“What? When?”
“When he was dying, before the healer in Havendor did her work,” Pharis said. “He didn’tjustask me to take you out of there and keep you safe while leaving him and your sisters behind. He also made me vow never to tell you that your mother was Elven.”
I shook my head, confused.
“But why would he do that? Why would he want you to withhold important information like that from me?”
“He believed keeping the secret was necessary for your protection, that the knowledge would make you even more of a target than you already were.”
“So you agreed to keep me in the dark,” I said.
“It was a deathbed promise.” Pharis said it as if that was a full explanation.
“And in a way I agreed with him that it might be safer for you,” he continued. “Neither of us knew the deathbed vow was pointless, that my foolish brother had already told our father about your parentage.”
A swell of defensiveness filled me. “Stellon believed he was doing the right thing.”
“He always does,” Pharis drawled, sounding bored. “It’s time to get to work. If you’re going to make any further lovesick declarations about ‘Saint Stellon,’ you’ll have to do it mind-to-mind.”
Sticking my hands out to warm them over the fire, I asked, “Okay, so how do we start? Should I just… try to say something to you? Or do you want me to listen to you?”
He smirked. “That would be a nice change. No, actually that’s a good idea since receiving is your weakest area. I’ll send you a message, and you tell me what you heard.”
Pharis turned and stared deeply into my eyes.
Though I strained my mind, I could hear nothing but the crackling of burning wood and a little pop when flames unearthed a pocket of sap.
It was uncomfortable holding eye contact with Pharis like this. I usually tried to avoid getting lost in those pretty blue-green eyes.
Oh no, could he hear that? I didnotlike this kind of “training.”
He laughed out loud.
“Like it or not, you have to do it, Wildcat. That’s the deal if you ever want to go out into the world again and join your family.”
My mouth dropped open. “You heard me?”
Pharis cracked a devious grin. “Pretty? Really? I’ve always preferred to think of my eyes as ‘sparkling pools of Nymphian water.’”
I reached up to slap his laughing face, but he jerked back out of my reach, leaving my hand to swing harmlessly through the air.
“You project your intent before you strike, you know,” he informed me. “You’ll never land a slap until you learn to control that.”
“Well consider me amotivatedstudent then,” I growled.
“Good. Whatever it takes. Now try again. I sent you a message, and apparently you didn’t hear it.”
“Maybe you’re not very good at it,” I snapped.
Or maybe youremember just howgoodI am, and you’re afraid to admit it. You do remember our kisses by the waterfall, don’t you, love? Remember how good I made you feel?
I’d heardthatalright.
Unmistakably in his low, seductive voice, though his lips hadn’t moved at all.
And Pharis being Pharis, of course his message had been intentionally provoking.
Hearing my offended gasp and taking in my glare, he smiled like a proud papa.
