Page 2 of Obsidian Prince

"The danger to your life is still not from me." The same light wind that danced around Bennett without seeming to touch him tugged at Liliana's skirt. It tossed her thick dark hair behind her, baring her face. She ducked a bit, looking down at the prince's bare toes. That curtain of hair usually shielded her, protecting her from stares. She felt a little brazen without it.

The prince stepped out into the grass. He reached for her hand to guide her on the uneven flagstone path he walked beside. She didn't need help, but she took his hand. He had taken hers when she offered it before, even though he had not needed it. Taking his when offered seemed proper.

His fingers were incredibly long. He could probably encircle her waist with his hands. The dark tone of his skin made her own dusky olive seem pale in comparison.

"What makes you think I'm afraid?" He sounded mildly insulted, although it also sounded a little like he might be playing with her. She wished she could open her third eyes to see his mind and soul. She wanted to know what he meant, but he didn’t like for her to look inside him.

He turned in front of her, waiting for an answer.

She stopped walking, but he was already very close. Their height difference meant that she found herself staring at his chest. He had an excellent chest, with broad shoulders above the top of her head. Pronounced lines of muscle were visible through the thin t-shirt. He smelled like soap from a recent shower. It took her a few moments to remember that he asked her a question.

Maybe Liliana misinterpreted his actions. She tilted her head and considered. No, the pistol in his hand made no sense unless he feared her. "You don't carry a gun when everyone comes to visit, do you?"

He held up the gun as if to show her. His teeth flashed in what seemed like a self-deprecating smile, which rang false to her. There was nothing self-effacing about this man. "Let's just say I'm a little cautious. I've heard some things about spider seers that make it seem prudent."

Liliana thought about that, then nodded. "If it makes you more comfortable, I understand."

He chuckled low. "Very generous of you." He turned, his hand in hers, guiding her further down the twisting stone path.

The spider-kin shrugged. "I could cut off your hand before you could shoot me in any case." The hard skins of rock Fae were impervious to many things. However, Liliana's first mother had not mentioned mineral Fae skins when listing the things she would not be able to cut with her arm blades. Solifu had mentioned widow spider armor in that list, but it hadn't helped much when Liliana was forced to fight them or die. In any case, the prince was in his human form, so he would be as easy to kill as anyone.

Colonel Bennett’s body shifted with his next step, weight more forward on the balls of his feet, his knees bent. "Are you sure of that?" His free hand with the gun came forward more.

It was a good fighting position without appearing aggressive. The prince outweighed her by a hundred pounds of solid muscle. Liliana smiled and admitted, "Not entirely sure." She liked that she wasn't certain she could beat him in a physical fight. Added to that, he ruled both earth and fire in Fort Liberty as his bonded domain. He also knew well how to use his native Sidhe ability to control plants to deadly effect.

She was on his home ground, literally. His magic could turn even the grass against her. Yet, she wasn’t afraid of him. Neither was she comfortable with the tower of raw strength walking at her side. His presence was like the cool wind in her hair. Exhilarating.

Here was a man who had been properly trained to fight. He kept his body strong despite fighting most of his battles behind a desk, and others with a wave of his hand. Her father would have respected this prince. Simon of Nemea might have named the man an enemy and killed him, but he would have respected him.

"I saved your life twice,” she said. “I might one day soon save your life again. There is no advantage for you to gain in killing me, so ..." she shrugged. "It doesn't matter. You will not use the weapon."

"What does advantage have to do with murder?" he asked. She again got the impression he was playing with her, a verbal sparring game. His dark eyes studying her unshielded face felt a little unsafe, a little exciting.

"Advantage, hate, rage, or fear," Liliana said. "Or to protect themselves or someone else. Those are the usual reasons why sane people kill." His hand held hers all the time they talked of murdering each other, warm and strong, but not too tight. She could pull free at any moment if she wished. "You only threatened me in the car because you were afraid. You are not afraid now. There is no advantage to you in my death. I do not threaten you." She shrugged again. "You are not angry and have no reason to hate me, so the gun simply helps you feel more in control. I accept that. I am always armed, myself. You being armed puts us on even ground."

Her second eyes caught the corner of his mouth crooking for a moment before his features went back to the pleasant, unreadable blank expression he seemed to cultivate. His body relaxed a little. His weight shifted back to the center of his bare feet. "Well, since I have your approval to keep my weapon, maybe you could tell me what you came here to ask."

How was she supposed to decide whether he was a man whose life was worth fighting for? "I'm not sure," Liliana said. "Usually, other people ask me questions."

Colonel Bennett nodded. "That works out well. I'm used to being the one asking the questions. Maybe you could start by telling me what sort of danger I'm supposed to be in."

"Okay. We should go back inside, though. Your feet will get cold." The path had gone much further than she thought possible in an ordinary back yard, twisting and doubling back on itself. The winding path had to cross a yard far larger than those of the houses near him. Distance was deceptive with tall bushes, trees and vines on trellises turning the back yard into a beautiful maze with little benches. His house backed up against one of the patches of forest that dotted the huge Army base so without seeing the fence, she couldn’t tell where his yard ended.

He barked a quick laugh. A smile stayed behind as he looked around at the rich greenery. "I never feel cold here." That smile softened his whole face. It was perhaps the first heartfelt smile she’d seen on him. It warmed her.

She looked down at his feet in the lush grass where he walked next to her. The grass seemed to caress his bare skin. All the plants in his garden faced inward, turning subtly as they passed, as if the Fae prince were the sun. As much as the inside of the house had been bare of personality, the garden path was filled with it. Here, Alexander Bennett was truly at home.

That one real smile magnified the attraction Liliana had felt since the first moment she met him. She would mourn if this extraordinary man died. She wasn’t sure if she would fight for his life at the risk of her own, but she did not wish him any ill.

"You are going to be murdered in your house soon," she warned him. "You should lock your door."

They circled around a tiny artificial pond, no bigger than a cookpot. Startled frogs splashed into it, hiding under the water plants, despite how early in the year it was. A waterfall as wide as her hand, splashed over rocks making a pleasant sound. It masked any trace of traffic noise from the street. They finally reached the wooden back fence. An arched gate covered with moonflower and wisteria vines led out to the forest beyond.

"Is there any way I can avoid this danger?" He sounded unconcerned, bored even, while they discussed his near certain death.

"You ask very good questions," Liliana told him. "Most people don't." She stopped still in front of the gate, opening her fourth eyes.

Will locking his front door keep him from getting murdered?

---