Page 6 of Cruel As A Tree

I knew I was saying the word proper too many times, but it wasn't like there was an etiquette book for how to deal with aggressive magical men. Plus, my familiar didn't say things without reason. She wouldn't say he would change based on my manner of addressing him unless he actually would change. Whatever manner of creature Lorthian was, he was one that responded situationally. Me acting afraid would cause him to act predatory. If I was too demure or apologetic, he would likely become controlling or assertive. To keep control of the situation, I had to act like I expected the world to shower me in gold. He needed to think I had high expectations, not that I would sleep with the first guy who told me he loved me without proving it.

I felt a wince of sadness mixed with embarrassment and pushed it aside. The past didn't matter.

What mattered was right now.

I stuck out my hand.

"You may kiss my hand now," I said.

He took my hand, his fingers lightly stroking the underside of my palm as he leaned down. His eyes never left mine as his lips brushed over my knuckles. He didn't so much as kiss as he nibbled, his tongue swirling circles around each one as his teeth lightly caught and released the skin. I was dumbstruck for a moment, the lower muscles of my groin tightening as a flush rushed through my entire body.

I pulled my hand out of his grasp, the tight throb in my body demanding more even as I pulled away.

He let my hand go and straightened with a chuckle.

"Shall I escort you to safety?" he asked as he held out his arm again.

"Yes, you may," I agreed, putting my arm through his.

Whatever this place was, it was better than where I came from and where I just was.

As long as I kept up the act, I might get what I wanted.

The heat curling between my legs made me wonder exactly what kind of thing I actually wanted.

Chapter

Four

LORTHION

Lillian reached out a hand as we strolled, her palm brushing against the glowing purple petals of a bulbous flower shaped like an orb with its inner glow shining through the cracks between its connected petals. The flower bent under her touch before she released it, letting it swing up in the air, bobbing back and forth. Her palm caught a dusting of pollen on the outside of the petals, which she brushed against the next flower she passed.

"Why does it glow?" she asked. "The flower? It's midday, isn't it?"

She looked up at the sun that shone directly overhead, its warm rays muted by the thick green and purple canopy.

"It glows all the time," I said. "During the day, its petals remain folded up like that and at night they open and illuminate everything around them."

"It's lovely," she said, a bright smile on her face as she glanced over at me.

"You are lovely," I told her as I studied her face, seeing the pulsing network of magic that hummed beneath her skin. Ihadn't ever had a mundane enter my forest before. I knew the risk would grow greater as my forest grew closer to the walls of the school, even though I stayed well away from the main road and the entrance. Any student escaping would run the risk of colliding with my borders. She wasn't what I expected. The sirens had told me that the mundanes were fearful. She didn't act afraid or smell of fear. The moment her eyes fell on me, all I smelled was her lust, calling to me the way a siren never could.

She flushed in response to my gaze and looked down at the ground, stepping carefully over a root as she avoided my eyes.

"Tell me, Lord Lorthion," she said, emphasizing the word Lord. "Why couldn't I see your forest? There is lava and shit. I mean, excuse my language, the land looks as if it would be impossible for plants to thrive. How is your forest even able to grow?"

"The land needs the forest," I said, taking a concept that was integral to my very being and trying to put it into words. "Life is Chaos, and so my seed was planted in response to Order scouring the land. The land needs the forest and the forest needs to be hidden to grow, so I hide as I grow."

"Are you a plant then? Like, are you a tree fae or something like that?" she asked, reaching out to lightly touch the underside of a young platform mushroom that jutted from the side of a tree above our heads. She stroked her fingertips along its frills, and I let my senses drift out so that I felt the touch like it was my own skin. The sensation was delicious. She wasn't one of the many creatures or plants that made up me. Her touch was the touch of someone other than myself, and the sensation was unique in its gentleness.

"I am the forest lord," I said.

We walked past the underside of the mushroom, and there was a large fruiting tree. I had kept its lower branches intact and fed so that some of my shorter animals could reach them,and the plump, round yellow fruit hung down in gorgeous ripe globes.

"I am from the Mundane Realm," she said. "And I don't know anything about what forest lords are."

I was not used to speaking with others, even if I had the words to do so. It was easier to explain with actions. My eyes fell on the fruit.

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