I turn my head, finding his gleaming eyes in the corner again. “That depends on the time.”
A smirk stretches his lips. “Way too early, I’m afraid.”
With a huff, I roll onto my back, staring at the stalactites, and my eyes shut closed.
“We have a long day ahead of us, princess. So, the quicker, the better.”
“But it’s cold,” I remark. I’m really not a morning person.
It seems I’m wearing his patience thin because I’m pretty sure his left eye twitches. “Well, tough shit. You want rations for winter, then you get out of bed.”
I toss the blankets aside, swinging my legs over the bed. “Fine, I’m up. No need to bite my head off.”
He makes no attempt to leave. He just waits in the corner, and I angle my head. “Do you mind? I need to dress.”
The faerie regards me strangely at first. When he cottons on, he hides his eyes, moving towards the exit. “Of course. I’ll be outside.”
I blow a frustrated sigh.
Honestly.
Once he’s out of sight, I remove my nightdress, shivering when a cool breeze wafts against my bare shoulders. It’s like living on a glacier.
I slip on a simple cotton dress, tying up the bodice with shaking fingers.
He coughs for attention outside. “Youmaywant to reposition your lamp. It’s casting your shadow across the wall.”
I turn towards the wall in question, and there I spy my lengthened shadow dancing across the ancient stone.
My exposed breasts bounce, and I cover my chest. “Tegwyn! Go! Now!”
There’s no missing the smirk in his tone as he meanders down the tunnel, a laugh reverberating in his chest. “With pleasure.”
I can still hear him laughing when he’s halfway down the mountain, and I finish tying my bodice, cursing under my breath.
That peeping Tom. Wait till I get my hands on him.
Once I’m dressed, I march out of the cave, finding him waiting at the foot of the mountain.
He’s covered in flecks of snow, gazing up at a darkened sky as he welcomes the flurries onto his face, and the sight takes my breath away.
It’s so peaceful and quiet, there’s barely a sound to be heard for miles—not even the fluttering of a bird’s wings up in the whitened branches.
My eyes fall back on the faerie. If he thinks he’s getting off that easy…
Tegwyn glances my way, a wry smile tugging his lips. “You took your time.”
I grit my teeth. “Are you really going to play dumb with me?”
He tilts his horned head. “Sorry, you’ve lost me, princess.”
My cheeks flush bright red. “You watched me undress!”
He blinks at me, nonplussed. Then he guffaws, vanishing down the slope.
Shaking my head, I stomp after him, but as soon as I lose my footing, he’s there, holding his arm out. It’s his olive branch, so to speak, and with a sigh, I take his arm, letting him lead me the rest of the way down the slope.
Horrid one moment, and then chivalrous the next. It’s hard to keep up with him.
