Page 71 of Tempting the Fae Lord
I grind my teeth.
That was too easy.
And still no sight of Sonja. She’s probably long gone by now.
A group crowds around me, thanking me, chattering nervously with the unspent energy that comes with life-or-death emergencies thwarted.
I stay and help assess the damage, all the while taxing my senses for information. Any hint of a threat, and I’m ready to strike.
But nothing more happens.
No sign of her.
Once everyone is accounted for and we’re certain every single ember has been doused, I assure them there’s no need to worry about the stored food. I’ll see to it their larders are refilled. No one under my care will go hungry,
By the time I fly back to the fortress, it’s nearly sunup.
I’m covered in soot, mud, and grime from my labors. Inside, the castle’s occupants still sleep. I stop in the kitchen to collect water and head to my rooms to wash up, in a hurry to check on Gale.
He snores quietly in the center of my bed beneath layers of silk and fur, only his pretty curls peaking out from the covers. The temptation to simply stand here and bask in the reality of Gale in my chambers, asleep in my bed, safe and secure, is hard to resist.
But I make myself move.
I peel away my dirty clothes and have a quick wash with ice-cold water. Once more, I reach out with my senses, stretching, unfurling, and flexing. I search for anything amiss. Anything at all.
And find nothing.
I clench my jaw, frustrated.
It’s not that I want something to be wrong. That’s the last thing I want. What I want is to crawl into bed with Gale, snuggle him close, and perhaps stay there together for a fortnight or more, the two of us.
But something feels off.
Deep in my gut, anxiety churns, telling me not to rest. Not yet. To be vigilant.
Though soon the sun will rise, and I’ll have no choice but to hide from its deadly rays.
I dress in another set of regular clothes. No way can I put on bedclothes when I have the feeling I could be torn from sleep for some emergency at a moment’s notice.
Careful not to wake him, I sit next to Gale, stare at the stone ceiling, and think.
I shall have to meet with the queen’s people. Tedious. They’ll want an explanation. I dread having to admit a rogue fae sorceress and her pet death mage are on the loose this side of the gate, and it’s all my fault.
In centuries of dutifully tending to the obligations of my bloodline, I’ve never made an error so egregious. Never riskedthe lives of those around me. Never failed to contain a problem quite so spectacularly.
Maybe Gale is right after all, and I need their help. Though it pains me to admit it, if only to myself, handling this alone isn’t working.
At my side, Gale stirs and rolls toward me as though sensing my presence even in his sleep. Maybe he does. My blood flows through his veins at this very moment. And his blood sings to me from beneath his delicate skin.
But I’ll never know its taste. I’ll never indulge.
I lie back and settle a comforting arm over his middle. He’s had more excitement in the last few weeks than he had in his first twenty some years combined. All of that with very little actual rest between crises. He deserves a good slumber.
With a whisper of magic, I lull him back to a deep sleep.
My world feels complete with him here, though his presence is a boon I don’t deserve. He steadies me, as if he’s an anchor I’ve been waiting for my whole life.
I’m grateful he’s here. Under my roof. At my side.
