Snow adjusts herself so she is sitting on her knees now, clutching a pillow to her chest with barely restrained excitement. “Have you seen him turn into a Dragon? How big does he get?”
I shake my head. “I mean he’s a Dragon with scales and wings, but he can’t fully transform into Dragon form. That’s something only the ancient ones could do.”
“Oh. Have you seen his wings?” Ariel jumps on the question train.
“Um, yes,” I say. “His back ones anyway.”
They both tilt their heads in confusion.
“Does he have wings somewhereelse?” Snow asks. Her eyes turn round with a curiosity that borders on hunger.
It’s only then I realize how little they know about Dragon anatomy.
“Oh no, just on their backs,” I rush to say. Talon would kill me if I told Snow where the extra set was. He would get no rest from the questions she’d hurl at him.
In fact, I doubt he even knows that I'm aware of the extra set. But being cooped up all day every day, I read a lot and found everything I could on Dragons after I became his charge.
“I don’t know how he’s held back this long,” Snow says. “Hot boy is always looking like he’ll eat you up like one of those nasty lobster rolls he’s always chowing down on.”
“Uh...” I can’t tell if she was trying to compliment me or not.
“Listen, I know you can’t touch, but why are you guys letting that stop you?” Snow asks.
I blink. “I don’t understand.”
“Well, fae leather doesn’t burn,” she goes on. “Otherwise, the boy would constantly be nude. I mean most of the fabrics even in the Common World are sourced by the fae nowadays. So why doesn't he slap on a pair of fae leather gloves and finger diddle you? Or you guys could get body suits? You could still rub all up in each other’s business. Get a little creative and you two could be having lots of nasty fun.” Snow grins wickedly.
My mouth falls open, then clicks closed.
“I guess...I guess I hadn’t thought of that.” I feel dumb. Truly and utterly dumb. Like someone pointed out an obvious plot hole in my favorite book. “Where we come from...we weren’t allowed...I mean...” I stumble all over my words, over what to tell them. Over what not to tell them.
“He’s my protector, and it’d be...wrong.” It just pops out.
“Wrong?” Ariel echoes with evident disbelief. “I mean...” She clears her throat as if dealing with something delicate. “It seems he’s not the only one with feelings.”
“Maybe we should set you up with someone, then you can bang it out with them and forget about hot boy,” Snow cheerfully adds.
I try to laugh. It comes out strained. “Sure, we’ve known each other a long time. I mean, I ran away from home and the clod had the nerve to follow me, and it’s totally annoying, and he thinks I made a huge mistake coming here. I mean, he’s always been there for me, even on the worst days of my life. Just letting me be whatever I need to be. And yeah, he’s basically made of honor and grit.” My words start to tumble, faster, looser.
“He checks every room before I walk into it. He knows how I take my coffee. He treats me like I'm the only one in the world who matters, and never makes me feel shitty about who I am. But he also holds me accountable for my behavior when no one else will, which is infuriating because by doing that he makes me a better person. And even though I’m completely and totally in love with him, I can’t say it. It’s just this scream I have to swallow down all day, every day. Because saying it won’t change anything. Because with just a look, he already knows. He always knows.”
When I stop talking, my chest heaves from the outburst.
Both girls stare at me in stunned silence.
I feel the slow, dawning horror of what I’ve just let out into the air. It’s more than I’ve ever dared say before. The vulnerability is as raw as though I sliced through my stomach and let my guts fall out in front of them.
It’s a wonder I didn’t barrel on and jabber about how I’ve had to sleep with basically anyonebutTalon since it's how I've survived. Oh yeah, and I’ve had to leave a trail of bodies behind as a secret Succubus princess.
Thank the fucking fae lords I didn’t.
“Okay,” Snow says slowly. “I’m thinking wedon'tset you up with someone else.”
“Oh sweetie,” Ariel says, rubbing my arm.
“It’s fine,” I say, trying to shrug it off even as my throat clogs up. My eyes sting, and my vision turns blurry. “I mean this ishow it’s always been. It’s how it’s always going to be.” I quickly swipe at the stupid tears rolling down my cheeks.
Ariel puts her arms around me, before a second set joins in.
