Page 58 of The Fae King's Labyrinth

“I didn’t realize you had become king of the Seelie, sir.” Calypso blinked up at him in wide-eyed innocence, wielding her quirky beauty to a disarming advantage.

I fought warring urges to laugh or kiss her right there. Ghost snorted and the smoke smell in the room intensified pleasantly.

“I—” Grizzlemunch puffed up like a blowfish.

Turning to the ancient sprite, I glared at him, adjusting my grip on the blade in my hand. “Farewell, Grizzlemunch.” The audience was over.

Then, offering my unmarked hand, I bowed over Calypso, blocking the sprite’s access to her.

Closing her book, she slipped her fingers across my palm without lifting her gaze to mine. I drew her to her feet.

The door closed behind Grizzlemunch with a heavy thud.

“Masterfully done,” I commented.

“I wasn’t too mean?” Calypso met my gaze then, hesitation clouding her eyes.

“No. Precisely the right amount of sass and truth to make your point.” I pressed my mouth against the back of her fingers. “You will go far in my court, my lady. And with the right protections to make sure no one can retaliate when you call their bluff, I suspect you will have the whole court dancing to your tune very soon.”

“I hardly think they’ll listen to a lowly human,” she protested.

“I do.”

She blushed prettily. “You are the anomaly, sire.”

I threaded our fingers together and pressed her hand to the center of my chest. “Not for long, I’m sure. Ghost likes you.”

The dragon snorted. “Don’t pull me into your flirting, sire.”

Fifteen

Calypso

“Why do you let him speak to you like that?” I asked, not for the first time since meeting the old sprite.

“He’s harmless.” Azulin guided me away from the couch by the hand he had captured before. “Come, I am weary of this room.” He signaled Ghost as he walked toward the only blank wall in the room. Azulin’s magic flared, tingling along my arm, through our connection, and sparking through the air, but to my surprise I had no urge to sneeze. Instead, my magic rose to join it, creating a pleasant thrill through my chest.

A great surge of magic made my hair stand on end as a portal formed near the blank wall. Through it, I could see the interior of his tower room.

“Are you up for another test of how far we can be apart?” Azulin asked in a playful tone. His hair curled endearingly over his forehead, glowing in the light of the golden crown that had appeared over his head. His expression was impish and relaxed, a striking contrast from the cool and detached king of a few moments before.

“Are you trying to make me faint again?” I asked.

“I doubt you will.” He met Ghost’s gaze over my shoulder. “Ghost will be here, and I will return promptly. It is better to test this out before we run into an issue later.”

“True,” I admitted, glancing at the glowing circle of gold sparks. His portal power was clearly back and under his control again since it seemed Azulin maintained the portal with very little effort.

“Ready?” He kissed the back of my fingers again, sending a zing of awareness through me.

I nodded, holding his gaze.

He released my hand and stepped backward through the portal. Then, with an abrupt snap, the portal closed. The warmth of his magic interacting with mine cut off, and I felt a general sense of loss, but nothing dramatic.

Ghost studied me. “Feeling faint?”

I shook my head.

“Good.”

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