She flopped back, acknowledging the truth of that.In truth, she felt more than half-dead.Was three-quarters dead a thing?She was somewhere between three-quarters dead and mostly dead, she decided.And she was seriously punch drunk, which didn’t bode well for her brains.She should try to rally.“What is this place?”
“My pied-à-terre in Moonstone.”He rose to fetch something.
“Aren’t those supposed to be small—a pied-à-terre?”
“This placeissmall, comparatively, and it’s my home in Moonstone, a sovereign piece of land where I have sole authority.Sit up.”
“Sit up.Stand up.Throw up.”Her head seriously swam, threatening that very thing as she tried to lever up.
“Just the first,” he replied, amusement threading his voice.He sat on the bed and slipped an arm under her, lifting her to lean against him.“Drink this.”
She eyed the eerily glowing goblet in his hand, the purple liquid within sizzling as if boiling, giving off a heady fragrance like violet honeysuckle.“You’re bossy all of a sudden, Your Royal Highness, king of your sovereign realm.”
“Prince,” he corrected.“And yes, that includes you at the moment, stubborn one, so drink lest I be forced to pour it down your throat.”His arm tightened around her as she tried—okay, feebly—to pull away.“You’ll feel better, Arantxa,” he said in a quieter, coaxing tone.“I promise.”
“Well, since you can’t lie,” she grumbled, feeling a little foolish for resisting, but also like a weenie for capitulating.But she wasn’t going to have him feed it to her like she was a sick kid.She took the goblet and sipped, the liquid gloriously delicious and refreshing.She gave it another long look.“Is this…ambrosia?”
“A form of it.Purer than what you feed the enchanted animals.It won’t turn you into a carriage,” he teased, humor lighting his deep blue eyes.
“Speaking of,” she said, refusing to be charmed, “where is Katu?”
“Let’s make a deal.I’ll talk as long as you’re drinking that.”He dipped his chin at the goblet while holding her gaze.
“I’ve always been told to never make a bargain with the fae.”
He smiled, brushing some hair out of her eyes.“Too late for that, my sweet Arantxa.Your first mistake was saving my life.”He raised his brows at her surprise.“Implicit bargain.Drink if you want answers.”
She sipped, telling herself it was because she already felt better from that bit and not because he was ordering—or extorting—her into it.
“Katu is here,” he said as soon as she lifted the goblet to her lips.“He is well-fed and resting.When I felt your distress and came looking for you, I found him first and brought him here.Keep drinking.Yes, I sensed your trouble and sought you.”
“Wait—so you can read my mind?”
“No.”
“I’ve heard that some fae can—”
He laid a finger over her lips, closing them.“Some fae, yes.Not me.Besides, listening to people’s thoughts is an exercise in chaos and cacophony.I don’t wish it on anyone.”
Hmm.Then how did he know that?She wanted to ask, but fae couldn’t lie, so… “If you can’t read my mind, then why could you feel my…” She refused to call it distress, but she also didn’t want to whine.
“Not thoughts,” he filled in, saving her from the word search.His fine lips twisted in a rueful smile.“Just very strong feelings of being in trouble, of your life being in danger.The life debt gives me no choice.”
“I had no idea.”
“It’s not something the fae publicize,” he replied drily.“Imagine if that were commonly known, the sordid elements of humanity who would seek to take advantage of that.”
“You think I’ll be hurt that you just called me sordid, but I’m at peace with myself.”
He met her gaze levelly.“I did not mean you, as you are possibly the most trustworthy human I’ve ever met.”
Awww.Her heart did a disconcerting flippy-floppy thing.
“Why aren’t you drinking?”he asked, eyes glittering, expression stern, and her pussy sparkle leapt to join the impromptu heart-dance.
“You just saved my life,” she pointed out, very quickly between swallows.“Doesn’t that balance us out?”
“That doesn’t cancel the connection between us, only deepens it,” he replied somberly.“To answer your other questions, I’m very powerful when on my own sovereign land, less so when I’m not.Even less so the farther I am from it.”
