Page 58 of Fairies Don't Fall

I sighed heavily. Yes, let me confess my feelings and leave you with that impression. “No, just old age and exhaustion from dealing with fairies. Mostly exhaustion. Perhaps betrayal fromone of our closest advisors. You’d probably see that coming, though. You’re very insightful.”

“You’re proposing to me? Offering me a position in your court?”

“Yes. I’m offering you a position in my court.” I winced. “No, I’m not. I’m actually proposing marriage. I mean, if you do marriage we could have some of those charming earthland customs involved. I thought werewolves were more about mating.” Now I was blushing. I stared over his shoulder, not seeing anything but my own impressive clumsiness. I was a morass of clumsiness. Yes. I would drown us both in it.

“Mating is a lifelong commitment for a werewolf, not for a fairy. You’re offering me a position in your court as your lover?”

I gave him an incredibly awkward smile while I wanted to sink through the floor with mortification. “No. Nothing so reasonable.” I was killing this conversation worse than any had ever died. That’s why they called me the death fairy. This. This was so much worse than death.

“I want to steal your energy and strength for the rest of your life.”

“You want my life force, but not my body? But my arms are so appealing.” Was he messing with me? His eyes were narrowed, but the rage had faded to a dim smolder.

“I’m offering you the position of Queen’s consort, where you’ll be forced to obey my command, sacrifice your life and strength for my well-being, and sleep in my bed every night without any clothing. Also, I’ll steal your bed from Singsong and put it in the smallest room in the house of the Rising Sun. I’ll also get into all sorts of mischief with Ruin, no doubt leading you and Vervain to develop a bond of brotherhood in your joint frustration with my lack of dignity. You’re far too sweet and soft to be a psychotic fairy’s consort, but I had to offer. I’m determined to find a consort at this ball or die trying. It wasRuin’s idea, something about a reverse Cinderella. Too bad you aren’t poorer, then I could’ve been your fairy godmother.”

“You really know how to sell a deal. Would you really make a werewolf your consort?” He frowned at me intently. It was an incredibly stupid idea.

“Well, you aren’t an ordinary werewolf. You do so much for my people. You healed me. You gave my people back their queen.”

“And if you change your mind?”

“Has that ever happened? Yes, I suppose once or twice, a flaky fairy queen decided that she needed a different consort.”

“So you could choose someone else. You wouldn’t be stuck with me should your feelings change.” His jaw tightened, and he gave me a slight nod.

I squinted up at him. “That wasn’t a no. Are you all right? You should be running away by now, at least pushing me down and saying, ‘No, little fairy, I’m mated to the moon.’ Instead, you’re hedging. Are you worried that I won’t give Ruin back if you refuse me? Hm. Maybe I will hold her hostage.” I smiled at him, trying to sound light and friendly. Of course I was joking, but was I really?

He kept staring at me with this frown that made me all nervous and nauseous. “Taking me as your consort isn’t a good idea.”

“I know. That’s why I pointed out how problematic it is for you. Oh. That was a gentle rejection.” I beamed up at him even though my heart cracked in two. I’d actually hoped he’d say yes. What an idiot I was. And how sweet he was to be so gentle with my feelings. I patted his chest. “I’m getting so good at reading into these subtle nuances. Maybe you can help me eye the other hopeful candidates.” I looked past him at the rows of fairies watching with rapt expressions, like they were waiting for me toslash through his throat and eat his heart. “Who looks strong and idiotic enough to tie their lives to mine?”

He growled and pulled me closer. “You are driving me to madness.”

I smiled up at him, batting my lashes. “Maybe you could be one of my bodyguards. You’re clearly suffering the same affliction as Vervain. You’re already developing the bonds of brotherhood.”

“You have no idea.” He was looking so serious, so foreboding.

“That’s the look of someone who wants to kill Vervain. I’m personally very familiar with it. What did he do to you? Did he tell you how you failed in your duty?”

He winced. “Not exactly.”

“So mysterious. He’ll never tell me, but I’ll always wonder. Now you’re driving me to madness.” I looked up at him, noticing that he wasn’t looking at me. Maybe he was checking out my other possibilities. “Vervain is wrong. Whatever he said, he’s wrong. You are the noblest person I’ve ever met.”

He looked at me then, his expression so mournful, I thought he might start howling his sorrow. “I’m not.”

“You are. Good people always feel the most guilty. No one’s perfect, but realizing that makes you pretty close.”

He shook his head, palm spread on my lower back while we turned slowly. “My beast is about to come out and take over. That means this dance should end.”

I released his hand, but he didn’t let go of me. “If you don’t want to dance with me, you don’t have to. You can take Ruin and go, although she’d really like to watch me choose my consort.”

He growled and moved closer to me before he jerked as infernal red lines wrapped around his wrists and chest, dragging him away from me, through the other fairies, knocking them apart like bowling pins as he slid across the floor.

Chapter

Seventeen

Iran after him, leaping over fallen fairies until my wings snapped out and I flew. So fast, but not as fast as those infernal lines dragging him to the far side of the ballroom, towards the long, sweeping stairs.

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