I roll my eyes, taking the other seat. “Then letmedo it. You just focus on getting better.”
He shakes his head. “No.Ineed to do it. I… must feel useful...”
I smile, taking his gloved hand. “Tegwyn, youareuseful. More than useful. You saved my life. I’ll never forget that.”
He chuckles, “Which time?”
I think for a moment, grinning wider. “Allthe times.”
“You do know that you are forever in my debt now, right? As Fae custom dictates.”
I blink at him, stupefied. “Oh.”
He lifts his gold-green face from the table, smirking like a wicked fox. “Ha, got ya. You arenotindebted to me, Ivy. Fae don’t give so freely, yet for you, I’ll make an exception.”
“Well, that’s a relief.”
His snigger lights up the room, and then he leans his face in his hand, closing his eyes.
He goes to rub along the edges of his bandaged horn, but I bat his hand away, and he glares at me pointedly.
I wag my finger at him. “No touching.”
The blood has finally clotted, so the wound is healing beautifully. He just needs to keep his grubby mitts off.
Tegwyn exhales deeply. “Yes,Mother…”
I purse my lips, ignoring the jibe.
“It’s not the same… only havinghalfa horn…” he says wistfully.
A sharp lance of pain pierces my heart when I hear his sad declaration, and I take his hand again, meeting his yellow eyes. “Even with half a horn, you still have much to offer. Don’t weigh all your self-worth on the length of your horns, Tegwyn.”
He scoffs. “Is that supposed to be an innuendo of some kind?”
It takes me a moment to hear what I just said. When I cotton on, I let go of his hand, glancing the other way.
My cheeks flush bright red. “No! I was just…”
He guffaws, and I look at him furiously. “Well, that’s the last time I try to make you feel better.”
The chair scrapes behind me as I take my leave, but he seizes my wrist, dragging me back.
“No. Don’t go. Youdidmake me feel better. Much better, actually. So… feel free to discuss the length of myhornsany time…”
He almost purrs the last, and my cheeks burn hotter as the sound vibrates through my spine, settling deep in my core.
I blow out a breath to cool myself down. “L-let go…”
The faerie continues to tease me. “Did you know that in some ancient Fae lore, horn length is tantamount with virility and power?”
Sweat beads on my temple, and the air in the room grows thick with tension. It’s hard to breathe. I must leave. Quickly. It’ssmotheringin this cave.
I wet my lips, and his eyes track the movement of my tongue. His pupils dilate, and it looks like the predator has found its prey.
“Tegwyn, let me go or… or I’ll…”
He makes that seductive purring sound again, and the heat pools between my legs. “Or you will what?” he whispers, voice dark and bordering on dangerous.
