“Fair enough,” I conceded.
“I will read them too,” Tae offered. “I think it may be important for both of us to know these things.”
“Well, that didn't sound ominous at all,” I grumbled and headed back to the table withThe Ultimate Unsidhe Reference.
Chapter Forty-One
After the day the book landed—I refer to it that way to give it the gravitas it deserved—my training took on an intensity that left me groaning every night, and not in a good way. I would hobble away from the classroom with Tae supporting me, his worried gaze my only comfort, and nestle in against him during the ride home. As far as the book, we'd read the whole section on Goblins and transcribed the pages it had opened to for future reference. My head was full of Goblin facts and my body full of magic. It only took a week for the scholars to declare that I was ready for emotion training.
“I suppose this means that we'll be leaving today,” I said as I stared out the window at Wynvar.
“Do I detect a note of sadness in your voice?” Tae teased me.
We were at the small dining table in his sitting room, having our breakfast near a view, just as we Falcon Faeries liked it. And yes, I had finally begun to accept that this was who I was now. It was nice to be able to sit down with Taeven to enjoy the first meal of the day instead of grabbing something on the way to the carriage. But he was right; leaving Wynvar would be rough.
“It's grown on me,” I admitted.
“I'm glad. If all goes well, I'd like to come back here to live after the war is over. We can always spend winters in Dreslen.”
“Not the entire winter,” I said with a soft smile. “I've even come to appreciate the cold.”
“A changed man,” Tae murmured.
“In many ways.” I looked at him pointedly.
“We're not leaving today,” he declared.
“No?”
“No. We've both been working hard, and we deserve a day to ourselves. Our army can survive another day without us.”
I grinned and cut into my breakfast with more gusto. “What shall we do with ourselves?”
“Anything you like,” he offered grandly. “We could go shopping—there are a few stores that sell baking tools and the like. Or we could just stroll through the city. Or we could go flying.”
“Flying?” I perked up.
“We'll be flying for hours tomorrow,” Tae warned me. “So we couldn't go for a long flight today, but we could do a quick tour of the valley.”
“I'd like that.” I grinned broadly. “It will be our first time flying together.”
Taeven nodded. “That's why I suggested it. I'd like to have you to myself for our first flight.”
“Babe, you can have me to yourself wherever and whenever you wish,” I teased. “I made a promise, remember?”
“You joke now, but I'm holding you to that promise,” Tae took my hand to say. His eyes gleamed with mischief as he added, “I'm going to wait until I screw up royally and then insist on making love to you.”
“You scoundrel,” I said dramatically, but I also squeezed his hand. Then, in a much softer tone, I added, “This feels like a dream.”
“Breakfast with me?” Tae grinned.
“Lifewith you,” I whispered.
“For me as well,” he whispered back. Then he went grave. “Losing you would turn it into a nightmare. So you must promise me to be careful, Shane. When we go to battle, do not leave my side.”
“I promise.”
“Thank you. Now, before we leave, I have a gift for you.” He leaned over and pulled something out from behind the heavy drapes. It was a guitar case. He handed it to me with a shy smile. “A mating gift.”
