Page 35 of How To Tame A Trickster Fae

She’s too kind for her own good. They all are, these topsiders, too kind and trusting.

Easy pickings.

Easy pickings.

Of course. Of fucking course. I shouldn’t be looking to romance the little witch, to have my way with her after patience and boring courtship.

No, trapping her would be so, so much more satisfying. And then I could scratch the ridiculous itch I have for the mortal and be rid of her, no lasting harm done.

I smile at Lila, and she flinches.

“Are you alright?” she asks, mustering the question despite her misgivings towards me, clear on her face. “If you need to take the afternoon to clear your head, or if you want to work back here?—”

“I will take the day,” I tell her. “With pay.” I make sure to sneer at her for good measure.

She stands straighter. “Good. I’m proud of you for putting yourself first. You can’t take care of anyone else if you don’t take care of yourself.”

My jaw drops at her impudence. As if I have ever put anyone before me?

How absurd.

Still, I can’t think of a comeback before she smiles softly again, leaving me with a room full of tea for company.

A room full of tea, and the beginnings of a plan to trap my witch, something I’m certain will put me in a much better mood.

The dwarves might be idiots, but at least they’ve given me something to work with.

CHAPTER TWELVE

WREN

The first dwarf who comes into my shop is positively vibrating with energy as he looks around.

I’m completely drained from my early morning of small talk and extroversion, and despite feeling hopeful my efforts will pay off, I can’t help but be miffed by a potential customer’s appearance all the same.

His hands tremble as he fingers a gold pendant on display, and I inwardly sigh and put away the ruby-studded ring I’ve been polishing.

“Hello, how can I help you today?”

“You’re the witch who cast the enchantment on this?” he asks gruffly. The axe on his back is nicked and dented from use, his beard hanging nearly to his knees. His brown eyes are hardly visible beneath the amount of facial hair on him.

“Yes, I enchanted all the items you see here. Are you in the market for a secret keeper charm, then?” I nod at the pendant in his hands.

“I heard tell of a witch whose work was worthy of a dragon sapphire,” he says by way of answering.

I stop in my tracks. “Dragon sapphire?”

“Ah, I see you’ve heard of it.” He nods, clearly happy with my response.

“Dragon sapphire,” I repeat. “Is that why you’re here, in Wild Oak Woods? There’s a vein of them around here?”

My hands twitch, and before he can answer, I whip back around to the main counter, where I’ve stowed my leather satchel.

“Book, book, where is the book,” I murmur, pulling out the wax-paper-wrapped set Ruby sent me on my way with.

“Are you up to the challenge of enchanting a dragon sapphire?” the dwarf asks. “Your metalsmithing is… somewhat lacking, but your stone cutting is acceptable and that secret keeper charm seems strong enough.”

I sputter. “Somewhat lacking?”

---