair was short, showing his pointed fae ears far more prominently than Damien ever had. 

He was fae and proud, unafraid to show it. 

"I am here for information, Emylin." His smile was predatory and I had to remind myself to stand my ground. "You are going to give it to me." 

"Information on what?" 

"Not what but who. I want information on the king." 

I shook my head. "I don't know anything." 

He frowned. "No?" He turned, picked up a frame and showed it to me. "This is not you and the king as children?"

There was no doubting that the boy in the picture was Damien. He had barely changed from a child. He still had the blue eyes and dark skin color that was uncommon where I lived. In the picture, he wore a small crown. I remembered when the photo was taken. He had visited me right after his father's coronation. He went to visit me afterward. He wore fae clothing. 

I couldn't deny it if I wanted to. The evidence in the picture was clear.

I opened my mouth to deny it anyway but he cut me off. "You are not the child that helped the then-prince escape from his attackers?" 

I opened my mouth again and closed it.

"Don't insult my intelligence, human. I can make this far worse for you. You think that crawling in your bedroom was humiliating?"

I crossed my arms. "What do you want?"

He set the photo down on the dresser. "I just want to know what the king told you." 

I cleared my throat. "About the fae? You?"

He shook his head. "No. Obviously, whatever he did tell you was not enough." His hands went into his pockets. "The Blood Moon, his queen." 

"Nothing," I lied. 

He chuckled. "I can teach you to lie better than that." 

My cheeks flushed. I could feel the heat spread through my cheeks and ears. 

"Now, tell me the truth." 

I said nothing, only looked away.

"Tell me the truth or your parents will learn about the fae." 

I shook my head, trying to keep the tears back. "He didn't say anything. He just said he had to meet someone. A fae woman, specifically."  

"Why here and not his realm?"

I shrugged. "I don't know." 

He looked away and chuckled again. It was deep in his throat, quiet. "What are you up to, Damien?" He mumbled.

I looked at him with slight panic. He knew Damien's name?

Could he manipulate or have magic over him? 

"What else?" 

I shook my head. "That's all I know." 

"And that woman from last night?" 

I tried to slow my rapid heart. "What woman?"

He smiled at my reaction. "What woman?" He repeated with a slightly mocking tone. "For days I thought he would forsake his throne for you. You two are awfully close for a human and a fae. It's unconventional. I was pleasantly surprised to find that woman at the gallery. You set them up."

A statement, not a question. "I don't know why you said you need information, it looks like you know more than I do." 

He smiled. "I wanted to see what you knew. When I want more information you'll be the person that can get it for me." 

I frowned. "I don't think I'm the best person-" 

"He's closest to you than anyone else. He will tell you more than he's willing to share with those in Court. I want to know this information." 

I scoffed. "No way." 

He smiled. "Yes, you will or..." His voice trailed and his dark eyes looked at me expectantly.

I wanted to roll my eyes. I was annoyed, beyond annoyed. "Or what?" 

He reached in his coat pocket, picked up and held out a cell phone. "Or I send the video I recorded of you sneaking around an office you weren't supposed to be in at your school." 

I felt the floor give out from under me. "What?"

He looked at his phone, scrolled through it and showed me the screen again. 

The color drained from my face. It was a video of me moving around the registrar's office. It had been recorded from outside but I could see myself clearly in the large windows. I was looking for the password under the mousepad, typing it in, clicking around on the computer. I was looking over my shoulders, looking around. 

It was damning. 

"That is what I think you did, at least. You were doing something you weren't supposed to. Why else would you be sneaking around and sitting at a computer that is not yours. I think the door said a man's name -obviously not yours- with a title that you do not have." He smiled. "Would you get kicked out of school?" He nodded to the diploma and documents on the wall. "Lose some of those certifications? Maybe you'll have to stop playing your instrument." 

I shook my head, looking heavenward. 

"I won't tell anyone as long as you provide the information I want when I want it." He pocketed his phone. "And you don't tell Damien of our bargain." 

I looked at him, my lip curling in disgust. I couldn't do this. I wouldn't do this. My anger rolled inside of me like the tide. "I won't—" 

He shrugged. "Of course, it doesn't matter if Damien does find out that I wanted information. It is expected of me. I'm a dark fae, after all." He looked at me. "But will your parents forgive you for what you did in your school? How can you justify your actions? Will you be able to recover? Will you be able to go to any other school after this?"

I swallowed. Did I have a choice? Could I really talk myself out of what was happening in the video? Could Damien help? 

I looked back at him. "What information did you want?"

He shrugged. "I will ask when I want it." He extended a hand. "Do we have a bargain?" 

The word sent unexpected shivers down my spine. 

I could lose everything - everything- I had worked hard for because of him. 

"I won't share anything intimate." 

The man made a face and scoffed. "As if I could care about that." He nodded towards his hand. "Do we have a deal or not?" 

I swallowed. "I have a condition." 

His lip twitched slightly upward. He looked intrigue. "Do you?"

"You can't make do what you did earlier to me." I shook my head. "Using my name to make me do...that." I couldn't even put a word to it.

He put his hand back in his pocket. "I can-" 

I inhaled sharply. 

"But I'll give you that, human." He extended his hand again. "Well, then." 

"Fine." Before I could change my mind, I took my hand in his. His hand was warm, unlike his personality.

"Swear on the Styx." 

I frowned. "Pardon?" 

He smiled but it wasn't welcoming. It sent cold shivers through me. "We dark fae, when we make bargains, we swear on the Styx." 

I clenched my teeth. "Fine. I swear on the Styx."