Page 95 of How To Tame A Trickster Fae

EPILOGUE

WREN

It takes two weeks for the dwarves and Caelan to locate the dragon sapphire vein. It turns out to be in one of the Ever Forest caves, and Caelan returns home to me covered in bramble scratches and dirt, a smug smile on his face and a cart loaded with raw sapphire, ready to be cut.

“Are you going to release me from my binding?” he asks, raising an eyebrow.

I laugh. “And risk you leaving my bed?”

His expression turns stricken, and I immediately regret the flippant joke.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I love you, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”

He freezes, his fangs the only thing moving in his moment of preternatural stillness, elongating.

Slowly, he beams at me, taking my hands in his. “Say it again.”

“I’m sorry,” I blurt, on the verge of tears. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you?—”

“Not that part, my love.”

Realization dawns. “Oh,” I breathe.

“Oh,” he agrees.

A slow smile spreads across my face and I take a few running steps towards him, leaping into his arms.

“I love you,” I repeat, marveling at it.

He beams at me, peppering my mouth with gentle kisses. “I know.”

I scoff in disbelief. “That’s not what you’re supposed to say.”

“I know you love me because you’re mine, and I love you with every fiber of my being,” he says, raising his brows. “Is that more like it?”

“Better, but I have some feedback for you.”

“Oh?” he manages, laughing.

“Yeah, I think it would be more meaningful if you said it from between my legs.”

“You little minx.” He throws back his head, shaking with laughter. “You have work to do, golden Wren. Far be it from me to get in the way.”

I pout as he sets me back down and grabs one of the wood crates out of the cart.

“I didn’t break a sweat locating this and putting up with the surliest, rudest, most profane group of dwarves that ever burdened the earth just so you could skive off.”

“Skive off?!”

“You heard me. You wanted the sapphires so badly you were willing to bind me to you, so now you get to show me what you can do with them. If you’re a good little witch, maybe I’ll reward you.”

I sniff, trying to pretend like I’m not melting into a puddle from his lascivious promises.

“By the way,” he says, carrying the heavy crate into the back door of my shop like it weighs nothing at all. “The Duchess is staying at the inn when she’s here next week.”

“Oh, I’m so proud of you!” I screech, clapping my hands together.

Of course, that sets Fenn off, and he starts his demonic scream as Caelan grunts, setting the crate down next to my work bench.

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