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She rolled her eyes.
He chuckled. “Very well.”
Frowning, she touched the gem through his clothes again, carefully running her fingers along its ridges. “Does it hurt?”
“No, my firefly.” He placed his hand over the back of hers.
Tears welled in her eyes suddenly. “I’m not your firefly anymore. I’m not a fire elemental.”
“You will always be my firefly.” He smiled faintly. Tonight, he would simply enjoy her presence. It was clear she was not in the mood for anything more.
She flopped down into the grass beside him, snuggling close to his side. “Can’t you just…not go to war with Grinn?” She rested her forehead against his neck.
“And allow him to regain his strength, only to wage destruction upon Avalon? No. You know I must stop him.”
“I know.” She sighed. “There’s just one of him, though, and you have a whole army.”
“You have not seen the magnitude of what he is capable of. I am glad you will be spared such a sight.” He kissed the top of her head.
After a silence, she let out a quiet “Yeah.” She paused again. “I’m just worried.”
“I know you are. But none of this is your concern any longer.”
“That’s not fair. You know I love you. Even if—even if we’re not together, it doesn’t mean I don’t care.” She lifted her head to shoot him a look. “Don’t be dismissive.”
“Forgive me.” He traced his fingers over her cheek. “I simply wish to spare you the strife.”
Her expression softened. “I know. You sent me away to protect me. I get it. It doesn’t mean I like it.”
“Welcome to being in my presence.” He smirked. “I believe you just defined my entire reign as the Prince in Iron.”
“Well, maybe if you weren’t such an asshole about it.” She poked him in the center of his chest. “You don’t have to lean in.”
“Where would the fun in that be?” He chuckled. “If I am to be despised by an entire realm, I might as well ‘lean in,’ wouldn’t you say?”
She rolled her eyes. He caught her in a kiss before she could give him some other playful but embittered response. When he broke away, her eyes were shut. “I love you, my firefly.”
Her voice was soft and unsure. “Why is it…every time you say that it feels like a goodbye?”
For a long moment, he was not sure how to respond. He wished to tell her the truth. But he wished to protect her. “Because someday, it might be true.”
Wincing, she ducked her head onto his shoulder again. She didn’t deny his words.
Wrapping his arms around her, he held her. Simply held her, in that intimate embrace, and took comfort in her presence. In her companionship.
Because someday soon, it would be gone from him forever.
When Gwen woke up in the back of the cart, she was in a fucking mood. At least Bert and the rest seemed content to leave her in silence as she stared at the road ahead of them. Grinn was in the caves in the center of the isle. Mordred knew he was there—he had specifically referenced the caves.
That meant she was in a race to get to Grinn first.
Not like she’d have any goddamn chance of talking the demon out of torching the world. But she had to try. She had to see if she could dissuade the two men from their collision course. This was complicated by the fact that Mordred had given Zoe the ability to hurt him—even kill him, maybe.
Gwen frowned down at her lap. After petting Eod for a moment, she climbed up to the front seat and sat down next to the scarecrow. “What do you know about the Gossamer Lady?”
“Hm?” Bert shrugged. “I have no love for any of the elementals. She talks about wanting to maintain peace and balance—but she has done nothing to help. She’s usually passive to the point where I swear she enjoys the chaos other people cause, she just doesn’t want to get her hands dirty.”
Great. More politics. Leaning her elbows on her knees, Gwen propped her head up in her hands. “Can she be trusted?”
