“Nay.” His voice was firm. “Your duty is to your husband first and foremost. Not to forest animals, but to me and to my clan.”
Her eyes flashed with annoyance. “And what kind of husband would you be, if you asked me to turn my back on those who need me most?”
“You call beasts your duty, lass. I call them a distraction,” he countered, his jaw growing taut.
“They’re not a distraction,” she snapped, stepping closer, defiance in her gaze. “They fear, hurt, care, and protect just as humans do, and I will not abandon them.”
“Bloody hell, woman,” Rhodes muttered, dragging a hand through his dark hair, his patience fraying. “You’d argue the sky was green if I said it was blue.”
“Because you expect the world to bend at your word,” she returned swiftly. “And I will not bend, Rhodes. Not for you, not for anyone.”
Silence stretched, thick and taut. He studied her, every fiery line of her. Her cheeks were flushed with passion, her red curls tumbling around her shoulders, her green eyes alight with fury. He should be livid. Instead, his blood burned hotter than it had in years.
“You’ll drive me to madness,” he said hoarsely.
“Then perhaps you should leave me be.”
His mouth curved into a slow, dangerous smile. “Nay. I’ve never turned from a fight worth having.”
Before she could answer, he closed the distance between them in two strides. Fawn’s back brushed the edge of the table, her breath catching as his presence consumed her. His hand lifted, rough fingers brushing a stray curl from her cheek, lingering there as though he couldn’t stop himself.
Her heart felt as if it leapt into her throat. She should shove him away, she knew she should. Instead, she stood rooted, her body betraying her with the sudden rush of heat that his closeness sparked.
“You infuriate me,” he murmured, his voice rough, his gaze locked on hers. “And yet… I cannot stop wanting you.”
Her lips parted, a sharp retort ready, but the words faltered as his head dipped closer. For one breathless heartbeat, the world stilled. Then his mouth claimed hers.
The kiss was not gentle. It was fierce, demanding, the clash of fire and steel. She pressed her hands to his chest to push him back, yet her fingers curled against the hard planes of muscle instead, holding when she meant to resist. His arm slid around her waist, pulling her closer, his body heat searing through her garments.
Fawn’s head spun. Fury and longing tangled in her chest, her heart pounding so loudly she could hear nothing else. She broke from the kiss with a sharp breath, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes flashing.
“This changes nothing,” she said, her voice trembling. “I am not yours to command.”
Rhodes’s lips curved into a slow smile, his gaze burning into hers. “Aye, lass. But you will be mine. And every kiss only proves it.”
Her heart thudded wildly, even as she forced herself to straighten, to meet him with the same defiance as always. Yet deep inside, she could not deny the truth… each time he kissed her, it became harder to deny that it didn’t stir her, didn’t spark passion, didn’t tempt her.
Her lips continued to tingle as he finally drew back away from her, his breath brushing her cheek, and his dark eyes locked unflinchingly on her.
“I’ll have an answer from you,” Rhodes said, his voice rough, edged with command. “Not silence. Not fire in your gaze. Words. I will hear you say you’ll agree to wed me… become my wife.”
Fawn’s chest rose and fell, her breath still labored from his kiss, and her thoughts whirled making no sense. She should deny him, should push him away with every ounce of defianceshe owned. Her mother’s warning whispered in her mind…You will not wed him. He is dangerous. You will regret it.
If she said aye, she would seal her fate. Bind herself to a man who did not bend, who demanded and claimed as though the world itself belonged to him. And what would he do when he discovered who her mum was… the witch who granted his wish. And what did that make her… a witch as well.
And yet… something deep inside told her it was not her choice to make. This path had been laid before her long ago, carved by fate itself. All her resistance, all her fire could not change it.
Her lips parted, the words heavy, inevitable. “Aye,” she said, her voice steady despite the storm within her. “I will wed you.”
Rhodes’s eyes flared, victory flashing there, but beneath it something else, something rawer, less certain, a foreign feeling that he buried as quickly as it rose. He cupped her face in his hand, his thumb brushing her cheek.
“You’ll not regret it,” he said, as though by sheer will he made the words truth.
Fawn swallowed hard, her heart twisting. She had given her answer, yet doubt and desire warred within her breast. Whether she would regret it or not… only time would tell.
The Great Hallbuzzed with the sounds of the morning meal, low chatter, the clatter of wood platters, the fire snapping in the hearth, the hustle of the servants. Elune sat close to Sara, the two women speaking softly, while Boyce stood a short distance away, his watchful gaze drawn often to his wife.
The doors opened, and Rhodes strode in, Fawn at his side. His grip was firm around her hand, his claim plain for all to see.She tried to tug free, but he held fast as they crossed to the center of the hall.
