This time, Raxx looked uncomfortable. “It’s more complicated than that.”
“Then explain it to me.” Faye held her breath as she watched the shadow demon grapple for words.
“I did shy away from you—”
“No shit.” Faye interrupted, rolling her eyes.
“But not for the reasons you think.”
The princess stilled, frowning with confusion. Was he saying hedidwant her to kiss him?
Raxx sighed and sat up, still holding Faye’s hand tightly in his. “I’ve been trying to get my head around what’s going on between us and I wanted to understand it better myself before I told you about it.”
“You’re frightening me, Raxx. Told me about what?” Faye’s eyes widened and her heart sped up. Sweat broke out on her nape.
“We can’t touch one another, Faye.”
The princess sat in stunned silence for a moment, Raxx’s words sinking in slowly. She shook her head.
“Of course we can – we’re touching right now.” She gestured to her hand in his.
“I mean skin on skin,” Raxx clarified.
“I don’t understand.”
“Neither do I. I’ve been scouring these books looking for explanations but—”
“Wait, so you’renotlooking for answers for Lori?” Faye asked.
“I’m multitasking.” Raxx shrugged.
“How can this be? I haven’t noticed anything unusual.” Faye’s head was spinning as she mentally recalled all of the physical interaction she and Raxx had experienced together. “What about when we embraced that night in the cell?”
“It wasn’t skin on skin.”
“But surely we’ve brushed against one another or—”
“We haven’t, because I’ve ensured it. It hurts more than anything I’ve ever experienced. I can’t explain it.” Raxx frowned.
The mysterious troubled expression the demon had been wearing for weeks had returned tenfold. Was this what had been bothering him all this time? Despite Raxx’s assurances, Faye couldn’t bring herself to believe him. It couldn’t be true; she had never heard of anything like it.
Faye scowled. “I’ve heard some strange excuses for getting out of something Raxx, but this...”
Raxx’s face flickered with determination. “I swear it’s true. I’ll show you.”
“Wait, you don’t have to—"
Before Faye had a chance to react, the demon reached out for her. He cupped her face in his hands and tugged her forwards, until her mouth met with his. Faye’s majick fizzled, crackling beneath her skin at the contact. It was exceedingly fleeting. They had barely touched long enough for Faye to feel the soft puff of Raxx’s breath against her cheek before he had ripped himself away from her, with a guttural grunt of pain.
The shadow demon shuddered, sweat beading on his brow, as he pressed the back of his hand to his mouth. He had his eyes closed and his brows knitted in a deep, pained frown.
Faye floundered for something to say. “Are you okay?”
“Fuck me, that hurt more than I thought it was going to,” Raxx hissed, sucking in a deep breath.
Faye raised her fingertips to her mouth. She had felt nothing but smooth, warm lips against hers and a seriously volatile majick reaction. She felt dizzy.
“Are you alright?” Raxx eventually asked, dabbing his mouth with his hand and glancing down at it, as if checking for blood. His face was unmarked and there was no sign of any injury whatsoever, other than the pained expression he still wore.
