Nathan no longer trusted himself. At least not where the Fae were involved.
"My hero," I told him lightly.
"What? No witty rejoinder about not needing rescue? I'm disappointed, A," Nathan murmured, his posture relaxing.
I shot Nathan a wry look. "Perhaps you lot are rubbing off on me."
Nathan pressed his hand to his chest. "Say it isn't so." He ducked close, murmuring, "That would be a shame."
"Why would it be a shame?" Connor asked from above us, nearly causing Nathan and me to jump out of our skins.
We looked up to find Connor sitting in the crook of a tree branch, his legs softly kicking as he stared out at the gathering, his expression remote and distant.
How did he—
"Did you know he was there?" I asked.
Nathan shook his head, looking spooked. "No, and I should have."
I glanced up at Connor with pleased surprise. I could think of a dozen ways to take advantage of an ability like that.
"What are you doing up there?" I asked, focusing on more important things for now.
"I saw you talking to Arlan. I felt it best I keep an eye in case he tried anything," Connor explained.
"My hero." My words were sarcastic; the sentiment behind them was not. It relaxed some of the tension I'd been carrying since my encounter with Arlan. It was good to know I hadn't faced him alone.
The smile he gifted me was pure. Sitting up there, the fairy lights creating an ethereal glow, he seemed much more suited to the role of nature spirit than vampire.
"Would you like to come down here?" I asked.
There was a pop of air and Connor fell into step beside us. In his hand he held a bouquet of strange looking flowers, no two alike. Each was more unique than the last. None were familiar. They were delicate and extravagant, in all shades of the rainbow. Light reflected off the surface of two of them, making them seem almost glass like.
"Where did you get those?" I asked.
Connor offered me three of the flowers.
I took them with a small smile. They were beautiful. I took a small sniff, surprised at the scent that raced across my senses. That smell was out of this world, more intense than anything I'd ever smelled before. It reminded me of dreams and expectations. Tantalizingly familiar, yet completely different than any other flower.
"I found them deeper in the barrow," Connor said, moving to place himself on the side closest to Callie.
I lifted my head and frowned. "Jerry told me that was dangerous."
Disbelief registered on Nathan's face as he watched Connor in a way that said he doubted the other man's intelligence.
Seeing me looking at him, Nathan mouthed "fix this."
I rolled my eyes at him. What exactly did he think I was trying to do?
Connor's shrug was unconcerned. "Maybe for you. This barrow couldn't keep me unless I wanted to be kept."
"I'm glad you think so," I said in a mild voice, careful not to let any of my concern show.
Connor struck me as fragile. From what I'd seen, he drifted through life, only interacting when absolutely necessary. He was content to let me take the lead, despite him having much more experience. Any other vampire in his position would have been quick to put me in my place the first time I tried to give him an order.
Not him.
I wasn't sure if that was because of his history or if that was simply his personality. I'd noticed he tended to brush off the concern of others as unimportant—most especially Thomas.
