Page 22

TRISTAN

After we finish the sumptuous meal of seared elk steaks, roasted vegetables, and frosted apple cake, Amelia feigns tiredness and expresses her wishes to go to bed.

Well, I’m not certain whether she’s faking.

Perhaps she really is exhausted. Even though she sometimes changes behind the curtain that shields the bathing area, I step outside the tent and allow her to change in complete privacy.

When I re-enter the tent a few minutes later, I find her in bed with the covers pulled up to her chin.

Just a short while ago, I’d hoped that perhaps she would invite me to share the bed with her tonight. My heart plunges to the floor as I wonder if she’ll ever permit me to hold her while she sleeps.

She turns on her side, showing me the back of her golden head. “Goodnight, Tristan.”

I quickly remove my boots and uniform, then I don a tunic and a pair of regular pants, the sort of casual attire regular faefolk usually wear.

“I’m not going to sleep yet.” I take a seat on the bed.

She gasps and turns to face me. Her knuckles go white as she takes a firm grip on the covers. “What are you doing?”

I hold out a hand in a peaceful gesture.

“I’m not going to hurt you, sweet human, please don’t fear me.

” Longing pulsates through me, a blend of the overpowering need to be close to her as well as the physical need to claim her.

I won’t claim her though, not unless she pleads for it.

I doubt that’ll happen tonight, but I would settle for nearness.

I would settle for holding her in my arms for a few minutes.

The worry fades from her eyes, and she pushes the covers down a bit and sits up against the pillows.

“Do you want to talk? Is that it? I confess that despite the long and very eventful day, I’m not that tired.

Perhaps that means I lied to you, a very small lie, but in my defense, I don’t see how we could ever reach an agreement.

I want freedom, and I’m starting to believe I’ll never convince you to release me. Perhaps I shouldn’t waste my breath.”

“You’re right, you’ll never convince me to release you,” I tell her since I’ve promised to give her honesty. “Amelia, I would very much like to hold you for a while.”

Her breath catches in her throat, and her face grows dark pink. It doesn’t take long for the scent of her excitement to heighten. I inhale deeply of the enticing, feminine aroma, though I make no mention of it. By now, she knows I can detect her arousal. She knows there’s no hiding it from me.

“You want to hold me?” she asks. “That’s it? Just hold me?”

“I would like to do a great deal more than hold you, sweet human, I will admit to that, but I would ask the gods to strike me dead before I forced myself on you. I won’t violate you, nor will I touch you in an intimate manner unless you invite it.

I would like to hold you and savor the feel of you in my arms.” The embrace we shared after the orc attack resurfaces in my mind.

Gods, I want to experience that level of closeness again. With her.

She’s quiet for so long that I start to fear she might not answer. The scent of her arousal remains heavy in the air, and I notice she shifts in bed slightly, perhaps in an effort to relieve the aching in her center.

“Very well.” She inhales shakily and the flush covering her face spreads to her neck. “I-I think I would like it if you held me. I know I shouldn’t like it or want it, but yes. My answer is yes.”

Joy abounds within me. “Thank you for agreeing. Thank you for trusting me.” I stand up just long enough to peel the covers back, then I join her in bed and sit up against the pillows. “If at any time you become uncomfortable, please let me know. I don’t want you to be scared.”

Her eyes glimmer with tears, but she blinks fast, and the sheen of emotion disappears.

And just as I sensed her sorrow earlier in the evening, I sense her gratitude right now.

I pray it’s not my mind playing tricks on me.

It’s another sign that she might be my fated mate, but I decide to maintain my silence on the subject for now.

I urge her to lean forward, and I wrap an arm around her and guide her to rest her head on my chest. She scoots closer, bringing her body flush against mine, and allows me to hold her. Her cheek rests on my chest, and her hair tickles the exposed flesh at the neckline of my tunic.

“How old are you?” she asks abruptly.

“Nine hundred and fifty-seven.”

“Oh, goodness. That’s quite the number. Compared to me, you’ve lived dozens of lifetimes.” There’s a long pause, then she says, “Tell me about your life in the Summer Court before you became a general.”

I reach for her head and gently comb my fingers through her silken tresses.

I’m pleased when she not only permits the touch, but the aroma of her excitement heightens.

She emits a soft sigh that makes my cock thicken in my pants.

But she’s not lying on my center, and the covers are pulled up to my waist and bunched in such a way that she likely won’t notice the bulge.

I’ve chosen this particular position so I wouldn’t frighten her with my inevitable hardness.

As I continue stroking her hair, I begin telling her about my life in the Summer Court.

“I lived in a countryside manor in the province of Herrnton. My parents were both highborn, and unfortunately, I barely remember them. They died during a landslide caused by a sudden storm, their bodies buried under so many rocks and debris that they were unable to escape and suffocated to death. A tragic end, though I take comfort in knowing they were found together, locked in an embrace. They were burned that way too on a funeral pyre. Together.”

“I’m so sorry, Tristan. Gods, how awful. How old were you?”

“Not quite two years old.”

“Oh, no. I really am sorry.” She glances up and gives me a comforting look that causes my heart to constrict.

“Thank you, sweet human, but I am fine.”

“What happened to you after they died?”

“At first, I was given to my Uncle Gress. But my uncle and a distant cousin of mine started fighting over control of Herrnton, since I wasn’t yet old enough to assume lordship of the province.

They both gathered armies and waged war until nothing was left of Herrnton, the forests scorched, the wheat fields razed, and all the faefolk long fled.

Uncle Gress decided he no longer had any interest in raising me, and I was given to the lord of the nearest province.

Lord Linnshire and his wife raised me as if I were their own blood, though sadly, Lady Linnshire died about a hundred years ago.

Their son, Lord Kaiden Valloc, became like a brother to me. ”

“Lord Kaiden Valloc. Hm.” She shifts in my arms. “That name sounds vaguely familiar.”

“After the Kingdom of Trevos was conquered about eighteen months ago, he was appointed as the warden. Warden Valloc. Perhaps you heard some of the soldiers in the Sorsston castle talking about him.”

“Yes, now that I think about it, I do recall hearing his name in the castle.” She snuggles deeper in my arms, and I maintain a leisurely pace of stroking her hair.

“How did Lady Linnshire die, if you don’t mind me asking?

I know fae usually live for thousands of years and only perish from grave injuries, so I’m a bit curious.

But if it’s painful to talk about, you needn’t tell me. ”

“She was killed by a malevolent creature called a greshhlin.” The dark memories of that day return, bringing sharp waves of heartache. Lady Linnshire was the only mother I ever really knew, and I’d loved her dearly, though I regret not telling her as often as I should have.

“A greshhlin? I’ve never heard of them.” She tenses. “Have greshhlins migrated to the forests in human and orc territories yet?”

“I’m pleased to tell you that the greshhlins are no more.

They’re all dead. Finally. But they plagued the Linnshire lands for hundreds of years and killed thousands of faefolk during that time.

As soon as I was strong enough to fight them, I was tasked with keeping them warded in caves, as they were exceptionally difficult to kill, though they frequently escaped and wreaked havoc on the countryside.

Lord Linnshire and his three brothers, as well as Lord Kaiden, helped as well.

It was never-ending, though eventually, it was Lord Kaiden’s part-fae mate, Mira, that helped vanquish the greshhlins. ”

“How could Mira have helped kill such powerful creatures when she’s only part-fae?”

“Her fae ancestry gave her the ability to influence plant growth at levels rarely seen even among full-blooded fae. Once the greshhlins were trapped in a ward, she caused the nearby plants to feed off the greshhlins, causing them to decompose into the soil and nourish the plants.”

“How extraordinary.” Her hand comes to my chest, and she swirls her fingers over the thin fabric of my tunic.

Her touch causes pleasure to ripple through me, and my cock hardens further in my pants. But I’m still in control of my urges. I won’t force her. I couldn’t fathom it. No matter how badly I want her, she’ll always be safe when we’re together.

“Yes, it was extraordinary,” I say. “I wasn’t there, but Kaiden told me all about it.”

“How am I able to bypass your wards, Tristan, and the wards of other highborn fae, if I don’t possess any fae ancestry myself?”

A slight growl of frustration emits from my throat.

I’m not frustrated with her, but I’m irritated because I have no fucking idea how Amelia is suddenly impervious to wards erected by highborn fae.

“I don’t know, sweet human,” I finally say, as I continue to consider the situation.

“Hm. Have you or any of your family members, perhaps a grandmother, dabbled in witchcraft?”

“Not to my knowledge. I highly doubt it.”

“Perhaps the next time we’re near a temple, I’ll take you to visit a high priestess. If anyone will know the reason behind your powers, it’ll be a high priestess.”

She lifts her head off my chest and gives me a wary look. “A fae temple? I-I don’t think that’s a good idea. Please don’t take me to see a priestess.”

I caress a hand down her back. “Why are you afraid of visiting a fae temple?”

“Because of the human sacrifices,” she whispers.

“The human sacrifices?” I ask.

“Well, I’ve heard that fae priestesses like to roam the forests looking for unsuspecting humans to capture and use for ritual sacrifices meant to appease the gods.”

I bite back a smile. “Amelia, I’m pleased to tell you that fae priestesses don’t capture humans, nor do they use humans or any other creature in ritual sacrifices.

Well, not since the old days. During the time of the Seelie and Unseelie courts, I believe the Unseelie priestesses engaged in such dark practices, but I can assure you that it doesn’t happen today.

But my people like to stoke rumors about our mercilessness, and we know some of those rumors get turned into stories that are passed down through the generations.

But just like the stories about fae being unable to lie, this story isn’t true either. ”

Her gaze brims with relief. “Well, I’m glad to hear it. When I was a child, I used to have nightmares about being kidnapped by a fae priestess.”

“Ah, but it was really the fae generals you needed to worry about.” I waggle my eyebrows at her, and to my great delight, a smile tugs at her lips.

“Yes,” she says with a hint of laughter, “I should’ve been more worried about fae generals.”

She’s still staring at me, and her face is close to mine. So close that if I leaned forward a smidge, I could press my lips to hers. When I notice her glance at my mouth, I expect she’s thinking the same thing.

My suspicions become stronger when the scent of her arousal hits me, a sweet, pungent wave of excitement. My mouth waters.

Gods, I want to taste her. I want to kiss her too.

I want to do all manner of things that would likely scandalize her.

Not for the first time, I imagine she’s naked and bent over the bed with her legs spread wide.

I picture myself approaching her, rubbing my hard appendage as I prepare to mount her from behind.

A tiny gasp escapes her, and her eyes go wide. But surely she has no idea what I’m thinking. What I’m fantasizing about. Among my people, some mated couples are able to read each other’s thoughts, but more often the mating bond manifests to only allow them to speak to one another mind-to-mind.

I remind myself that even if Amelia is my fated mate, I haven’t claimed her physically yet, so there’s no way, to my knowledge, that the mating bond could’ve started to manifest. She probably just gasped because the ache between her thighs became too intense.

“I’m fully aware of how aroused you are right now, sweet human. As a highborn fae, I possess a keen sense of smell.” I use a compassionate tone, not wanting her to experience any embarrassment over something she can’t help.

She flushes. “You said you just planned to hold me. Not offer commentary about my possible excitement.”

“I imagine you’ll have difficulty sleeping tonight unless you take care of matters.”

“Take care of matters?”

“By pleasuring yourself, Amelia. By stroking yourself to a blissful climax.”