To Owe a Favor

Lillianna's POV

Killian drops us off at the Kingdom in an unusually quiet manner. He doesn't even attempt at conversation until he calls for Adrin and Lona to help me dress.

Killian's parents notice his stiff demeaner after quietly searching through the bags. Lona takes a deep breath, "I could really use a cup of tea. Killi, help me in the kitchen."

Killian flies off with his mother, not once turning back in their fast departure.

Adrin bumps her hip with mine, "Shopping was that fun, hm?"

I shake my head, "You could say that. I- well, I was just joking with him about liking this barista in the coffee shop, and now he's all funky."

I shrug my shoulders as Adrin pulls out the outfit for tonight, "If I know anything about my son, it is that he has always been straightforward in what he likes and dislikes. If he didn't like that barista... hm- he never will."

I scoff, "He didn't like me when we met." I laugh as I hold up the dress, "Now we are going to a fancy dinner together."

Adrin smiles, "Perhaps he likes the challenge."

I lean to the side to try and catch a glimpse of Killian in the kitchen, "As he hides in the kitchen? Sure." Adrin laughs at my dejected voice before ushering me into a bathroom to change my clothes.

"Let's get you dressed. I'm assuming our stubborn warrior has not explained tonight's dinner." Adrin doesn't even have to wait for my mocking laughter. Of course Killian forgot to tell me about the dinner, he didn't exactly invite me in the first place.

An hour later, Killian is sighing into his steepled hands, not impressed with my dinner manners, "It's time to go."

I nervously stand from the kitchen table where multiple teacups rest after hours of discussion. Lona pats my shoulder, "If all else fails, just keep conversation light. And do not accept anything from the shifters."

Lona and Adrin bid us goodbye as Killian flies us to the same location that held the ball. The once bright room is now lowly lit with large oak tables placed strategically around the ballroom.

There is no longer a designated area for the fae to fly, instead everyone walks around the tables to their seats.

I stare at the beautiful oak tables that would take twenty human men, at least, to carry into the ballroom at a snail's pace. With the fae and shifters, the ten massive tables were probably moved within an hour.

There is a table separated from the rest at the far end of the room. This table had clearly been designed with royalty in mind, if I had the guess the inlaid leaves were made with gold.

I hold my breath as Killian walks with confidence to the end of this table and pushes out a chair for me before pulling one out for himself.

There are plenty of shifters and fae already seated, and it is not a relief to be seated on the side of the shifters. Even with Killian seated beside me, the shifters all inhale and look pointedly at me.

I duck my head to the table subconsciously, nervously running my hands over the gold-leaf design in the table.

Killian plucks my hand off the table and into his lap, using that moment to pull me closer until I am forced to scoot to the edge of my chair near him. He closes the gap between us by placing his lips just above my ear.

To the shifters, the action is a comforting kiss, to me Killian whispers under his breath, "Do not cower. If you are my date... act like it."

He finished his scolding by placing a chaste kiss on my head before pulling away.

I return to my seat and straighten my back with a polite smile to the shifters near us.

"So," I start, and all of the shifter's attention turns to be for idle chit-chat, "Want to hear how Warrior Killian and I met?"

Our conversations dwindled when the Fae King finally arrived with all of his sons. Luckily, the shifters had been open enough to me that they all listened and shared their own courting stories in turn.

Their whole mating process was common amongst the shifters, and they had no problem sharing all the details with strangers. I found myself flustered on more than one occasion.

Killian had sat quietly throughout the talks, only offering a slight chuckle here and there.

When it came time for the King to speak it was with the most grandeur. He hovered over his seat by fluttering his wings softly and his wings caught the attention of nearly everyone, especially when their opalescent color shifted in the light.

The King even mentioned Killian's service during the ball, and Prince Erin begrudgingly acknowledged Killian as well. I clapped for Killian and gave him two thumbs-up as he sat back down to which he shook his head.

The King's loud voice caught my attention once more, "Ah, you didn't inform me of your mate Warrior Killian." The question in the King's statement is left hanging in the air.

So Killian returns to a stand and my heart skips a bit in anticipation for what he will say next, "The human is merely my guest. She had been caught in the crossfire during my exchange with Prince Erin's attacker."

My eyes widen as he sits back down, and I have to remind myself to clap and smile... and blink... and breathe. A few of the shifters closest to us smile sympathetically to me. If the King's comment had made anyone question my relationship with Killian, Killian surely obliterated it. Apparently, I am just the 'human guest.'

The King continued talking and the words got lost as I kept replaying Killian's words over and over in my head.

One thing is for sure, I would not be making this dinner an easy event for Killian, especially when it would not help me remove the favor.