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I picked up my shredded shirt. “I don’t relish the idea of anyone being tortured regardless of what they’ve done.”
The manic light in his eyes didn’t abate as he trailed a finger along my collarbone. I shivered. “And that’s the difference between you and me. You’re inherently good, and I’m—” He shrugged.
I placed a hand on his arm. Sinewy muscle jumped beneath my fingertips. “You’renota monster. We both know that even though your father’s tried to turn you into one.”
His look grew pensive. “Do you truly believe that?”
“I do. After seeing what you did—” I pointed toward the window in the northern direction toward the Cliffs of Sarum. Since neither of us had created a silencing Shield around us, and since I didn’t know if anyone was listening, I only said, “Yes, I do believe that.”
“But if I did torture Vorl, and I enjoyed it, would that change your opinion of me?”
I frowned, trying to recall what I’d heard of mate bonds. It was quite common for the male to submit to his baser instincts. If those instincts demanded that Prince Norivun punish Vorl excessively, I wouldn’t hold that against him.
Still, I shuddered. “I suppose I prefer that you don’t, even though I despise my former archon, but if you’re unable to control yourself, and you do torture him...” I wrapped my arms around him. “I won’t think any differently of you, but I don’t want to see it.”
All amusement fled from his face as he caged me to him. He gripped my hips and leaned down before breathing in my scent. A low growl rumbled his chest. “When it comes to you, Ilara Seary, I’mnotabove torturing a male.”
My breath sucked in at the wildness in his tone. “Did you feel that way about me before the bond clicked into place for you?”
His nose trailed up my neck, sparking a ripple of desire in me. “I did. I abhor violence against females, so when I saw those bruises on your neck back in your field barn, it took immense self-control not to rip Vorl to pieces right then and there.”
I gripped his shoulders more tightly. “Do you hate violence against females because of your mother and the abuse she’s suffered?”
A pained look entered his eyes when he lifted his head. He nodded. “While females can be much stronger than males magically, if that magic is stripped from them, physically they are at a disadvantage. My father has no qualms about using his superior strength and size against my mother. Any male despicable enough to submit to such weak depravations against a female—” His jaw tightened, the muscle pulsing. “There are times I relish being Death Master of the continent. So much so that you may change your mind about me not being a monster.”
My jaw slackened. “Those actions are to protect fae who cannot protect themselves, and you still think I would view you differently? Never.”
Some of the darkness around him lightened. “And that, Ilara darling, is why you’re perfect for me.”
This time, I couldn’t stop my laugh. I swatted him playfully when the aura around him grew, and I pulled away before he could sway me to join him in bed again. “You’re insatiable. I need to go, get dressed, and meet with Sandus for training before you whisk me away to another field.”
I picked up a shirt on the floor, one belonging to the prince. Even though it was much too big for me, I would rather wear it than mistphase back to my chambers with my bare breasts on display. I slipped it on, and it settled to the tops of my knees.
“You know, as you saw last night, I’m getting quite good at mistphasing. Matron Olsander said I have a natural aptitude for it. Maybe I should start transporting myself to the fields each day. It would be one less task for you to do.”
I waited for the prince to answer, but his attention was fixated on my breasts.
“Norivun?”
“Hmm?” He finally lifted his head.
“Did you hear anything I just said?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “You in my shirt is rather distracting.”
I bit my lip to hold back a laugh. “I was talking about mistphasing. If I mistphased myself, you wouldn’t need to take me to the fields each day.”
“True.” He curved an arm around my waist before I could stop him, then nuzzled my neck. “But then I wouldn’t have an excuse to see you every morning.”
“Do you need an excuse now that I know you’re my mate?” I asked breathlessly.Blessed Mother, when he ran his tongue along me like that...
He lifted his head, smiling devilishly. “Perhaps not, as long as you don’t plan to avoid me again?”
“I won’t. I have no reason to anymore.”
“Very well, but I’ll need to see that your mistphasing is reliable enough to transport you exactly where you need to be.”
“Didn’t I prove that last night when I mistphased us here?”
