Page 79 of The Stolen Crown

“I’m not.” I nudged his side with one finger. “You think I am this innocent woman, but I have been raised by men and women who would destroy anyone who harmed those they love. There is another example, a man named Bloodsinger, have you met him?”

He rolled his eyes.

“Well,” I hurried on, “I hear his queen practically swoons when he gifts her bones and such things as that.”

“Point made, Vicious. You are twisted.”

“I’m glad we understand each other.” I rolled one of his rings around his center finger. “If you were going to harm me, you would have a long time ago. There were plenty of opportunities.” I arched into him, pausing for a breath, offering Tait a bit of time to adjust to my skin against his again. “You won’t hurt me.”

“I know it’s nice to believe someone who cares won’t bring you harm. Unfortunately, I know otherwise.” Tait dragged the tip of his thumb along my jaw. “I would never forgive myself if the lust for violence I keep inside turned against you. I needed you to know you don’t disgust me. Quite the opposite. But now you can understand why it’s important to keep a distance.”

Tait released me. By his sides, his fists flexed, then extended. Skin so averse to physical affection, I had no doubt, was crawling, even if he desired it.

“I don’t accept your conclusion.” I lifted my chin. “In fact, I think you’re entirely wrong.”

“Why am I not surprised?”

“Listen here.” I went to him, stopping a pace away. “I have no plans to strip you bare and take you fully. Not yet.”

Tait’s brows raised. I wasn’t certain if he was stunned I’d spoken so bluntly or felt a bit of terror at the idea of tangling our naked bodies together in every way.

I held up one palm. “I do not know all the horrors of your past. I cannot even pretend to. But I do know you won’t hurt me. I know you aren’t your father.”

Tait’s gaze snapped to mine. “You don’t know that.”

“Harald killed your mother simply because she was the woman who gave him his heir, and his brother did the same to his mate. You nearly gave your life for a queen your kingdom didn’t want. I don’t care if it was out of loyalty for Erik, Harald would not have risked his neck for a woman, true?”

“Vicious, it isn’t the same.”

“Harald tried to kill Celine, right? You helped hide her, befriended her. Even while your father was alive. Did you ever have a desire to harm her?”

Tait’s eyes darkened. He said nothing, merely peered at the soil, as though puzzling through every word. As though he’d never considered his bloodthirsty actions came from a place of affection and care, where his father’s came from wicked desires.

I pressed a palm over his heart. “So, I will take my time proving all that to you until you believe me. Until you allow yourself to give in to this craving. Because, gods, I crave you much the same.”

I left him to absorb each word and limped back to the shore to continue work on the skiff.

By the time Tait returned, the sun was lower in the sky. We did not speak much, but the silence wasn’t heady with conflict. Now it was more thoughtful, like we had cracked something open, something new and secret, and we needed the pause to piece together what we had discovered.

When the first star lit up the sky, I returned to the cavern to heat an evening meal.

Not long after, Tait entered the shelter with a new determination.

“Sleep next to me again,” he said. After a breath, he shook his head. “Will you sleep beside me tonight?”

I bit down on the inside of my cheek to conceal my smile. “As you wish, Hearttalker.”

Tait shoved his hands into his trousers, nodded, then accepted a leaf plate from me. “Good. That’s good.” He sat on a ledge near me, pausing before he bit into one fish. “Are you ever going to tell me why you don’t say my given name?”

“Yes.” I arranged my own fish on a leaf. “But not yet. Let us shatter a few of these trickier walls first. Then, I swear to tell you.”

Tait leaned against the cavern wall, a heated grin on his face when he said, “Vicious woman.”

24

The Heartwalker

When I woke, Mira’s fingers were threaded with mine. The whole of the night, we didn’t release each other. Even more, nightmares did not trouble my mind.