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“Was there no sign of Tarragon?” asked Skye, before lowering to settee.

Heather occupied the seat next to him, drawing his hand into hers.

She felt horrible that Tarragon was on a mission of her choosing, and some misfortune befell him.

She went to caress her wish ribbon, but realized it was no longer there.

She twitched her wings instead, finding the sinews there wound tight.

Now that she sat, a soreness spread in her muscles, making her wings, arms and legs feel heavy.

Rhoden leaned forward, his elbows braced on his knees. “Nay, we need to fly to the human court as soon as possible. ‘Tis not common for Tarragon to be absent.”

Skye sighed and swept his face. “Let’s get some rest and make plans in the morning.

” He lowered his wings and slouched back into the chair, suddenly exhausted.

He brought Heather’s hand up to his lips and pressed a kiss to it, his hooded eyes holding her captive.

The intimacy of his actions with others present continued to unbalance her. She shyly peered down at the floor.

She gathered her wits before supplying, “You’re welcome to take the guest room at the end of the hall.”

“My thanks, I doubt I’ll be capable of sleeping though,” replied a troubled Rhoden. He ran a hand over his creased brow.

“Me neither,” said Heather. Her palm lowered to her twisting stomach. She had only known Rhoden for a short period but seeing him without a jesting smile unsettled her.

Rhoden rose and exited the chamber. His retreating footsteps resounded down the corridor.

Heather turned to Skye. “Is it my fault?”

A shrill scream sounded from down the hall. They sprang from the settee, Skye drew his rapier and led the charge down the vestibule to the spare bedroom. He busted through the guest chamber door.

“What the feck is that?” Rhoden yelled.

The room was engulfed in shadow. Heather willed the hearth alight, and to her surprise it magically burst into flames.

In a heap before the open armoire, the doll king was sprawled halfway out the opening, a mess of disjointed wooden limbs.

When she caught sight of what Rhoden was referring to, a bubbling laugh escaped her lips.

She covered her mouth, attempting to hide her rudeness.

She bent over in relief. There was no need for alarm.

“That” … she laughed… “that’s my old house mate.” Skye visibly relaxed and joined her at Rhoden’s expense, chuckling.

“How did he end up in the armoire?” Skye questioned. She couldn’t stop laughing long enough to answer him. Mirth erupted with such force, she was wheezing under the strain. “I was incapable of seeing his face, even a replica.” She finally managed to say.

“I won’t get a wink of sleep with that thing as my bedmate,” grumbled Rhoden. Skye’s green magic swirled and enveloped the doll, winking it from sight.

“Would ye like Aster to visit or would ye prefer to call on my parents?” asked Skye.

Heather peered at him in question, her gaze narrowing. “Whatever do you mean? I’m going with you.” He was untying his cuffs and pulling his shirt loose from his breeches, his tunic vest discarded to the floor. Several buttons were undone, revealing a deep triangle of skin.

“Heather, it’s not safe in the human court, and you’re newly pixie- it would be a challenge for anyone with fresh wings to make that flight. Trust me, I speak from experience.”

“Tarragon went to the castle because I begged him to. I must be in the search party,” replied Heather. Skye paused his ministrations and gave her his entire attention. He gathered both her hands in his own.

“Moonbeam, I’ve lost friends in the human realm. How would I cope without ye?” His eyes pleaded with her to understand.

Heather thought back to the day they met. To the comment he made about the cat and the glamours shielding him. Her heart ached for the male before her. Who had perished?

“Well... what would I do if the unimaginable happened to you? … It would be tortuous if I was absent and never had knowledge of what occurred. Besides, you forget, I know the castle layout.”

Skye ran his hands down his face.

Heather refused to be left in the dark, and if she had to, she’d trail incognito in his wake.

Skye lowered into a chair before the hearth, all the while gazing up at her, where she remained.

Running her hand through his tousled locks, she peered into his green depths and captured his jaw between her hands.

She needed him to see the depth of her words.

“I won’t let you go without me. The safest place for each of us is at each other’s side.”

“We only just found each other. I don’t want to risk it, risk ye,” he admitted.

“Skye, do you believe in me? In my capability?”

He leaned forward, pitching his weight into her middle, and she wrapped her arms about him. He inhaled deeply as if he was relishing the scent of her, as if it soothed his concerns. Heather watched on as his domineering protective aura fell away with the relaxing slope of his shoulders.

His voice was muffled by her gown. “Aye, I know that ye are.”

He drew a deep pull of air into his lungs before saying, “Alright, we’ll practice in the morn. But I’ll have your oath to follow my lead. There are dangers out there in the wilds that ye do not yet know.”