Page 2 of Forbidden Obsession
I grind my teeth. Maybe I overreacted, but admitting as much, even to myself, only makes me feel worse.
“I’m sorry, Rahz. Truly.” His voice softens. “I should’ve defended you. I see that now, but I didn’t realize it at the time. Please don’t be mad. You’re my best friend.”
The fire in my belly dwindles to sparks. He sounds like he means it, and I want to believe him.
He kicks at the dirt and doesn’t quite make eye contact. “You’re still coming to my round moon party, right?”
I huff out an irritated sigh and hunch my shoulders. I’ve always looked forward to our monthly round moon sleepovers‚ when Jindal’s father leaves for the neighboring village and we have their whole cottage to ourselves. But I don’t know if I want to come tonight, not after what happened at our lessons.
Embarrassment tightens my stomach and heats my neck. Besides, the others don’t like me. Jindal is my only true friend, but maybe he’d have more fun if I wasn’t there.
“Please,” he says when I fail to answer. “You have to come. It won’t be the same if you’re not there. Plus, Bessa made your favorite apricot pastries.”
My mouth waters thinking about the brown sugar, cinnamon, and apricot perfections that are Bessa’s pastries. I could eat a whole dozen by myself. Two dozen if I skip supper.
“She’ll be sad if you don’t come and Vander gets them all.”
Can’t have that. The thought of Vander stuffing himself with my favorite treat boils my blood. Maybe I do want to be there tonight.
I press my lips into a tight line and sulk. Jindal creeps forward with cautious steps until he stands right in front of me. Our eyes meet. My ordinary green human shade and his ethereal orange fae irises lock and hold.
“Oh, come on, Rahz. I said I was sorry. I mean it. I know you didn’t cheat, and don’t worry about the others. They’ve probably already forgotten the whole thing. And no one’s going to be thinking about lessons when we have games to play, sweets to eat, and scary stories to tell.” He peers up at me through fluttering lashes. Does he know that turns my brain to mush?
My resolve wavers. I love scary stories, and I memorized a good one for tonight. One about the Gatekeeper I read in my mother’s books. I want to tell it. I want to scare Vander. “All right. Fine. I’ll be there.”
More lash-fluttering. “And?”
I cross my arms. “And what?”
“Am I forgiven?” A hopeful look lights his eyes to a warm peach glow.
I can’t stay mad at Jindal for long. “Fine. You’re forgiven.” I pluck the lichen from his hair and toss it aside. His grin leaves me breathless as he returns the favor, brushing fingers through my silver tresses to rid them of twigs and pine needles.
“I’ll walk you home,” he offers.
“No, thanks.” I need some time alone. Time to let the anger seep out. Because even though it’s the truth when I say I forgive him, the hurt at being accused of something I wouldn’t do lingers. “I’ll see you tonight.”
Jindal’s wings flap into motion, sending a pleasant breeze that cools my neck and ruffles my hair. He lifts off the ground to hover in place. “See you tonight. And I’ll never let the others talk bad about you again. Promise.”
Must be nice to have wings, I think, staring after him as he flies away. I watch until he’s a sparkling pink and purple speck in the distance and mutter to myself, “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”
ChapterTwo
Jindal
“Bye, Father.”I stand on the threshold of our front door, picking at the splintered wood around the frame. The sun hangs low in the sky, casting a bronze glow over the grassy fields and shadowing my father in silhouette.
He turns his horse and faces me. I can’t see his expression, but I’d bet my snail shell collection it’s grim. “Behave.” His voice is stern, as usual. “Keep everyone in line, unlike last time. I expect a glowing report from Bessa when I get home, and that’s what I’d better get.”
A frazzle of nerves rips through me, making my belly queasy. Last round moon, Vander had the brilliant idea to terrorize the neighbors' goats. If you scare them badly enough, they faint, which Vander thinks is hilarious. I think it’s mean. What did the goats ever do to him?
The neighbors hadn’t been pleased, and they’d said as much to my father. My punishment was to eat nothing but mash for supper for two weeks, which is torture enough, but it’s even harder when the savory aroma of Bessa’s cooking wafts from the kitchen every evening. The last thing I want is a repeat of that experience, but knowing my father, I can predict the next punishment to be something worse. Best not to get into trouble at all.
“We’ll be good, sir.” My voice breaks embarrassingly, and I cough to clear it. “No need to worry.”
At that, he leaves without a backward glance for whatever he does every round moon at Clodhill, the next village over. I’m pretty sure he has a girlfriend over there, but I know better than to ask. Who knows what he’d do if he thought I was being nosy?
My mother went dormant when I was a newborn, and it’s been just me and Father ever since. And though many fae would stay true to a dormant mate as they slept, I don’t think my father is one of them. Not that I mind. I’ve never met Mother—though I often visit her swaddled sleeping form at the temple where she rests—and I enjoy the time when he’s away too much to fret over the details. The house is less stifling with him gone.
