I nod, placing my hand on his thigh. We cuddle together while he breaths out a long sigh.
“Take your time,” I whisper, guiding his body to rest against mine. He’s the largest little spoon I’ve ever held, but it’s nice all the same. His head falls onto my chest, and for a moment, he breathes deeply, getting up the courageto speak.
“My father was not as he is in thestories.”
When his voice finally rumbles against my chest, I startle. “But that doesn’t make sense,” I blurt, then bite my lip. This is Moth’s moment to tell me what’s been going on. I will not ruin this with my rambling. “Sorry—ugh,sorry.It’s just that your mom told me she loved him, and she seemed so sincereabout it.”
“I’m certain she did, my flame.” His fingers comb through the tangles in my hair. “That does not mean he deserved it.”
“No, no, I guess not.” People fall in love with assholes all the time. “And he did kidnap her, which isn’t a great look.”
“What?”
“Yeah, there are apparently some interesting customs here for us to unpack later.” I make note of the WTF look on Moth’s face. This is a surprise to him as well. I throw my hands up in the air. “I know we have our ‘no secrets’ rule, and it’s not like I’ve been trying to keep things from you, but babe, there issomuch going on here. I really need to get you up to speed.” I groan, cutting myself short as he draws in another heavy breath.
“One thing at a time.” It’s less of a request than a plea.
“Yes!” My discoveries can wait, especially when he’s already obviously overwhelmed. “Anyways! Okay! I’m done taking over the conversation. Please keep going.”
“You are obviously aware of my powerto heal?”
Pretty intimately.
I nod, forcing myself to stay silent and listen.
“It is a gift only some members of the Moth Court can perform. When I was young, I had a hard time mastering it. I would come into the dining room filled with cuts and scratches from whatever the day’s adventure had been. It made my father furious. I can still recall the furrow of his brow when I walked in thedoorway.”
He swallows, glancing at the humble plate of food in front of us. “I was not permitted to dine with the family with so much as a scratch onmy skin.”
“So, you snuck down to the kitchens at night?” I ask, my heart breaking for tiny Moth. We all learn skills at different times, and that’s so unfair.
“I did.” His head tips toward the ceiling. “My mother would turn a blind eye to the plates with crumbs left in my chambers comemorning.”
That’swhy he was so comfortable when we were theretogether.
“But she didn’t stop him?” I ask, a little in shock. The queen seems like the picture of a doting mother.
“I do not believe she approved, but I cannot pretend to know of what conversations happened behind closed doors.” He presses his palms to his eyes, letting out a gigantic sigh—right, too manyquestions.
“Sorry, I’ll stop. I said I’d just letyou talk.”
“No, my flame, it is not you.” He untangles himself from my arms, lying flat on his back with his wings pressed against the soft mattress. He stares at the ceiling. “It is … the feeling of old wounds ripped open.”
I tentatively place my hand on his thigh, patiently waiting for him tocontinue.
“It went on for a long time, and I still could not manage to heal myself. I believe it was why I couldn’t heal when you found me. At that time, this was my home, and though my father was certainly not a source of comfort, I felt safe here.”
We lay next to each other for a long time. It takes everything I have in me not to prompt him with a, “Then what happened?” and wait ’til he’s ready. Finally, he lets out a sigh.
“Did you know that the fae used to hunt animals like Sprout?”
“What?” I shoot up in my seat. “No, no way. He’s basically a giant puppy. That’sterrible.”
“My father thought that … if I could not heal myself, perhaps somethingI loved…”
The dots connect in an instant. I gasp, covering my mouth with both hands. No, no one could be that cruel—especially not a parent. My head spins at the gravity of what it all means. “No.”
“He used a crossbow while I watched. They said Sprout got mixed in with the wild herd, but you have seen the sweet creature. He needs to be coaxed to simply leave bed in themorning.”
