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“No electricity but also no data.” Roark leaned back in his chair, dropping the phone next to his empty plate. His tattoos barely moved, unlike Gage’s, but he wore a similar ring. Maybe some type of family signet? Did every Gage associate wear one? Would Channing have?
Would I?
“That doesn’t stop him from playing games on it all day,” Gage said as he shoveled some eggs and toast onto my plate.
I continued ignoring him. “How do you charge it?”
“I don’t actually live—”
“Enough,” Gage cut him off. I wondered what Roark was about to let slip. Interesting. Maybe it would be easier to get information from him.
Gage redirected his annoyance at me. “You don’t have more pressing concerns than your phone? I’m disappointed.”
I bit off the tip of my sausage. He winced. Appeased, I glared at him. “If you really didn’t kidnap me, let me leave.”
“In such a hurry to go?” He reached for a gold-rimmed goblet.
“Yes.”
“You offered your life in exchange for your brother’s freedom,” he reminded me…again.
I gripped my fork a little more tightly. “Are you saying I can never leave?”
“Since you seem intent on returning to your human life—which sounds rather boring, by the way—”
“It’s not,” I interjected. “I’m a fixed air conditioner away from total happiness.”
“Whatever you say.” He rolled those gorgeous green eyes. “Given your plea yesterday, I’d expected you to be slightly more grateful for my mercy.”
I should never have let him know what Channing meant to me. Gage might be all but a stranger, but now he knew exactly which of my buttons to press.
Roark cleared his throat and rose from the table. “I’ll leave you two to…talk.”
Gage shot him an incredulous look, but Roark responded with a grin as he backed out of the room.
“What is he? Your bodyguard?”
“Bodyguard?” Gage repeated, lips twitching. “Do I need protection?”
My eyes fixed on the other armed guards in the room. “You tell me.”
“You get used to them.” He waved a hand. “But no. Roark is my penumbra.” He sighed at my confused expression and raised the hand that wore the matching ring.
“Are those, like, your version of friendship bracelets?” I asked slowly.
He looked to the ceiling like he might find a fresh supply of patience there. “‘Penumbra’ means shadow. When an heir to the throne is born, a child born on the same day at the same time is chosen to be raised alongside him as a companion.”
“And his family just…?”
“It’s considered a great honor to be taken as a penumbra. He has lived here his entire life.” He shrugged as though this was perfectly normal. Then again, he’d taken me. Apparently, the fae had no issues with abduction.
I pushed some food around my plate. “Sounds like he didn’t have a choice.”
“Don’t feel sorry for him. A penumbra is second only to the one he serves. He is my right hand; moving against him is akin to treason. In my absence, he acts as me. He has as much freedom as I do.”
That didn’t sound like much, actually. I kept the thought to myself. “Must be nice.”
Gage grimaced at my jab. Setting down his goblet, he reached into his pocket. “For you.” He held out a black box.