“Apparently, he’s the ‘group of Shifters’ Rose and Leo heard Scarven was sending here. Only, it’s just him, and he’s definitely not here to kill me.” She shrugged. “We were wrong. They aren’t the ones after Galen and me.”
I made a disgruntled noise in the back of my throat. “So we’re back to no leads.”
“My money is still on the regents. After everything Rhys Penworth said, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was working with others to make them look like accidents. And Dion Silenus wasn’t exactly my biggest fan in the beginning.” She eyed me. “You seem close to the Zelorias. How well do you know them?”
“I highly doubt they’re hiding poisonous snakes in your bedsheets, Empress,” I said with a chuckle.
“Well, thank you for giving methatnew fear.”
“They’re good people. We were much closer when we wereyoung. Their family would come up to the North Territory all the time to meet with King Orion. Daelan was actually the one who taught me how to flirt with women,” I said, laughing as memories came back to me. “The second they could sneak Galen and me into the taverns, we were there every night. His favorite line when meeting a beautiful woman was always, ‘I was enjoying my drink, but then I saw you. Now I think I need something stronger.’”
Clarissa snickered. “Did that actually work on anyone?”
“It did for him. But when I tried it once, she swung her satchel at me and said, ‘Here, is this strong enough?’”
She burst into laughter. I had to control my shaking shoulders so as not to wake Marigold.
“Alright, fine. If you say I have nothing to worry about with the Zelorias, I believe you,” she said as our laughter subsided. “The good thing is, it sounds like your shot with women improved over the years. Galen mentioned you being rather ‘wild’ once upon a time.” She quirked a mischievous eyebrow at me.
“I suppose I was. But thankfully, I figured out who I wanted to be.” We reached the door of my hut and turned to face each other.
“And who is that?”
I looked down at Marigold. “A father. Aromantic,” I said teasingly, then my eyes met Clarissa’s and my voice softened. “A better man.”
Sounds of the island filtered in around us—the chirping insects, the wind through trees, the distant laughter and crackling of fire. Her stare lingered on me before flitting to Marigold.
“I should let you get her to bed,” she whispered.
Those dark eyes traveled back up to mine, and that same territorial instinct from earlier pounded like a drum in my chest. I bit down on my tongue before I said something that would only be a mistake, but every muscle in my body yearned to reach for her. She swallowed, the edges of her lips falling slightly as she tapped on the doorframe with her knuckles and turned on her heel.
Fates help me.
“Do you want to come in?” I asked.
She froze and slowly faced me again. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
I shook my head. “No.”
My eyes caught on her mouth as her teeth pulled at her bottom lip, indecision warring across her features. I held my breath and willed my pulse to slow. Blood rushed through my ears like a tidal wave when she took a hesitant step forward.
And another.
And another.
And then she opened the door and walked into the house.
47
Thorne
She turned in a wide arc to take in the space, which I imagined looked similar to her own little hut. Tall windows along the back wall facing a forest just outside, several couches and one table, a small hallway leading to a single bedroom.
“I’m going to put her in bed,” I said quietly, dipping my chin down at Marigold. Clarissa nodded and looped Mia’s leash through one of the chair legs.
I slipped into the room. Marigold stirred as I carefully shifted the blankets on the bed and set her down. Her lips puckered into a pout, and I smiled when she burrowed into the pillow and let out a sleepy sigh. Peeling her hair away from her forehead, I kissed her temple and turned to head back out.
Clarissa leaned against the doorframe, her shadow darkening the few feet leading to the bed. She smiled softly at us. “My father used to tuck me into bed like that. He’d find me passed out by the window or outside in the garden under the stars and carry me inside. I don’t think he knew that I remembered, but I always woke up. Just for a split second. Long enough to hear him tell me he loved me.”
