Page 9 of Troll Charming

I sigh, shoulders slumping. I’ve never been good at lying, especially to my friends. “All right, all right. Come in and I’ll explain.”

As soon as Troth steps inside, his head swivels towards my bedroom. Damn ogre sense of smell. Especially for humans—better than trolls, actually. Before I can stop him, he’s marching over to investigate.

“Wait!” I call, hurrying after him. “It’s not what you think!”

But it’s too late. Troth pushes open the door, and there’s Alexandra, still blindfolded in my bed.

For a long moment, Troth just stares. Then he whirls on me, eyes blazing. “By the elder gods, Red! I half suspected, but I didn’t really think you would dare. What have you done?”

“Shh!” I hiss, trying to usher him back to the front room. “I can explain!”

“Red?” Alexandra’s groggy voice pipes up. “What’s going on?”

Oh, no. This is not good.

“Nothing, um, dear!” I call back, wincing at how strained I sound. “Just go back to sleep!”

“Is everything okay?”

“Yes, just fine. Just chatting with a friend.”

“Oh, a friend? Good, I was worried. Um, maybe I can meet him? I think my eyes are better now,” I hear her call. “I think I can take this blindfold off.”

“NO!” I shout, perhaps a bit too forcefully. Troth gives me a bewildered look. I lower my voice. “I mean, no, not yet. Best to keep resting those peepers a bit longer. You hit your head pretty hard.”

I turn back to Troth, who’s looking at me like I've sprouted a second head.

“Red,” he says slowly. “That’s the intruder you were supposed to get rid of, isn’t she? A human woman? And she’s in your bed?”

I nod sheepishly. “Yes, but—”

“Have you lost your mind?” Troth’s voice rises, and I frantically shush him. “Do you know what the elders will do when they find out?”

“They won’t find out,” I insist. “Because you’re not going to tell them. Right, old friend?”

His expression softens slightly. “Red, you know I’d never betray you. But this… this is serious. Why in the world did you bring her here?”

I take a deep breath.

Here goes nothing.

“Because she’s my mate.”

Troth’s jaw drops. For a moment, he just gapes at me. Then he bursts out laughing.

“Oh, that’s rich!” he guffaws. “Your mate! A human! Good one, Red.”

“I’m serious,” I growl. “Whatever Tabitha did… well… it must have worked.”

His laughter dies as he sees my expression and thinks about what I said.

“Garnuth’s Club!” he exclaims in wonder. “But how can she be your mate? Red, she’s human.”

“I don’t know,” I admit. “I know nothing of the ways of mates! But I felt it the moment I saw her. She’s the one, Troth. I don’t know how to explain except that I just know it. I feel it! I'm sure of it.”

Troth shakes his head in disbelief. “It must be a coincidence… with Tabitha and whatever that was about. But even if she is your mate—which I highly doubt—she’s still human…” Troth trails off. “Wait! Blindfold? She doesn’t know what you are, does she?”

I glance guiltily at the bedroom. “Not… exactly.”

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