Page 57 of Fairies Don't Fall

She patted my hand. “Well, it’s a good thing I’m here, then. Your people really aren’t musical?”

“Not in the conventional way that you would understand.”

“Of course she’s not,” the mayor said, blustering as he strode forward, finding the chink in my armor and preparing to blast it away. “I’ve heard that she’s not even literate. Can’t read a thing. Has no grasp on basic economics, and no appreciation for the finer arts. She’s a wild, unpredictable, uncouth creature that is more a force of nature than a ruler who can be relied upon to further the interests of her people or any other’s.”

“Pretty speech for a poisoner,” Max growled, stepping out of the shadows and stalking towards us. He wore pants, but his shirt had no sleeves, so his rippling arm muscles were available for anyone to see who wanted to look. I did. I soaked in all of him, from his dark hair falling around his face in an unkempt mess, to the golden eyes of a blood moon burning into anyone who dared meet his gaze. He was wild, unpredictable, feral, and absolutely devastating. My heart went out to him in a rush of longing so intense, I struggled to breathe and stay upright. I wanted to faint in a dramatic pool of sparkling moonlight, hoping he’d slip on me and drown in my depths.

Max continued to speak, eyes boring into the Mayor’s. “She cannot read, except for minds. She cares nothing for economics, except that her country is entirely debt free, and in fact is owed by goblins and werewolves, who will provide whatever she and her people need, including defense against any and all invaders. She has no appreciation for the finer arts? She is the finest art. No beauty has or will ever approach hers. She is wild and unpredictable only insofar that it is impossible to manipulate her for your own gain and profit. She is incorruptible and will never sell herself or her people for any price. Is she a force of nature? She’s the Queen of Fairies. What else could you expect her to be?” His words shook me to my core. I started trembling while my heart pounded faster and faster. He was here. He was saying nice things about me, even when he’d seen me at my absolute worst.

He nodded at Mirabel. “Music Master. Would you please start the music? A fairy waltz would be particularly fitting, don’t you agree?” He finally looked at me, focusing in a way that made me buzz from my wing tips to my toes. “You will dance with me.”

Ah. He had a long lecture for me about stealing Ruin. “I would be delighted,” I said and dropped a graceful curtsy in spite of my shaky knees. He was here. I wanted to burst into tears or drag him into the forest and never let him escape. Maybe both.

He took my hand and pulled me into his arms, eyes of molten gold as he pulled me into the movement, the dance, which was soon backed by the elven musicians Mirabel had brought. They sounded perfect, official, and magical.

“I’m so sorry about Ruin,” I said right away, trying to be logical in spite of the feel of his hand on my lower back, bare skin against bare skin. His touch beat through me like an electric pulse, shocking all of my senses awake. “I should have realized that you would be worried, but I didn’t think…”

“That I’d mind you running away from me and taking my favorite delinquent with you?” His voice was low, but his eyes still burned with rage or something intense and dangerous. His warrior wolf was feeling betrayed, which would lead to violence.

I patted his shoulder, trying to calm him down. He felt so good, even angry. I’d missed him so much, every part of him. “I told you I was leaving, but I should have jumped off the train the second I found Ruin on it.”

“Yes. You should have come back to me,” he growled. Were his eyes bloodshot?

Wait, I should have come back to him? Not just that I should have brought Ruin back to him? Did that mean that he’d missed me and not just been worried about Ruin? His warmth soaked into me while we spun to the sound of the instruments, but more importantly, to the moon and the night, to each other.

We danced, and my heart beat faster, throbbing with aching and wanting and happiness that I knew could not last. The dance would end and I’d have to let go of his hand. But until then, I would let this moment wrap around me. No, I had to speak. I had to ask. I had to give him my heart for him to break.

“Lord Max,” I said as we spun and I clung to his shoulders.

“Princess Sparkles,” he rumbled back at me. He was still upset, not that I could blame him. It probably wasn’t the best time to give an offer to be my consort after I’d kidnapped his favorite delinquent, but I’d probably never see him again.

I smiled brightly. “That’s Queen Sparkles to you. I noticed that your arms look very appealing without sleeves.” I internally flinched once those incredibly awkward words were out of my mouth.

“Thank you. I had sleeves, but I ripped them off so I’d look more disreputable.”

“That makes sense. Werewolves should always look as disreputable as possible, particularly if they’re chasing kidnappers.”

He smiled, showing a flicker of sharp white teeth. “Diplomacy is very well, but I’m a werewolf. I need my presence here to be a visible threat.”

“You’re threatening me with your muscular arms?” Was that like flirting? Did he like me to notice his arms?

“Not you, your grace. Everyone else. Don’t you want my threatening muscles to be displayed on behalf of you and your people? I worked hard to rip off my sleeves with just the right amount of viciousness.”

I stared at him. “You’re actually considering allying with me to defend my people against invaders?”

“No. It’s already done. I have men hunting the traitor, Dawn. I have her scent.” His eyes gleamed more brightly for a moment before he leaned forward. “No one will threaten you again.” Thewarrior wolf was so fierce and deadly that I gulped and clung to him because my knees had gone strangely unresponsive. Not from fear, but from hunger. I wanted a fierce monster at my back to keep all the other monsters away, to do my dirty work for me so I didn’t have to be broken by death and hatred again.

“That might not be the best idea,” I whispered, then forced myself to stand more upright in the dance instead of being so clingy. “You’re in grave danger.”

“Is the traitor here?” He glanced past my shoulder for a moment before he refocused on me, pulling me closer. “Perhaps there is another threat you have for me to devour.”

I shivered. I really, really wanted to kiss him. I shook my head. “I’m the threat. I left because I was draining the life out of you. I want you, and not just for your arms and alliances. I want you and your wolf, too. Even your beast. I miss his poetry.”

He froze for a moment, missing a beat of music before he pulled me into a tight spin that had me pressed against his beating heart. It was pounding too fast. Too hard. He didn’t say anything. Why didn’t he say anything?

I continued my incredibly persuasive spiel. “I know it’s ridiculous, but no one else could have brought me back to life. I hate being one of those clingy females who pursues the hot alpha. No, I’m worse than that. I want to steal you from your life and drown you in mine. I want to have a shared tomb on a desolate hill. So perhaps you should take Ruin and leave quickly before I bury you.”

“Your threats are incredibly convoluted. You want to bury me with yourself? Like a murder-suicide?” He cocked his head and looked at me suspiciously.

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