Page 52 of Temptation Unleashed (Talaenian Fae #3)

D ay Three.

Rori placed a third stone on the table, a marker of time passed.

Three days. The first day, she had spent with Cassy, and had been joined by Rihanna late in the afternoon.

The second day, Rihanna introduced her to her soul mate, Bryce, a human turned Fae without any outward resemblance of the Fae—no pointy ears or magical powers.

She had also had the opportunity to meet two additional Fae women, Aspen and Killeny, and spent time in the kitchen and touring the enormous castle.

No one spoke of Thaddeus. No one hinted as to where he might be.

No one offered any information about his condition, as if to speak his name was taboo and breaking it would unleash a curse within the marble and gilded walls of this immaculate monstrosity of a home.

She couldn’t be bothered with the details of the place other than stand-out features—the waterfall that served as a main focal point, as well as the colorful grotto the fall poured into, or the open-air corridors, the massive expanse of gardens along the front of the landscape and the shimmering river that encased the castle—because the persistent ache in her chest had become overwhelming, consuming her attention more and more with each hour, each day.

The throbbing light inside her body, the thread that faded in darkness as it sought its connection, remained bright and alive, but flailed in an endless void.

Day Three.

“I don’t know how much longer I can go on like this,” she told her reflection in the full-length mirror.

She mindlessly rubbed between her breasts, trying to ease the pain that blossomed unexpectedly whenever Thaddeus invaded her thoughts, which had become more and more persistent.

She understood why Rihanna tried to occupy her days, because when she was alone, she sank into endless sadness being away from her Faery man.

She didn’t try to fool herself into believing that their next encounter would be a honeymoon.

There were many questions she had for him, many of which no one seemed interested in or inclined to answer when she brought them up, but the sympathy in their eyes tugged on her growing despair.

Even Cael, with his eagerness to provide all the information about his brother as possible in hopes of convincing her to give him a chance remained uncharacteristically withdrawn.

“Had anyone told me I’d yearn for a man after all I’ve been through, I would’ve laughed at the absurdity. And yet, here I am, hurting because he’s not here with me.”

Conversing with her image had become a comfort.

Today, as she struggled to figure out how to strap on an intricate black dress, she found more comfort in her reflection than ever.

Cassy had been holed up with Cael since yesterday evening, not providing much insight as to why Cael seemed off.

She had been left alone for the night, taking to bed early.

Nightmares woke her several times during the night, and it took long stretches of time for her to fall back to sleep.

When she failed to snap the fastener in place, she groaned and clawed at the dress until it pooled around her feet.

“God, I’m not cut out for this shit.”

She grabbed the towel she’d cast onto the sofa and tucked it around her as a knock echoed in the room. Her heart suddenly threatened to fly from her chest and her stomach did a tilt that left her weak. Her skin flushed with anticipation.

Day Three.

Has he finally come?

“Come in,” she called, clearing her throat when her voice cracked. She started toward the door, her pace picking up once she cleared the sofa, and had made it halfway when the door opened.

She came up short, her hope fizzling when a woman with curly auburn hair and stormy blue eyes stepped into the room.

The first thing Rori noted was the casual appearance of the woman compared to everyone else she’d met so far.

No fancy Faery gowns or exquisitely tailored outfits, perfect hair or impeccable appearance.

The woman was beautiful, despite her baggy sweatpants and cable knit sweater that hung off her shoulders.

Her hair was pulled up in a loose ponytail, tendrils caressing her rosy cheeks.

Rori’s eyes drifted to her ears. Seemed to be a telling feature of all Fae, and her first point of assessment with a new person.

This woman did not possess the characteristic points of the Fae. They were rounded like her own. Human.

“I hope I’m not intruding. I wanted to come by sooner, but my kids have kept me busy.

” She closed the door behind her and met Rori in the middle of the room.

Like Rihanna, this woman carried a comforting warmth around her, and a friendly smile that helped ease her worries.

“You must be Rori.” She held out her hand. “I’m Moira.”

Rori took her hand. “You’re Rihanna’s sister?”

Moira laughed. “Technically, sister-in-law, but they don’t follow our family lines here. So, to keep things simple, Rihanna’s my sister.” Moira raised her hand, exposing a lightened scar across her palm. “Her brother is my soul mate.”

Rori reached a finger toward the scar. Blood bond. A resounding hum tugged at her heartstrings as she traced the mark before she dropped her hand in haste, a burn lighting her cheeks. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. All this Fae stuff is a lot to take in, especially if you’re not familiar with it.

I’m still learning as I go.” Moira motioned to her towel.

“Did Shaye forget to fill your wardrobe? He said he would make sure you had enough clothes until Rihanna and I could take you to get more fitting attire.”

“Oh! There’s plenty of clothing.” Rori’s face burned hotter as Moira glanced around her and found the puddle of black in front of the mirror. “I, uh, it’s just?—”

“Complicated. I know.” Moira snorted and shook her head.

“I asked him to make sure you had items that you’d feel comfortable with.

Not all fancy get-up because I know I had a hard time adjusting to the attire when I first came here.

” Moira slipped past her and gathered the gown off the floor.

“These things are too damn confusing if you don’t know what to expect.

Aspen had to help me many times in the beginning because I couldn’t figure them out myself.

Even now, I struggle. Hence this.” Moira spread her arm down her leg and chuckled.

“I make sure Shaye keeps a stash of lazy clothes for me.”

“Someone took my clothes on the first day. I’d be content with those if I could get them back, instead of bothering everyone with picking out clothes for me.”

Moira waved her fingers for her to come closer.

“One thing I learned real fast is that nothing is a bother. Shaye and his family want you to feel comfortable and at home while you’re here.

If it’s for a few days or a few years, in the end, we want you to make yourself at home.

We’ll do whatever we can to help you acclimate.

I’ll send Shaye back to the mortal realm to pick up more suitable clothing for you, if that’s what helps you adjust.”

Rori hesitated before she approached the woman smoothing out the dress. “That’s unnecessary. I don’t anticipate being here long. I have things I need to handle at home.”

“Mm, well, until the danger with Grison and his posse are handled, Shaye won’t let you leave.

You’re as good as dead in the mortal world, especially without adequate protection.

” Moira shook out the gown and began to feed it from the top over her arms. “Right now, you lack the protection to keep you alive. Here—let me help you.”

Rori lifted her arms and allowed the woman to pour the gown over her head.

She slid her arms through the narrow sleeves and untangled the towel from around her chest as the gown fell to her feet.

Moira came up behind her and began threading the laces through the holes.

Rori watched her in the mirror. She stood a few inches taller than Rori, and held far more confidence than Rori had known since the days of Rich.

The lace bodice tightened around her, molding to her frame, enhancing the curves of her waist and the gentle flare of her hips.

The design could be considered deceptive, since she knew she didn’t have such curves.

“My first time here was against my will, but for my benefit, if that makes sense. At the time, I had little understanding of the circumstances surrounding Shaye and a curse set upon him. I didn’t realize it in the beginning, but this is the safest place for us.

The Talaenian land is protected by the land’s spirits, old magic, and the Goddess.

Evil can’t tread here without severe repercussions.

The last who came here with ill intent died.

” Moira’s fast-moving fingers paused. She caught Rori’s gaze in the mirror, the lightness gone.

“Except for Thaddeus. Thierry, one of our closest friends, was responsible for shooting him through with two arrows. The Talaenian arrows had been fashioned in such a way that the shafts were porous to allow the iron from their cores to seep into their targets, poisoning our enemies faster than those without porous material. Thaddeus shouldn’t have survived the blow, but he did. ”

The way Moira brought up Thaddeus’s injuries twisted a defensiveness within Rori, but she fought it back.

She didn’t know the full story behind the battle, the conflict, the bad blood between Thaddeus and this family.

The little she did know, she understood that Thaddeus most likely was to blame for his own incurred injuries, but it didn’t temper the protective creature that rose within her.

Moira’s mouth curled in a grin. “How I see it, the Goddess wanted him to survive. Her reasoning is for Her to know and him to find out, but regardless, he’s alive and is further blessed with a soul mate of his own.”