Page 51 of A Promise of Peridot
I fought the anxiety stirring in my stomach. “But your parents, they refused him.”
“They’re very set in their ways.”
“And that bothers you?”
“I’m not afraid of change, like they are. But I am afraid of them.”
“So what can be done?”
“If we have the blade, it’ll be hard for them to ignore the fact that King Ravenwood and the Fae from the prophecy stand a real chance. And if we can’t get it, I hope to convince them to change their minds about him as a person.”
A slow breath sailed out from my lips. “I don’t feel Kane has showed you his best side quite yet.”
Fedrik’s lips curled up. “Does he have a good side?”
I tried to answer honestly. “He has a better one, but I don’t expect you’ll see it on this trip.”
“King Ravenwood doesn’t frighten me.”
I almost saidhe should, but chose only to nod. Better for Fedrik not to know what being Fae truly meant. Not to know exactly what Kane could do to him if he felt so inclined.
“If I may be so bold,” Fedrik said, as if he were mustering some kind of courage, “what is the nature of your relationship with him? I know you are his healer, but... he seems a bit possessive of you.”
Oh,Stones.
“He and I...” A searing image of Kane’s hand around my waist, pressing me against him in a moonlit alley, jumped into my mind. Maybe partial honesty was the path of least resistance here. “We kissed.”
Fedrik raised his brows. “And now?”
I wanted to tell him I had been asking myself the same question. Partial honesty won out again. “We are working through some of the discomfort. We probably shouldn’t have acted on our mutual attraction.”
“I can’t say I blame him,” Fedrik said, though he kept his eyes on the glossy leaves around us. I still felt heat rise in my cheeks. “And Griffin and Mari?”
“That’s an even more fraught entanglement,” I said, relieved to move on from Kane and me. “Feelings seem to be blossoming right under Mari’s own nose, but I don’t know if she can see them for what they are quite yet.”
“You should tell her as much.”
“I’ve tried. I’m not exactly the pinnacle of romantic success these days. I probably wouldn’t take advice from me, either.”
“And for Griffin?”
“Oh, he’s completely gone for her. Every time she’s nearby he rubs at his chest with a baffled expression. Like,What is this feeling I only get when the witch is around?”
Fedrik laughed like I was an absolute delight, and I beamed at him. “He won’t even refer to her by her name.”
Still smiling, we rounded a tree and stumbled right into Griffin with his fishing gear and a shirtless, sweat-slicked Kane. Griffin’s face was steel. He had clearly heard every word. Kane chuckled low and soft as he leaned over to remove his boots, a small yet shimmering lagoon rippling behind them.
I tried to think of anything but Kane’s body, sweaty, glistening, and soon to be submerged in cool water.
“Oh—Griffin.” I blanched, guilty. “We were only teasing.”
“It’s fine.” But he stalked off like it was very muchnotfine.
Kane tutted at me. “Bird, you have such talons today.”
I rolled my eyes. “Me? You torment him more than anyone.”
“Ichallengehim. You’re no better than a bully.”
