Page 58 of The Forbidden Fae King

“Well, that is something I can do.” I pull my knife from my belt as I approach him. I have skinned and butchered a beast plenty of times on a hunt.

Drake dumps the creature on the ground by a pile of large sheets of slate. “Really?” He raises his eyebrows.

“Sure,” I say, squatting down. “I didn’t know this realm had deers.”

The creature has antlers of pure, branching crystal, so pale it is transparent, and the fawn fur has green moss growing through it, with drapes of vines hanging from its spine and in place of a tail.

“I think the moss-deer originated from your realm.” Drake wipes his hands on his britches. “But traveled here through the veil and perhaps mated with our creatures.” He pauses. “You don’t really need to help me with?—”

Drake trails off as I get to work on the kill, then falls into step beside me.

Chapter 16

Keira

Drake whistles as he takes thin steaks and lays them out on slabs of granite, brushing a mixture of spices onto them. Zinnia touches those rocks with the tips of her fingers, her pale flesh flaring to the brilliant orange of metal held in a fire, transferring heat from her magic. The meat immediately begins to sizzle and my mouth waters at the odors rising from it.

“I guess tree nymphs don’t appreciate a woodfire in their midst.” I try to make conversation.

Despite Drake’s teasing sense of humor, the broad-shouldered man still makes me nervous.

And Zinnia, she is slight but angry and deadly like a viper. There is definitely something snakelike in the hard, yellow glare she pins people beneath. Her severely angled eyebrows seem to have a permanent furrow between them. Her black hair is a shock against her fair skin, and it hangs loosely to her waist.

“Tree nymphs don’t like fire.” Zinnia turns her unnerving stare on me, and I can’t help feeling like every layer of my being is being unraveled and assessed by them.

“I wouldn’t enjoy being near a damn fire either if I were made of wood and leaves.” Drake laughs, chopping a cooked slab of meat witha butcher’s blade and moving it to a cooler rock, flicking a piece into his mouth.

“You’re no less flammable,” Zinnia snaps at him.

“Yes, but I can run from a fucking fire. I’m not rooted to the ground like a tree,” Drake counters.

“What if the whole forest was burning down around you?” Zinnia leans into him. “How fast can you run?”

“Are - are you planning my death?” Drake glances from Zinnia to me and back, his eyes widening in mock horror, then a slow smile grows on his lips.

“A woman can dream,” Zinnia says with such a low deadpan tone, my stomach tumbles.

Drake moves to pop another piece of meat in his mouth, but Zinnia reaches out with lightning-quick speed and grabs his wrist. “There won’t be any food for anyone else if you keep eating it all.” She slaps Drake’s cheek lightly, but a smirk splits her lips. “This one is always good for a laugh.” She tosses over her shoulder at me. I can’t help staring after her as she gets up and leaves.

“She terrifies me a little,” Drake admits, watching her leave.

“Terrifies you? I was about to wet myself,” I admit.

Drake laughs, busying himself cooking.

“Is she always that intense?” I venture.

“Yes. No. When you get to know her, you can see through the cracks in the mask. It becomes easier to tell when she is amused.”

I swallow nervously. Somehow, I think Caitlin would love this woman.

A pang of grief twists within my chest at the thought of my sister. I am so damn afraid for her. This Cyprien seems like a monster.

Drake’s movements catch my attention. He takes a thick slice of flatbread and spoons chopped meat onto it in a line. Spiced vegetables are added on top, along with a red sauce, then he passes the meal to me. I take the leaf plate in both hands and stare at the meal, trying to decide how to eat it.

All the toppings are in a neat row in the middle. I nibble an edge of the flatbread, then glance at Drake, who has his lips pressed tight asthough he is trying not to laugh. I take another bite, trying to get more than bread in my mouth.

This thing is impossible.

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