Page 9 of Dance with the Dragon Duke

She gave his hand an encouraging shake. “Well done, you. I knew you could do it.”

The pad of his thumb skimmed over her sore knuckles, and something softened in his expression. She’d seen him gentle toward her earlier in the night, but that look hadn’t been quite the same as this one. His expression had been fueled by pity before.

This was different. Gratitude mixed with something that made her toes curl in her boots.

“Thank you,” he said, his guttural accent more charming when it wasn’t strained with agony.

Movement at the window stole her attention. Something fluttered across her peripheral.

“Was that a fairy child?” Tomorrow’s jaw went slack. “Divines above, there’s another one!”

The first of the rare creatures flittered by on gossamer wings, her skin sable, her hair silver. The second was pleasantly plump with rosy cheeks, large bug-like eyes, and wispy ginger hair. She flew past the window with long leathery wings like a bat. Both had taloned feet and were small enough they’d fit easily in the palm of Tomorrow’s hand.

“I keep a sanctuary here for them,” Darko explained. “It’s not safe for fairies, especially in the Unseelie Provinces. The wine made from their blood is too ruthlessly sought after. I could introduce you to them if—”

“Yes!” Tomorrow said quickly, jetting for the door.

“Wait—”

She was outside in the meadow a heartbeat later, feet sinking into piles of lush grass, the caution in his tone forgotten in her excitement. Fairy children were so incredibly rare. She couldn’t wait to meet them.

The girls were tiny and precious with their large eyes and bell-like voices. She cooed at them. Four of the little beings bounced about on the purple petal of a giant fae flower, chittering at each other in their strange language.

Darko ducked through the doorway to join her. He moved slowly at first, but by the time he reached them in the grass, his steps were more assured.

“Girls,” he said in greeting, his voice a low rumble.

The fairy with sable skin abandoned her petal to meet him. “Bebebebebebe,” she buzzed. The fairy threw her arms wide, hugging his neck.

“Hello, Bebe,” he purred. Then his eyes snapped to Tomorrow’s side and narrowed. “Ruby,” he scolded. “No biting.”

Tomorrow jumped. The ginger fairy hovered near her arm, her mouth wide open, revealing sharp needly teeth ready to chomp down on Tomorrow’s elbow.

“Oh my,” Tomorrow panted, and the fairy’s face fell. Ruby stuck her tiny lip out, and Tomorrow’s heart squeezed. “I’m sorry, dove. You startled me, is all.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Darko groused. “She knows she’s not supposed to bite friends.”

“Aww,” Tomorrow clucked, extending her hand in consolation to the pouting fairy. Ruby chittered and chirruped forlornly, but she came to stand on Tomorrow’s offered palm. The fairy’s talons mildly pricked her skin. “I bet you didn’t mean anything by it.”

Ruby nodded her diamond-shaped head. Her sharp chin trembled.

Darko rolled his eyes.

“I have a cat at home who only ever bites the people and things he loves the very most,” Tomorrow insisted.

“Itty kitty,” Ruby said, her voice low and raspy. “Yum, yum?” She rubbed her round belly.

“No, I didn’t eat him,” Tomorrow said.

“When you say cat,” Darko wondered, “do you mean tiger?”

Tomorrow nodded. Seelie rode great tigers across their provinces the way the Lunar fae rode horses. “Rowyn is his name,” she said fondly to the fairy. “He gives me love bites all the time, and he has a bright red coat similar to your lovely hair.”

Ruby blushed. “Is issa kitty?”

“You want to know where he is?” Tomorrow guessed. “He’s an old man now. I left him at home with my gran. His aging bones can’t handle the cold here at the Lunar Court. It’s warmer up north under the cover of the immortal trees.”

“Beeeeeeeee,” Bebe squealed, sliding down the plates of Darko’s powerful tail with her hands thrown in the air. When she hit the bottom, she flew up to his shoulder and perched there, watching their new visitor.

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