Phillip sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "I owe Aurora an explanation, Mal. I can’t just... disappear on her. I’m not going to break things off through a carrier pigeon note."
"So you are going back to her?"
"It’s not like that. I just need to?—"
"Are you still under her curse?"
"We don't know that she?—"
"You must still be in her thrall if you take her word over mine."
"Mal—"
Phillip reached for her hands. Mal snatched them away. She slid out of the bed, from the side opposite Phillip. She snatched up one of the linens to cover her naked body as the heat of desire left her bones cold.
"After everything, after three years apart, you still think that pritch is innocent?"
"Pritch?"
Mal gritted her teeth instead of explaining.
"I’m not saying I don’t believe you. I just?—"
"Taking her side over mine."
"There are no sides, Mal. Not if you’re in the vicinity. My place is next to you. Everyone else... they’re just outsiders."
Mal’s heart wavered. The anger in her chest flickered like a candle in the face of a door swinging open. His words settled over her like a balm, soothing the sting of her doubts. She searched his gaze, looking for any trace of dishonesty, but found none.
"Then I'm coming with you."
"That is not a good idea."
"Why not?"
"The two of you in a room…" Phillip opened his mouth. Closed it. Then just shook his head.
"I won't hurt her."
"I don't believe you."
"Yet you believe she didn't hurt me."
"Mal, let me handle this."
Mal turned away from him again. As one of the most fearsome creatures in the forests, she knew better than to givean adversary her back. But ever since she was a young sapling, she'd felt the urge to lay down her weapons before this boy so that they could share them like toys. As she grew into a girl who would become the fierce Guardian of the forest, she developed a habit of showing this young man her shoulder blades so that he could kiss them.
She felt Phillip's breath against her ear, his nose against one of her horns. Then his tongue. Involuntarily, she shuddered. Voluntarily, she pressed her back into his chest and exposed her entire collarbone.
"You remember what happens when you give me the silent treatment?"
He wrapped a hand around one horn and tugged her head back. Mal's lids grew too heavy. She couldn't keep them open under the onslaught of pleasure.
"I make you scream my name."
She pushed her chin higher into the air. Her shoulder blades pressed into him. Her chest rose into the air. Her heart was trying to do a backflip to get to the one who owned it.
She was airborne. She crashed into the mattress. Her back hit the pillows. Her thighs were tossed over Phillip's shoulders. His tongue made good on his threat. It wasn't long before he had her screaming.
