Page 36 of The Shadow Fae Rhapsody
Svenn lifts one dark eyebrow.
“Do I happen to know this friend?” His voice goes harder and a little annoyed. “He doesn’t happen to be a demon, does he?”
I feel his heart thrashing in his chest and the sudden tense in his muscles. It takes a while for me to realize it. The only other winged male acquainted with me is Kheirall.
I look up and see the knot between his eyebrows and his rankled expression. This sudden change of mood in him… Could Svenn be jealous?
That’s—that’s adorable.
I cuddle closer to hug him, wrapping my arms around his neck. A mischievous part of me reaches out to touch the wing on his back. I feel him shudder against me.
“Nel…” he says my name in warning.
But I can’t help it. I’m curious to know if these pretty wings are as sensitive as his soft membranous ones. My hand drifts slowly to the part where it sprouts from his shoulder blade.
“Don’t do that, naughty girl,” he chides, pressing his lips against the top of my head. The small contact sends a tingling sensation skating down my spine. If kisses are the punishment I get, then I want to be bad.
I make another try to reach back before Svenn squeezes me close to his body. The devilish grin pulling his lips is the only warning I get before we dive from the sky in a free fall.
It’s so terrifying I forget to scream. I bury my head in his chest until everything is over. My toes curl and my body tenses for the impact.
“We’re here,” he finally whispers.
I pull away, surprise to find him walking. The landing was so soft I barely felt it.
It takes a while for me to be steady on my feet again. My gaze sweeps over the area, taking in the rocky hill and the forest around me. The trees are dense and thick, their leaves moving in the wind, whispering to one another. Between the rocks and grasses are scattered flowering plants of every kind.
This place is beautiful.
I can’t hide the smile on my face as I kneel to smell the lavenders on the ground. We promised to go on our first date last night, but that plan was ruined. Could this be the replacement for it? My heart starts bouncing uncontrollably inside my ribcage.
I turn to him, heat burning up my cheeks. “Svenn, is this a date?”
His brows draw in as he stares down at me for a moment. Then a whisper of a smile touches his lips. “I suppose it is.”
My husband knows I love flowers and he brought me to this garden for our date. I draw in several measured breaths to keep my face from looking too excited.
“It’s beautiful. Thank you,” I say calmly.
Wind rustles his hair as he smirks at me. “This is not what I wanted to show you.”
His gaze shifts to the higher elevation. “It might be a bit of a hike.”
“I’m up for it. Let’s go.” I loop my hand around his arm. This is far better than our plan to go to the bookstore. I can’t wait to write everything down in my diary.
“Tell me if it gets tiring. I’ll carry you,” he says as we begin our ascend. As much as I love the prospect of being strapped to his chest again, I want to do this. I often catch him staring at my lame foot. It does acts from time to time on exertion but it’s fine on most daily task. I want him to know that he doesn’t have to worry.
The climb is easier than I thought, especially when Svenn has cleared a path for me. I hardly feel the burn on my legs. Dread seizes my heart the moment I see the brittle bones littering the grass. I watch my feet, careful not to step on them.
I’m beginning to get nervous.
“Svenn… where are we?” I ask him, my voice trembling.
He turns his head, his gaze sliding to me. “Ironwick.”
A roar shatters the realm just as he says that. Then another joins, and another. They echo in the air like the howling of wolves.
Oh gods…
