AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Even back when we were kids, you were most gracious with me,” Phillip added. He was saying all of this to Hanna, but he was looking at Taryn.
Something is off. Way off.
You have two options. Pursue it or push it away.
He’s Declan’s best friend. Best childhood friend.
Push it away.
Declan and Hanna knew Phillip and grew up with him. If the man had ill intentions, one of them would realize it.
“Why don’t we take this conversation into the sunroom?” Taryn suggested.
Phillip and Hanna nodded and followed Taryn as she led them out of the conservatory. Taryn drew three chairs from the table. Hanna, of course, grabbed one of the chairs from Taryn and placed the chair at the center of the room. Phillip took a chair and placed the chair nearest the door.
He waited for both women to sit before he did.
Such a gentleman,Taryn found herself thinking sarcastically.
“Now I saw the craziest striped flags today on my way through the village,” Phillip said. “The flags reminded me of the swim matches we had had growing up.”
“I loved those flags,” Hanna added. “And the matches. Declan went way overboard about winning every match and any match he was allowed to enter.”
“I took many of the matches,” Phillip said. “In fact, Declan and I steered clear of racing each other because we knew it’d be close.”
“Declan might remember that differently,” Hanna said.
Taryn was finally starting to relax and enjoy the conversation. It was very, very difficult to be around new people while knowing that she could not shift.
It was hard feeling defective.
Technically, there was no defect. She was simply half human and half wolf. So she was different, not defective, and that difference meant having other shifter abilities. One of those abilities would be pronounced and uniquely helpful to her king.
“You are Taryn of Autumhart, is that correct?” Phillip asked.
“That is correct. I am from Autumhart, and I am a princess of Autumhart.”
“Thank you for sharing. I know I should know all this stuff,” Phillip answered. “And you have some sisters, am I correct?” Phillip added.
“That’s right. One younger sister and two older sisters who are twins.”
“Were any of you princesses swimmers?”
“Not that I know of. Mostly we enjoyed combat sports. It’s exhilarating to box the ears off the full-blooded shifters. Especially the ones who thought they were better than us.” Taryn answered though she did her best not to sound sarcastic.
“My lord,” Hanna sighed.
“I bet. Didn’t one of your sisters finally shift recently while engaging in a dust-up with someone else?” Phillip asked with a small laugh.
“You are correct,” Taryn told him. “That was Lexi, the youngster.”
“Phillip, do you remember the two-year period, definitely the teen years, when Declan was obsessed with boxing and swordplay?” Hanna asked. “He went way overboard, match after match after match.”
“I sure do remember,” Phillip answered. He kept answering Hanna, but he was looking at Taryn while he spoke.
His gaze unnerved her, and at first, she tried returning it, but eventually, she dropped her gaze to her hands folded in her lap.
“Look,” Phillip said, his voice bright. “I was the one who pulled Declan into the fighting arts. I trained him and encouraged him.”
