Page 55 of A City of Emeralds and Envy
“I would smell it if you were.”
His reassurance is a relief. I’ve spent years caring for children—I’m not ready to have any of my own, not for a long time. Certainly not the half-Fae babies of the mischievous cat-eared Unseelie who slipped into my room. “By the way, how did you get in here?”
He tilts his head, sharp and questioning. “Through the door, darling.”
“But it was locked.”
“No, it wasn’t.”
“Strange. I could have sworn it was when I tried it. Maybe someone unlocked it while I was bathing.”
“Mmm, you… bathing… I’d like to see that…” His voice fades—he’s running both hands up my legs, still mesmerized by the place that’s emitting the scent he craves—the tender, trembling part of me that’s barely covered by a fold of my silken robe.
His tongue writhes out and traces his lips, leaving them wet.
My body is flush with health, newly healed and still vibrant with the joy of seeing him and Riordan in their true forms again. It responds with a rush of wetness at the mere sight of Caer’s wickedly pretty face so close to my sex.
But a faint frown puckers his brow. “Did I hurt you?” He looks up at me, violet eyes flooded with remorse, longing, self-loathing. “In the meadow, did I—”
“No, precious.” I take his face between my hands. “It was exactly what I needed.”
“Me as well,” he breathes, a manic desire lighting his gaze. “May I eat you, sweet mouse? May I devour you until you’re too hoarse to vent another scream of pleasure?”
I’m about to beg him to lick me, bite me, fuck me into oblivion—but the door to my room opens again. This time the entrance is filled by a tall, well-toned Fae whose long ears brush the top of the doorframe.
Riordan is shirtless too, every gleaming muscle of his torso on display. His scarlet gaze leaps from me to Caer like a living flame.
“I should have known.” His words leak through clenched teeth. Through the slashes in his cheeks I can see how hard he’s grinding his jaws. “I’ll go.”
“No!” I push Caer gently aside and leap up, tightening the belt of my robe before snatching Riordan’s hand. He found gloves somewhere—mint-green ones that contrast beautifully with his rich brown skin. But I hate the gloves because they mean he’s hiding his scars again.
Riordan lets me pull him into the room, and the door falls shut behind him. I drag the glove off his hand, exposing the scars that crawl over his flesh.
“You don’t hide from us,” I tell him firmly. Then I half-turn, reaching out to Caer. “Andyou—you don’t run from us.”
A breath’s hesitation, and then Caer rises—a fluid, graceful, catlike movement—and places his hand in mine.
And we are linked, the three of us.
A tenuous, fierce heat quivers in the air. I can feel it building between Caer and Riordan—a violent, frenzied swell of unspoken passion.
“Say it,” I whisper. “Whatever you need to say to each other—say it.”
Caer bites his lip, pointed teeth denting the soft flesh. His hand flinches in mine, ready to withdraw, to turn coward and flee from this. But I squeeze his fingers, a reassurance, and he swallows… and he stays. Waiting.
“You left me to do it alone.” Riordan’s voice is hoarse, wretched. “You pushed me to care about her and then youleftme to sacrifice her heart to the Queen, alone.”
Caer’s eyes spark. “When have you ever wanted my help? For anything? When have you ever called me any name besides idiot, moron, wretch, fool? When have you ever wanted me around for something beyond errands and games of chance? When did the splendid, oh-so-intelligent Riordan ever require my presence for any of his plans?”
Riordan’s hand drops from mine, curling into a fist to match the hand that’s still gloved.
Caer takes a step forward, sneering. The two of them are in front of me now, chest to chest, except Riordan is taller, more threatening, looming over the Cat.
But Caer doesn’t back down. “Tell me,” he hisses. “When have you ever truly needed me?”
“Always.” The word cracks from Riordan’s throat. Scintillates in the air, a bright match to the kindling that has piled up between us, the unspoken thing made of our heartbeats and blood and teeth.
Caer is struck silent, his violet eyes fractured with bright emotion.
