CHAPTER TWELVE
I smiled at the eighteen year old standing opposite me. “Hi, Elara. I’m Noelle Harvey. I came with Wolfe. I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday.”
The birthday itself, so far, was a somber affair due to Cassander’s death, but everyone was faking it well for the sake of the young woman before me. There was even laughter in the air drifting out of other rooms. I did find it extremely odd that no one was talking about his funeral yet. I’d have to ask Mina in private if shifters didn’t have funerals. It was a possibility, though it saddened me to even think of that.
“Thanks.” Elara blew a bubble and popped it loudly, her eyes running over me in a silent evaluation. Her attention caught on my left hand gripping the table next to me like my life depended on it. Elara’s gaze flicked back up to mine. “Are you feeling all right?”
I kept my damn smile in place. “I’m not used to being up this high off the ground.”
No one had mentioned Rune and Megan lived in a goddamn mansion of a tree house. Had they mentioned it, I would have declined.
Give me a sturdy balcony? I’m completely fine.
Give me a train? Cool as ice.
But give me a rope ladder? I’d puke right on the rope and fall to my death. A tree house wasn’t much different than a rope ladder, in my opinion.
“You aren’t going to fall through, Noelle. It’s sturdy, I swear.” Elara jumped once in place, seemingly trying to prove her point.
The wood flooring below us shuddered.
Fuck. This. Shit.
I screamed as I gazed at the flooring with horrified eyes, and grabbed her shoulders, holding her in place lest she decided to exhibit that stupidity again. Honestly, did she want us to plummet to our deaths?
My shout eventually echoed out of existence, the air in my lungs depleted. I examined the wood below our feet further, and demanded on a harsh whisper, “Elara, you are a very lovely young woman, but, please, don’t ever do that around me again.”
A finger tapped, not so gently, on the top of my bent head.
“What?” I grumbled in the dreadful silence.
“Remove your hands from Elara now,” Theron snarled directly next to my ear so softly I knew no one else heard. “Or I will remove your hands from your arms entirely.”
My head popped up, and my eyes met Elara’s. Just around the rims of her eyes, there was a pain there, making her gaze squinty. My attention shot to my hands…and the death grip I had on her thin shoulders, practically digging into her bones.
I quickly released her—and grabbed onto the table next to me again. “I apologize. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
The tightness released from her features. “I’m fine. I’ve had worse. Don’t worry about it.” She popped another bubble, more loudly than needed. “I’m sorry, too. I didn’t realize that would scare the shit out of you.”
Theron was tilting his head just so, the light of a fire glimmering off his eyes. “Are you sure she didn’t bruise you?”
Elara slammed her gaze up to his and glowered hard. “I said I was fine. That was my fault anyway.”
The birthday girl beat a hasty retreat away from him.
I quickly turned to the king. “That went well.”
The man had been stalking her all night with his eyes.
It was hard to believe a two thousand year old man was crushing on a newly turned eighteen year old woman.
I couldn’t hold back anymore and cracked a smile. “You like them young, huh?”
“Don’t start with me, Noelle. I’m not even sure I like you. And you currently haven’t a damned clue what you’re talking about,” he argued. He rubbed at the back of his neck, his eyes still on her. Then more quietly, he muttered, “Got any tips on how to woo a young woman these days?”
I glanced at his attire. “Maybe don’t wear a suit to casual functions or use the term ‘woo.’ I’m not sure I have ever heard anyone say that before, much less use the word with a straight face.”
“I came directly from the office. I didn’t have time to change.” He quickly unbuttoned the suit jacket, removed it, and tossed it aside onto an empty chair. “Better?”
