Page 51 of The Orc Who Hated Christmas

“But that’s insane,” Cas whispered. And very weird.

“Pixies can tell who their mate is by?—”

“Briar, this is all very interesting, and I want to talk more about it later, but I need to go find Graal.” Cas lifted into the air.

“Oh. Of course,” Briar said as Cas flew out the door.

CHAPTER 31

Graal hunched his shoulders as his heavy boots crunched in the snow. He didn’t know where he was headed. Graal just had to get away from the bakery and Cas and the incubus Cas loved.

At some point, he’d need to find an inn where he’d stay the night. Then he could set out for the mining village tomorrow.

The image of Cas kissing the attractive incubus stayed frozen in place in his mind. Even with his horns, wings, and tail, Xavier did not look monstrous at all. Not even a little bit. He was exactly the sort of being Graal could picture with Cas. Graal couldn’t even begin to compete with someone like that.

And Cas loved the incubus. He’d said so at the Christmas markets. Cas said he’d hoped Xavier would come back, tell Cas he’d made a mistake, and ask Cas back. Seemed like he’d done that. It had just taken the incubus a few weeks.

Graal’s throat tightened. Perhaps Cas could still ask Xavier to bond. And just in time for Christmas too. Thatwould be perfect for Cas the Christmas pixie. He’d be so happy.

Graal closed his eyes as pain lanced through him.

And Graal would be alone for Christmas. Like every Christmas before.

He’d need to write a letter to Cas, telling Cas where he’d gone. He could do that from the inn. He sighed, guilt eating him. He’d behaved terribly not even saying goodbye and thanking Cas after everything. But he just couldn’t face him. Not now. So a letter would have to do.

Cas might not even care. He might be too absorbed with being in love and being blissfully happy to care that Graal had left without a word. Maybe Graal was even making it easier for Cas. Now Cas didn’t have to deal with ending things awkwardly with Graal or any uncomfortableness that might arise from Graal meeting Xavier.

Graal continued to drag his feet through the snow.

“Graal!” an angry voice yelled.

Graal turned and frowned. “Cas? What are you doing here?” He glanced around, but he could see no sight of the handsome incubus Cas had been with minutes before.

Cas hovered in front of him, eyes narrowed, wings fluttering rapidly. “I came to find you!”

“How did you find me?” Graal asked.

Cas gestured to the ground with an angry jerk of his arm. “I followed your footprints.” His aura took on a red tinge. “What the fuck are you playing at, Graal? Jack said you were going to the mining village. That you were leaving and not going to say anything to me.”

Cas paused, breathing heavily, staring at Graal with so much hurt in his pale-blue gaze that Graal had to drop his own. “How could you leave me without even saying goodbye? Do I mean that little to you?”

“I’m sorry.” Graal stared at Cas’s legs hovering above thesnow. “I saw you with Xavier. I saw you kissing.” Graal took in a lungful of freezing air. “I know you still love him.” The words were like bile burning his throat.

“And now you have everything you want.” Graal gave a painful smile. “I couldn’t stick around. I couldn’t bear to see you with him. Not when I—” Graal cut off.

Slowly, Cas lowered to the ground. His wings stopped flapping. His red aura returned to the normal pale glow. The anger and pain left his face, replaced by a pensive expression. “Finish the sentence, Graal. When you what?”

Graal shook his head. He shouldn’t have to say it. He shouldn’t have to say that he loved Cas. Not when Cas loved Xavier.

Cas stepped close. He reached out and cupped Graal’s jaw, stroking his cheek, forcing Graal to lock eyes with him. “Graal, why can’t you see me with him?”

Even if there was no hope for him and Cas, even if it wouldn’t change anything, Graal could do nothing but answer truthfully. If Cas asked him a question, Graal would answer. “Because I love you, Cas. And I know you don’t feel the same way, but?—”

Pixie dust burst in the air, and Cas’s lips crashed into his, cutting off Graal’s words. And despite his small stature, the force of his petite body launching at Graal’s caused Graal to step back.

“Why are you kissing me?” Graal asked, breaking the kiss.

“Because I love you too.” Cas laughed, a joyful lilting noise. “And I’m sorry it took me so long to work it out. I was in denial and still so confused and thrown off after everything with Xavier. But this isn’t a fling for me. It hasn’t been for a while. I love you, Graal, with all my heart.”