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Even if Calliope had spelled him, which he still didn’t know for certain, there was a chance she hadn’t done it on purpose. She seemed as infatuated with him as he was with her—or she had until he’d spent the afternoon pushing her away—and surely she wouldn’t have deliberately spelled herself. He supposed there was a chance she was like some of the other besotted young women of his realm, who idolized him with an obsession usually reserved for musicians and movie stars, but it didn’t seem likely.
She hadn’t even ventured to his castle of her own free will. She had been kidnapped and held prisoner there. And if her magic had been under her control, why wouldn’t she have melted the prison bars and walked free? Why allow herself to be treated so vilely?
Examining the facts, it seemed Aaron had likely been punishing Calliope for nothing, or at the very worst, a magical misfire.
After all, what would the fairy have to gain from making him fall in love with her? The title of Queen and access to the wealth of the kingdom, yes, but so did every other woman who came to his bed. He’d stopped worrying about that being the sole motivation for a woman to love him a long time ago. Aaron trusted his instincts to let him know when he was being played false.
And even if a woman managed to trick him, she would pay the greatest price for her treachery. What sadder existence could there be than to marry another person for any reason other than love? No treasury, regardless of size, would ever be able to make up for such poverty of the heart.
“Seems you’ve answered your own question,” Aaron mumbled as he knelt beside the swiftly flowing river.
He had just decided that he had to speak honestly with Calliope about his suspicions—after a heartfelt apology, of course—when her voice sounded from behind him.
“Don’t turn around, and don’t say a word. This is the simplest of spells, but I still can’t guarantee your safety if you disobey my command.” Her voice was cool, but her words sent a wave of heat surging to his groin. She could be getting ready to kill him, for all he knew, but the idea of being at her command still made his traitorous body react.
“Calliope, I—”
“I will tell you once more to be quiet, Aaron. After that, you take your life in your hands with your disobedience.”
He sucked in a deep breath, but forced himself to hold his peace as she began to chant behind him. She really was casting, damn it, and despite Dr. Whethers assurances, Aaron didn’t have enough faith in Calliope’s magical skill to risk shaking her concentration.
“Still and mum is what I would, magic hear and do as you should.” The air near the river shivered and went strangely silent, seeming empty without her words to fill it.
Aaron was about to say something to that effect, when a stinging sensation shivered across the back of his neck. Warmth spread throughout his body, relaxing his muscles for one blissful second before his arms were forced up and over his head and bound together by invisible wire.
“What the—” His words ended in a shout as he was pulled across the ground by some unseen force, coming to an abrupt stop against a tree. His head hit the bark, hard, and his vision swam for a moment before everything—including Calliope’s concerned face—faded to black.
He feared he was losing consciousness, but his thoughts remained sharp as his vision blackened.
“It’s okay, Aaron. You’re all right.” Calliope’s voice was soft and placating, but it did nothing to stem the panic rushing through him
He was blind. She had blinded him!
“What have you done?” he snapped. “Release me immediately! I swear by the—”
“Quiet now, you’ll hurt yourself. The spell won’t last long.” Her hand smoothed down his stomach and over the slight bulge in his pants—which, despite his fear, became a larger bulge under her exploring fingers. “So if you want to enjoy this, I suggest you hold still.”
And here he’d thought she was a relative innocent.
“If you wanted to play games, you should have told me in advance,” he said, still angry, but intrigued in spite of himself. “It’s customary to receive the consent of the one who will be bound,”
“I’m sorry. I was afraid you wouldn’t give consent in your present mood, and there is a pressing question I must have answered.” Her lips touched softly upon his neck, making his pulse leap. “Trust me, Aaron. I would never hurt you.”
“Even though I treated you terribly the entire day?” he asked, his heart beating faster as her fingers begin to work the buttons on his shirt.
“Not the entire day. I seem to remember some time spent under a tree that was quite pleasant.” He felt the gentle puff of her breath against his cheek and turned to catch her lips, but she was too fast. “Let me guide the course this time, Aaron. Just try to enjoy yourself.”
“I’ll try,” he said in his most beleaguered voice.
Her laughter was accompanied by a slight rustling and when she pressed back against him, her warm skin warmed his bare chest. He groaned.
“You’re a good sport.” She kissed his cheek, his neck, before dragging her teeth slowly over his jaw, taking his breath away. “But I’ll ask you one favor—when I ask you a question, please answer me honestly.”
“I always attempt to be honest,” he said, swallowing hard as she tugged at the close of his pants. “Unless honesty does more harm than good.”
“Don’t worry about that now. Even if you think that an honest answer will hurt my feelings, I still want the truth.” Her words were muffled as she kissed her way down his chest, but he gathered her meaning.
Now if he could only figure out what she was trying to prove with this strange game.
