Welcome to Fae Cafe (High Court of the Coffee Bean, #1)

by Jennifer Kropf

Cress flicked a crumb off the table. “Shayne gave him a hard time in the beginning. He stole things, started fights, flirted with the wrong High Lords’ daughters… Dranian couldn’t keep up. But one day Dranian followed Shayne to the childling academy, and the other noble faeborn fools there began beating Dranian when he seized up, forcing his face to the dirt and demanding he kiss their filthy shoes before they would allow him to stand again.” Kate’s fingers pressed lightly over her mouth, thinking of the look on Mor’s face at the fundraiser when she made Dranian kiss Lily’s shoe… “So, Shayne went back and broke each of those noble fools’ ribs,” Cress said. Kate’s jaw dropped. “Shayne broke their bones…?” Cress lifted his shoulder into a shrug. “The healers snapped everything back and the bones melded. But Shayne’s father was so angry, he put cold iron in the bottom of Shayne’s boots and strapped them on with locks so Shayne couldn’t get them off. His feet were bound in them for three days. It’s why Shayne hates shoes now.” His eyes darted back up. “So, you see, Dranian’s story has nothing to do with me.”