AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I gave him a rude gesture with my middle finger. "I don't think maidenly is a word."
He put a hand on his chest and reeled backwards mockingly. "She speaks."
I smirked. His powers of observation were on point, as usual.
He stepped inside the room and took hold of the handle of my bag. He pulled me to him and whispered in my ear, a purr in his voice, "I don't know whether or not maidenly is a word, but it hasn't applied to you for quite some time." He slid the strap down my arm, his eyes on mine, like he was undressing me, and stepped back.
With some amusement, I said words I'd never spoken out loud. "No shit."
He laughed at that. "And yet, I can't tempt you." His pretty hazel eyes lingered on mine with more than a hint of irritation.
He could definitely tempt me. That was half the problem.
"We're friends," I reminded him, signing again out of habit. "I don't want to ruin that."
"It may not ruin anything." The sides of his mouth drew back, frustrated with my stubbornness. I didn't need a seer to tell what he was thinking. At a word from me, he'd hike up my skirt, push me against the wall and slam his cock into me.
And then, everything would change. Whether he agreed with that or not, it would. He'd want more than a fuck. He'd want a relationship and I wasn't ready to have that. Not with him, or anyone else. Until now I'd been careful not to screw anyone who wasn't just in it for fun. I wasn't going to change that now. Not for him.
"There's always Hycanthe," I teased.
He grimaced, clearly not wanting to show too many signs he was pissed off. "I have some pride left. Not much, but enough."
I patted his arm, walked past him and out the door. His heated gaze and the scent of warm leather followed me. The three of us moved quickly down the corridor toward the front of the temple, my footsteps hurried by both the desire not to be late and the need to change the subject. I was sympathetic to Zared's damaged ego, but too much sympathy was a dangerous thing. Enough of it and I'd give in to him, against my better judgement. As it was, I spent enough of my time daydreaming about how it would feel if I did. His hands, his mouth, his cock.
Yes, I was tempted all right, but that was as far as it could go.
We stepped out to the front terrace of the temple and down the stairs in the unseasonably warm, autumn afternoon. A chill should linger in the air by now. Crackling fires and crisp apples. Not humidity, sticky air and sweat. I overheard the priestesses whispering about it once, but no one had any answers to that either. None they'd share with us maidens anyway. Now we weren't even that, we were less likely to get any answers if there were any.
"The Fae," Tyla whispered. Her brown eyed gaze was locked across the courtyard on a wide carriage. Black with gold accents around the doors and windows, and on the wheels. Four black horses were harnessed in front of it, each waiting patiently in spite of the sun.
The Fae woman stood in front of the carriage, talking to one of her entourage. As tall as she was, he was taller still, as imposing as the sword strapped to his back. He stepped over to open the door of the carriage for the woman, his movements lithe like a cat. A large cat.
She nodded her thanks and took the two steps up into the carriage. Before she slipped inside, she turned. Her eyes met mine. Something passed between us, I had no idea what. She was trying to tell me something, perhaps. Whether it was a warning or an acknowledgment, I couldn't tell.
She nodded slightly then disappeared inside.
I realised both Zared and Tyla were staring at me, and I managed to tear my gaze away from the carriage.
They didn't ask, which was just as well because I had no answers for them. No explanation for her interest in me. It could be nothing more than curiosity on her part. She might not see humans often, and I stared every time I saw her. Or maybe she smelled the fear of her on me, the way I smelled the scent of her.
Either way, I wasn't disappointed when the other Fae climbed into the carriage, and one at the front to grab the reins. On some unseen signal, the horses started to trot out of the courtyard and away from the Temple.
4
Khala
"Ifelt like they should have flown or something," Zared said thoughtfully. "Maybe ridden on the back of a dragon. Horses are so mundane."
"If you think horses are mundane, then you are welcome to walk to Havenmoor," Geralda said as she slid past. She gave him an accusing look over her shoulder before making her way to our, much more average looking carriages.
"Horses are amazing," he called out after her back.
I choked down a laugh at the expression on his face.
"Maybe you shouldn't antagonise her," I signed.
"But antagonising her is so much fun." He grinned.
