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He didn’t need to say anything, the pity was written all over his face.
Baine was close to Lord Demious and with a little nudging, he might tell me what I needed to know about this competition and the collar. Staying wasn’t an option, especially after Lord Demious’ little display. No matter how much I wanted to clear my debt, I would not bind my life to that vileness. I’d find another way. I had to.
With a furrowed brow, Baine reached over and took my arm. His thumb rubbed over the area where Lord Demious had grabbed me, the skin red.
“Is he always like that?” I asked, trying hard not to let my emotions roll out in a bumbling mess.
“Depends on the situation.” Baine brushed his fingers across my skin. “I can bring you back and have your servant tend to it.”
“That’s all right. I’m fine. Will you escort me to the center of the maze?” I held out my arm for him to take like a proper gentleman. “Please, I don’t want to go back inside.”
When he glared at me, I thought he would send me away, instead, he surprised me by slipping his arm around mine.
His closeness caused my heart to run wild and my mind to think of dangerous thoughts—a stark difference from the clammy touch of Lord Demious. Afraid of scaring the fae off, I kept quiet as he led us through the maze to the middle where we were rewarded with a massive three-tiered fountain. A fae woman with raised arms stood in the center of the fountain. She held a silver disc with sparkling gems.
“I need to see this closer.”
“That’s a bad idea,” Baine said, one step behind me.
“Stop worrying and give me your hand.”
He held out his hand, and I used it to steady myself and get a foothold. Once I was secure, I stepped onto the ledge of the square fountain.
“It’s beautiful.” The elven face had been carved out of sparkling white marble, and every curve, detailed and perfect.
I stood on my tip toes, glancing at the red gems.
“Miss Hawk.”
“Rosalie,” I corrected. “Call me Rosalie or Rose.”
His brow knitted together. “Fine, Rosalie. It’s time to return.”
He held out his hand and I shooed him away. “I can get down by myself. I don’t need—”
My words caught in my throat as my dress caught under my foot, sending me tumbling forward. Thankfully, my dark guardian had better balance than I did and caught me in his arms.
If there were ever a time to be graceful, I wish this had been it.
Instead of a romantic rescue, I gripped his neck while half of my dress smothered his face and one leg awkwardly hung around one of his arms.
“Well, that’s embarrassing,” I mumbled and slowly tried to right myself.
Baine growled, I’m pretty sure from annoyance, and flipped me around until he was carrying me and my puffy dress like a baby. My arms slipped lower and as my fingers grazed his neck, the scowl on his face shifted to something else.
Fae, dwarf, human, no matter what the race, all males held the same hungry stare when a female did something they liked: that hooded gaze, the tightness in their jaw, the way their neck tilted in the slightest direction.
I don’t know what possessed me, but without asking permission, I reached up and touched the piece of silver hair that curled right by his ear. When he didn’t hiss, or scowl, I gently dragged my finger along the edge of his earlobe, examining how slender and long his ear was compared to mine. Fae were as mythical as the stories I had heard growing up. They tended to keep to their woods and cities, and shifting fae? I never dreamed I’d get to meet one. I reached up and touched the very tip of Baine’s ear. He shuddered and a low growl left his pink lips.
“What are you doing?” he said gruffly.
“Are fae ears very sensitive?”
“Yes.”
Running my fingers along the point of his ear, I asked, “How sensitive are they?”
His jaw twitched. “You shouldn’t do that.”
