“Be back soon, you guys. This shouldn’t take long.” Dianthe walked to the threshold and launched herself into the air.
“Hang on tight,” Charlotte whispered in his ear. She was pressed up against his back again, and the feel of her so close sent a pulse through him. “My aunt is fast as a hummingbird.”
“Are we going to—?”
She gripped him from behind and launched herself off the threshold. His stomach dropped and lurched as she soared after her aunt, weaving between the trees at breakneck speed.
He clung to her, his feet dangling dangerously close to a sequoia as he pedaled them in the air. “Hey! I’d like to leave here someday with all my limbs.”
She snorted in his ear. “Sorry. I’m not used to carrying someone as big and heavy as you.”
Thank God. He was an inch or so taller than Charlotte, but it was hard not to feel emasculated when a woman whose figure was as graceful as a slender violin could toss you around like a child’s toy. Liam was an athlete who’d spent months doing labor-intensive work in the Arctic and was big by human standards. Not sure why it was important to him, he was still glad she noticed.
Thankfully it wasn’t long before Dianthe landed in a grove of coniferous trees beside a lake so blue it didn’t seem real. Was he truly in a fairy tale? As his feet touched down on a carpet of dried needles, the intense smell of pine filled his lungs.
“My god, there’s no place like this on Earth.”
“You’re not on Earth,” Dianthe said through a smile. “Do you see anything like your Christmas tree?”
He came upon a yew tree and ran a hand along the branches. “We can cut pieces off this to decorate with. Humans hang them over doorways.”
Dianthe pulled a bag from her belt and a pair of shears and handed them to Charlotte, who collected what he asked for. Around the next bend, he came across some holly, its shiny green leaves and red berries brighter than any he’d witnessed in a long time. “And this.”
More greenery fell into the bag. Without knowing exactly how big the room was that Charlotte wanted him to decorate, it was hard to know how much to ask for, but he distracted himself from that thought almost immediately. Who cared if it was perfect? No one here knew what it was supposed to look like but him.
He strolled down the rows of trees: pines, firs, and something he was sure was a type of juniper lined the path, along with other coniferous specimens he didn’t recognize at all. He took his time, inspecting each one and committing the details to memory. He almost forgot what he was supposed to be looking for until a perfectly proportioned spruce tree appeared in front of him, causing him to pull up short. If a flawless Christmas tree had ever existed, this was the one. The ideal height and width. Full all the way around.
“Is this it? Is this a Christmas tree?” Charlotte asked.
He sighed, a heavy pressure starting in his chest. He’d been warned by her uncles not to upset this angel he was supposed to be helping, but he was afraid he had no choice but to disappoint her today. “It is, but… I’m sorry, Charlotte, we can’t use it.”
Her brows knit together, and Liam had the strongest urge to kiss the space between her blue eyes. What the hell was wrong with him? Clearing his throat, he told her the truth. “This tree is perfect, but to get it back to the palace, we’d have to cut it down. It would be a crime to kill this tree. Not only does it appear to be the only spruce in this wood, it’s got a long life ahead of it here. I won’t be part of killing it just for your party. Believe me, this is one human tradition you don’t want to bring to this planet.”
He leaned back on his heels and hoped she’d let it go.
Behind him, Dianthe started to laugh. “Is that what you’re worried about? Charlie, take your human back to the palace. We’ll have the tree delivered by tomorrow afternoon.”
“Oh hell no!” His jaw clenched. “You can’t kill it. Truly, if you must have one, I’ll build you an artificial one constructed of cut branches. Chopping down this tree would be criminal.”
Dianthe walked away, shaking her head. “Nice to see you again, Charlie. Say hello to everyone at the palace.”
They waved goodbye to each other while Liam’s head burned with his growing anger.
When Charlotte turned back to him, her smile faded. “She won’t kill it, Liam! Trust me. No trees will die for this party.”
He scowled. “Do you swear it?” Not something he’d usually ask his buddies, but this seemed like the type of place where people swore oaths and where promises stuck.
Charlotte linked her hand into his and started leading him away. “I swear it. Believe me, if fairies don’t cut down trees to make their houses, they won’t cut them down for a palace party.”
“But then how—?”
Her gaze met his and held, her brow lifting slightly. “Trust me.”
Odd. In the spotlight of those fathomless blue eyes, he did trust her. Warmth spread through his torso until he realized he was dangerously close to assigning feelings to the interaction. He blinked away the unwanted sensation and was relieved when the icy shield he used to protect his heart snapped back into place. Wow, what the hell was wrong with him? More curtly than he meant to, he snapped, “Fine,” then strode in the direction of the carriage, breaking the spell she had over him.
Chapter
Seven
