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“Not at this time. Take care, Tristan,” she said, her tone even and clinical. Their situation, his behavior, was causing them both to act out of character.
Thankful he didn’t want to discuss the evening any more deeply, she began to conjure her shadows. She could be back at the castle before Devon returned, and he was the only one she wanted to speak with tonight.
He was the one who needed her, wasn’t he? An image of him locked in an embrace with a red-haired woman flashed in her mind’s eye. Well, his powers needed her, at the very least. And she was afraid she’d left him alone too long after his eruption. She had left Hecate and Thanatos there to watch over him from afar, but she felt like it should have been her instead.
“Wait…” Tristan called, and she had to stop herself from grinding her teeth.
She attempted to school her expression so he didn’t see her irritation as she turned to him. She may have checked on him, but she was still angry and had nothing further to discuss.
“I am sorry for my behavior at the gala. To be honest, I was jealous. Extremely jealous actually. I know it has been a long time since we were together but seeing you with him made me feel barbaric and possessive,” he said, his face chagrin as her jaw dropped. “I am truly sorry for my actions.”
She heard the words he said, but something inside her told her to tread with caution. The situation was only going to cause unwanted confusion and discomfort in her soul.
He was on her in a millisecond, and she stumbled back in shock as his arm wrapped around her waist to catch her. His hand moved to her face, hesitant at first, but only a moment before he cupped her jaw.
“I’ve been in love with you for ages.” He was serious, she realized, and she panicked at the sincerity in his expression. Her eyes widened. “I’ve taken what you were willing to give, but it was never enough,” he continued. “I wanted to have you in other ways. Like enjoying each other’s company over dinner or you coming to me after a long day and we converse before falling into bed.”
“Tristan,” she growled, pushing at his chest but his arm was a steel band around her.
“I never said anything because I thought with time, you’d feel the same way. But that man, he seemed to have a connection with you that I never had. Whether you know it or not, he would never help you run this realm as I would. Where you are the queen, I would be your perfect king.”
Her heart was pounding, and she didn’t know if it was from Tristan’s proximity or the urge to escape. She put her hand to Tristan’s wrist to move his hand away from her face.
When he saw that he was about to be dismissed, he took his chance and had his lips on hers before she could blink.
He had moved with a stealth she had never known him to have. His tongue pushing into her mouth to assert claim before she was able to have a cohesive thought.
Once her brain was back in fighting shape, she shoved him back and swiped the back of her hand across her mouth.
“Enough, Tristan,” she growled, angry that he had managed to take it that far. And even angrier she hadn’t had the foresight to stop it.
She noticed someone standing near them in the shadows from the corner of her eye.
Turning her head, she saw Devon leaning against one of the dead trees near the banks, his arms folded over his chest and a blank expression on his face.
Not one of jealousy, which bothered her after that moment on the balcony, but perhaps his power had been more of an influence on his behavior than she had originally thought.
“Does he always follow you around like a stray dog?” Tristan asked, his teeth sharpening as
he started to change forms.
“You need to watch your tone,” she ordered. “He is no longer a mere mortal and is capable of power greater than even yours. You would be wise to heed my warning on this before you end up ripped apart by vines.” Her hands fisted at her sides. “I believe Devon left you with a significant warning of what could happen earlier this evening,” she muttered before turning to move toward Devon.
Tristan growled and grabbed her elbow, twisting her back around to him.
Green flashed and leaves fluttered as Persephone felt herself pushed behind someone. As the light faded, she saw that Devon had opened a portal and was facing off with Tristan.
“You were warned,” Devon’s voice was harder and lower than she had ever heard from him.
“You’ve been here for all of a week and you think you’ve earned a place at her side?” Tristan laughed.
“Gentlemen,” Persephone cut in, stepping between the men facing off. “Enough.”
She used her magic to calm Devon, thankful they were in her domain where her powers were stronger.
Devon looked at her and she froze before any other words could leave her mouth. His eyes were not lit up. The God was not at the forefront of his consciousness.
Tristan took advantage of her distraction and made his escape, turning into water and splashing back into his river.
