Page 24 of Fated Guardian

“Well, it’s still pretty bright out, but maybe when the sun sinks down a little more?”

He sits up, and I sit up, too. The sun is currently setting, and it’s growing off the last golden rays of light. The entire greenhouse looks like it’s dipped in gold, including Nolan’s skin.Tentatively, I reach out my hand and touch the side of his face. “You really like it?”

“I really do.” He grins. “Did you really make it for me?”

“Yes. I did,” I whisper.

Nolan searches my face, like he’s trying to see if I’m lying.

Well. Might as well tell him.

“I can’t lie,” I murmur.

His eyebrows shoot up.

“It’s part of being a faerie. I can’t tell an outright lie. I can skirt the truth, I can tell a partial truth, but I can’t tell a direct lie.”

“Coral—”

“Just in case you ever need to know. If you want a faerie to tell you the truth, it’s helpful to use questions that can only be answered in a yes or no, because we can’t lie and tell you the opposite if it’s not true.”

Nolan studies me. “Coral, you don’t have to tell me this.”

“I might not. But I want to,” I say softly.

His mouth twists into a smile. “Coral. Yes or no, do you want to tell me about the whole fae truth thing?”

“Yes.” The truth sings through me, brighter than any glow worm.

One of Nolan’s hands comes up to touch my face. “I wish I could do the same thing.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just so that you could know when I’m telling you the truth.”

I wrinkle my nose at him. “I kind of just assume that you are.”

“Then I’ll just make sure I never give you any reason to doubt that.”

The sun is fading. And the glow worms are here. The greenhouse starts to sparkle with a blue light that feels so ancient, my faerie heart swells with happiness.

Nolan turns me so that he’s looking at my face. His arms are so warm, and I scoot a little closer. If I lean in, I could kiss him.

I want to.

I lick my lips, and his hazel eyes go dark. I know it’s lust this time.

“Nolan?”

He murmurs a noise, still staring at my lips.

“Remember how you said when you kissed me again, you didn’t want it to be like… last time?”

He nods.

“Can we try it again? Now?”

Nolan looks at my eyes. He takes a deep breath. “Yes or no… do you want to kiss me?”

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