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I frowned at him. "Adder…you seem to know a lot about assassination attempts."
He nodded once, sharply. "My parents weren't nobles. Highborns, yes, but we quite poor. They were charismatic, though. They had many ideas. Ideas that would have upset the social hierarchy in our territory, and in Elfhaven as a whole. And…they had a way about them, something that made others sit up and take notice and really listen to what they were saying." He paused for a moment before continuing. "I don't believe their deaths were an accident or a coincidence. The official story is that they were robbed by petty criminals who were passing through the area, and that our home was burned down to hide the evidence when the robbery went wrong and resulted in the deaths of two fae." He shrugged. "They possessed nothing of value. Our neighbors swore they didn't see or hear anything, despite our houses being crammed in side-by-side where everyone always knew everyone else's business. They watched while our house burned with my parents inside."
I shook my head. "That's horrible. I'm so sorry, Adder."
He shrugged again, as if he could just brush off the fact that his parents had been murdered, he suspected the people who were supposed to be loyal to them, and he'd ended up in an orphanage as a result. "Such is life," he said flatly. "It was a long time ago, and I've given up the idea of revenge or retribution. It would be impossible, at this point, to pin down whichever noble they offended so badly that they were driven to murder. All I meant to convey was that I worry for you. I worry that you're too trusting of the people around you."
I silently promised myself that I would speak to the royal inquisitor about the death of Adder's parents. Adder might not have been able to find answers or justice as a young, penniless boy on his own, but I had connections. And I wasn't afraid to use them. I would make sure there was justice. For him and his parents. And for me and Lady Rose.
He stepped closer, his big hands engulfing mine, drawing attention to the fact that I had curled my hands into fists. "I'm sorry if I upset you," he murmured, that strange, mesmerizing tone creeping into his deep voice. "Be at ease, Kat. I will not let harm befall you."
I felt the tension drain from my body, my fingers uncurling as he released me. Sucking in a breath, I came back to the here and now, tilting my head back to see his face. I couldn't be certain with his already dark eyes and the dwindling light, but I thought his pupils might be elongated, like a snake's. "What was that?" I breathed. "You did something to me. And you've done it before…that night in the Untamed Wood."
He watched my face, searching for something, maybe afraid of my reaction. "It's one of my natural gifts from my high fae blood. I can…mesmerize. It's not mind control," he rushed to explain. "It's very temporary, and I can only give suggestions to nudge a person toward emotions they already wish to feel."
I huffed a laugh. "Don't worry, I'm not mad or repulsed. All you did was help me relax a bit. And you're right, I really wanted that—even if I didn't realize it."
He nodded, looking a bit relieved. "I'm happy to be of assistance, my lady."
A bit of a teasing tone had crept into his voice, and I felt off-kilter and confused once more. Sighing, I turned and sat on the bench behind us. "I thought you hated me," I said tiredly. It seemed like I just kept saying those same words over and over to each of my mates.
Adder loomed over me for a moment before he finally relented and sank down onto the bench beside me. It was a tight fit for two people, but not uncomfortable. Our shoulders, hips, and knees touched, and I was keenly aware of the contact. It felt more intimate than it should have.
"I do not hate you," he said eventually. "I was angry with you, at first. I have…" He sighed. "I have a hard time trusting people. But I trusted you. And I felt that you had betrayed that trust with your deception." He snorted softly. "Normally, I would have expected you to betray us. It's my default to assume the worst of everyone. But, strangely, I wanted to trust you. So, when you revealed yourself, I felt like I was foolish for having that hope. I have been angrier with myself for my error in judgement than I ever was with you."
"And you're not angry anymore?" I asked, pretty sure that was where this conversation was headed, but afraid to hope. "Why?"
He shrugged, the motion rippling through him and into me, where our shoulders pressed together. "Anger fades with time and distance from the situation. You explained your position. But quite frankly, it's more…because of who you are."
I glanced at him in question. "Who I am?"
He nodded, staring out into the garden rather than meeting my gaze. "Actions speak louder than words. I've seen how you treat your people. How you've treated us. You were angry too. But you've never been cruel, even when you were wronged. You pushed back, but you aren't vindictive. You stood up for Mirri today." A night bird started to sing, and he paused for a moment before continuing. "But mostly, it was because of Fife."
I felt a warm flush creeping up from my chest to my cheeks at the mention of the man we were both romantically interested in. "Fife?"
He sighed. "Yes. That man is an unholy terror when he's in a snit. He can be petty, stubborn, and downright cruel. And he makes you want to absolutely wring his scrawny neck. Yet you put up with his nonsense and the way he lashed out at you when he was hurting. You took it all in stride and accepted him for who he was. You saw through him. You've forgiven him, and you don't seem to hold any of that against him. That, more than anything, convinced me you're worth trusting."
I sucked in a breath, feeling so nervous I could vomit. "You love him," I whispered. "You're willing to forgive me because of how I've treated the man you love."
He didn't answer for a moment, and my heart thundered in my ears. But then he spoke in a calm, suspiciously cool voice. "Yes. In part. Fife was the first person besides my parents to ever show me kindness, acceptance, and love. I know how badly he was hurt by your deception, and I couldn't tolerate him hurting. But I admit, it's more than that."
He turned toward me, one of his big hands coming to cup my cheek and hold me still while he planted the other hand on the arbor behind me, caging me in. His expression seemed angry and sharp, but I realized with sudden clarity that the severe look might not mean what I had assumed it meant all this time.
"Shall I tell you a secret, little halfling?" he whispered, his dangerously handsome face inches from mine, and a slight hint of that mesmerizing compulsion creeping into his voice. "I've wanted to punish you for ages. I'd like nothing more than to hold you down and make you beg for mercy."
I swallowed compulsively, my throat suddenly gone dry. "But Fife…" I murmured stupidly, my brain malfunctioning at Adder's closeness and at the sensual danger in his voice.
"Fife would be right there watching me take you apart," he whispered, his words pure evil. "And if you were both very, very good, I might let him help."
Heat rushed through me at his words and the scene they painted in my mind.
"No objections, little halfling?" he purred, pausing with his lips barely touching mine, giving me a chance to speak up.
I leaned forward as far as his grip on my face would allow, pressing my lips to his, and Adder took that as the permission it was. He released my face and grabbed my hips, dragging me over to straddle him on the bench as he devoured my mouth in a brutal, demanding kiss that left me reeling.
I pressed down, grinding my core against the hardness of his erection, moaning in bliss at the jolts of pleasure the friction caused. One of his hands tangled in my hair, yanking my head back so he could access my throat, where he alternated sucking kisses and sharp, dangerous bites. He didn't bite hard enough to break the skin. But I envisioned his viper fangs sinking into my flesh and couldn't stop the moan that escaped me. I was a goner.
Eventually, his touch softened, his kisses growing lighter and more tender before he pulled away. "At our bonding ceremony, I refused the magic binding," he whispered against the sensitive skin of my neck and ear. I recalled the moment vividly. He had taunted me, told me to earn it. "I would like to be bonded to you now," he murmured. "If you'll have me, lady steward."
