Page 10 of Conquering the King of Storms

“Yes. I thought you weren’t interested in following it, or something.” I shrugged a shoulder.

“I am very much interested in following it, but I wanted time to decide what I wished to call you. Unlike Flame and Quake, I prefer to think things through thoroughly before I speak or act. I am not good with surprises.” His admission made my eyebrows lift.

I hadn’t heard a fae guy admit a weakness before.

Or any guy, really.

Steven was just as confident about his own perfection as everyone else was.

“Usually when a couple is determining whether or not they would be compatible mates, they get to know each other. Become friends. Fate intervenes at times, and pairs people like this,” he gestured between us, “But it’s rare. I wouldn’t want to give an ill-fitting nickname to the woman I am to spend the rest of our extremely-long lives with.”

Damn.

My respect for the guy had just increased by an assload, despite my many reasons to be reluctant about everything mating related.

“That makes sense,” I agreed. “And I can respect thinking before you act. In the heat of the moment, things can get ugly.”

“Exactly.” He lifted our intertwined hands to his lips and brushed them over my knuckles.

My lower body clenched at the gesture. Though it wasn’t sexy in the slightest, it was sweet. And fuck, I was a sucker for soft and sweet.

The fact that I had been all revved up for months thanks to his wind’s dirty-talk didn’t help with controlling my response to him, either.

“I wish to call you Sway, or in the land’s ancient language, Lainen. Whichever you prefer.”

My eyebrows lifted.

He was letting me choose, even?

Hot damn, where had this guy come from?

Stupid question, obviously, but still. From our conversation, it had become clear that he was even less like Flame and Quake than I’d realized.

“I like Sway, but I’m okay with the other one too. Or both, if they mean the same thing.”

Storm’s gigantic shoulders seemed to relax a bit.

Had he been worried that I wouldn’t like his nickname ideas?

I guess that wouldn’t have been a stretch. It pissed Margo off every time Quake called her Velvet. Then again, pretty much everything that had to do with Quake pissed Margo off.

“I’m glad.” His voice had softened. “The name I was given at birth is Sirus.” He pronounced it SEAR-iss. “We haven’t knowneach other long, so I understand if you need time before using it.”

And there he went again, shocking the hell out of me.

“Thank you.”

He dipped his head in a nod.

We continued walking away from the others. Though things felt less awkward between us after that conversation, he was being quiet again, which I was starting to suspect meant he was trying to decide how to bring up another topic I wouldn’t really want to discuss.

A few calm, peaceful minutes passed. The wind was blowing lightly around us, and I enjoyed the breeze. The weather was warm and muggy, so it cooled me off and felt nice.

Storm—Sirus—finally broke the silence again, though. “I don’t know how to apologize properly for the way you were ripped away from your home. Had I been myself, I would never have allowed my people to steal you from your life. That you left behind a man you were preparing to mate with, also… I cannot comprehend the pain you must be in.”

His words shocked me into silence, but he continued. “If there were a way to separate our souls and allow you to return home, I would pursue it in a heartbeat, but as far as I know there isn’t one. I understand that the bond we share isn’t the one you wished for, and I will never press you for anything you aren’t comfortable with. Given the permanence of our connection, I pray to the elements that we can be friends, despite the pain my lack of control has caused you and will continue to cause you. I cannot return your desired mate to you or take you home, but I will do everything in my power to ensure your comfort.”

The anguish in his voice was awful to hear.

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