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“Oh, he was terrifying,” he says solemnly. “To socks, curtains, and unattended plates of food. But sadly, it turned out he wasjust a regular kitten. The runt of the litter, in fact, and about as fearsome as a cotton ball.”

“So much for your terrifying guardian,” I tease.

“Yes, it was quite the blow,” he admits, sighing dramatically. “But by that point, we were already attached, including my parents. We named him Lord Frostfang, Destroyer of Worlds, convinced the sheer power of his name would strike terror in the hearts of any who heard it.”

I laugh. “So what happened to Lord Frostfang, Destroyer of Worlds?”

“Well…” he clears his throat playfully. “Lord Frostfang turned out to be Lady Frostfang, but we didn’t discover this until she gave birth to a litter of kittens. We kept one. My sister named him Sir Whiskers, and he’s ruled Cambryn with an iron paw ever since. You’ll meet him soon enough. Be warned: he is a tyrant.” He grins. “He spends most of his days lounging on the furniture and demanding belly rubs and food.”

“Now,” Ren continues, tilting his head thoughtfully, a mischievous glint in his eyes, “in the interest of fairness, it’s your turn. You must tell me a story about your childhood.”

My heart sinks, and my smile fades as a familiar ache blooms in my chest. Ren immediately winces, realizing his mistake. His expression softens, regret flickering across his features. “Forgive me, Rapunzel. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“It’s all right,” I whisper, forcing a small smile. “I might not remember my own past, but I still have the stories I read while in the tower.”

His eyes spark with curiosity, his gaze softening with relief. “Stories, you say? What kind?”

My cheeks warm. “Mostly romance and some adventure.”

He arches a teasing brow, leaning closer. “Romance, hmm? Would these by chance involve a daring Fox Shifter who rescuesbeautiful maidens, defeats dastardly villains, and impresses everyone with his devastatingly good looks?”

I blink, caught off guard, then burst into laughter. “You’re impossible.”

He gasps dramatically, pressing a hand to his chest. “Why are you laughing? Clearly, this sounds like a tale worth telling. Fox Shifters are known far and wide for their bravery, charm, and noble hearts, after all.”

I roll my eyes, though a smile threatens to break free. “Well, most of the stories I’ve read involved human men or Fae or Elves. I don’t think I heard of any involving Shifters.”

“That’s a shame,” he tsks. “For I have heard of many. I’ve even heard true accounts about a Dragon Shifter who fell in love with a human and took her as his mate after she broke his curse.”

“Really?”

He nods. “They reside in Eryadon, in his castle by the sea.” He arches a teasing brow. “Shifters are far more interesting than human men, you know.”

“Is that so?” I bite my lower lip, fighting back laughter.

“Absolutely. And If you’ll allow me to, I can prove it to you.”

“How?”

In the blink of an eye, he shifts back into his Fox form. “If you were with a human male, you’d be freezing right now because he wouldn’t be able to shift into a Fox to keep you warm. This is just one of the many advantages of a shifter mate.”

“You’re right.” A smile curves my mouth as I decide to tease him. “I think a Dragon Shifter would be great. Especially since he could fly me wherever I wished to go.”

“A Dragon Shifter?” Ren jerks back, mock-offended. “Everyone knows Dragons have terrible tempers. You definitely don’t want one of those.”

I giggle. “Then what would you suggest?”

His intense gaze locks with mine. “I suggest a Fox Shifter.”

My heart stutters as I shake my head, a helpless smile tugging at my lips. Deep inside, my feelings swirl in confusion. Because despite how much I'm falling for Ren, the shadow of Theron, of what he possibly meant to me and who I’m supposed to be, still lingers, complicating everything.

CHAPTER 27

RAPUNZEL

Iwake up surrounded by warmth with Ren’s Fox form curled protectively around me. Finik is curled into a little ball on the hay beside us, his little nose twitching as he sleeps.

Lifting my head, I find Ren still asleep. His chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm as his warm scent of pine and earth surrounds me. Shifting slightly, I snuggle further into his side.