“Falcon Lord!” a man burst into the bedroom. It was Daron.
I looked over at him and felt the tension in my chest release. I hadn't even realized that I'd feared for him, not until I saw him standing there. But Daron barely glanced at me, only rushed forward and shouldered me aside. I moved back, off the bed and out of the way as the rest of the Falcon Lord's surviving knights flooded his bedroom.
Go figure. I saved the Falcon Lord and his kingdom, but get brushed off like an annoying insect. I shrugged. They needed to see that he was safe, and I wanted that too. I wasn't the kind of man who craved recognition. As I mentioned, I'd rather be in the back, supporting the heroes instead of being one. But I would have liked a pat on the shoulder or a smile from Daron.
Oh, well, that's how it goes in the army; you might get praise from your commanding officer, but anyone above him won't even know your name. Why would I expect Daron to be any different? At least the Falcon Lord had thanked me; that was enough for me. He had seen what I'd done and praised me for it, and that left a warm feeling in my chest. Plus, I'd have a good story to tell at the campfire that night. I grinned as I thought about how my friends were going to react; they weren't going to believe this shit. Then I slipped out of the bedroom and wound my way through the sudden mass of people filling the Falcon Lord's tent. They could take it from there; I had bread to bake.
Chapter Two
“Did you think you could hide from me?” the deep voice of the Falcon Lord made me flinch.
I was on my second round of baking for the day, hands currently stuck in a lump of dough that was destined to become his lunch. Had I been trying to hide from the warlord? Perhaps. But, honestly, I'd thought he'd forget about me in the midst of the investigation into the Farungal infiltration that was, according to my assistant, ongoing. And then there was that confiscated Farungal soul stone. I assumed he'd be way too busy to bother with me.
“Uh, no, Falcon Lord,” I said as I glanced over my shoulder at him and found my pavilion empty, my assistants all conveniently busy elsewhere. “That would be silly since I literally spend my days forty paces from where you sleep. Plus, with my Lekian heritage, I kinda stand out among all you pale-faces.” I grinned nervously.
“Yes, you most certainly do,” he drawled appreciatively as he stepped up to my worktable.
The Falcon Lord cocked one hip against the table, glanced at my hands, then brought that incredible stare—even more incredible out in the light of day—up my body slowly. Consideringly. My hands clenched in the dough and my throat went dry.What the fuck is happening right now?
“Your skin is stunning. I imagine you have a lot of fae lovers.”
“Uh, no. Why would you say that?”
“We faeries prize darker skin tones,” he explained, looking me over again. “They're so rare among our kind, and when they do appear, they're usually a true black, not this deep, golden-brown shade. Like coffee with the perfect amount of . . .cream.”
The Falcon Lord stroked a finger over my bare bicep as if admiring the shape, and I flinched but in a good way, tingles running down my spine as the breath caught in my throat. There I was, sweaty and covered in flour, while the Falcon Lord was fresh-faced and gorgeous. He wore a pair of brown leather breeches that molded to his shapely legs, a sleeveless tunic similar to mine except that his had a deep V neckline to show off his sculpted pecs in addition to his bulging biceps, and his hair was brushed into a straight line, held back by two tiny braids, one at each temple, the one on the right with a falcon feather attached to the end. I don't know why that feather was so sexy, but it was, especially with the tip caressing his chest.
I determinedly brought my stare back to his face, but the way he was staring back didn't help to calm my racing pulse. Doran was incredibly handsome, but the Falcon Lord was on a godly level. His features were sharper than those of most fae males, making those sensual lips look even more luscious, and those amazing eyes were framed by thick lashes and brows that arched like wings. In short, he waswayout of my league, out of my fucking universe, and I couldn't deal with it.
Most men would be thrilled to have the attention of the Falcon Lord, even straight men, I'd wager, but not me. I like to stay within my hotness range. If a guy is too far above me on the sexiness scale, he makes me nervous, and I'd never be able to have a real relationship with him. Sure, I could do a one-night stand, but I doubt I'd even enjoy it; I'd be too worried about what I looked like compared to him and what he thought about it. So, instead of smiling at the Falcon Lord or blushing at his shockingly basic innuendo, I looked away, down at my dough, and went back to kneading. It hadn't been a compliment, not directly, so I didn't feel as if I had to thank him, or say anything at all.
His opinion differed; I saw him scowl out of the corner of my eye.
“I'm sorry, are you busy? Am I interrupting you?” the Falcon Lord snapped.
Oh, fuck. If I rebuffed his advances, was he going to get pissed at me?
“No, my lord!” I dropped the dough and turned to face him, coming to a parade rest, my sticky hands clasped behind my back and head lifted.
The Falcon Lord sighed deeply. “This is not going how I expected.”
“How you expected?”
“Why did you leave my tent so quickly, Captain Ruhara?”
Oh, shit, he knew my name. Why did that send a zing of pleasure through me?
“Because I wasn't needed anymore, Sir,” I said. “You were alive and in good hands. Doran, uh, I mean, your knight, moved me aside, so I figured I should go.”
“Did he now?” The Falcon Lord cocked his head in a distinctly avian way. “And you didn't hear me call for you?”
“No, my lord.”He had called for me?“Uh, did you need something else?”
“Did I need something?” The Falcon Lord chuckled. “Yes, Captain, I needed to thank you for saving my life.”
“Oh. I thought you did that already. You even gave me a 'well done' which was appreciated. But, uh, you're welcome, Falcon Lord.” I flushed and looked down. “I just happened to be where I needed to be.”
“I think you happened to beexactlywhere you weremeantto be,” he said softly.
