I thrust the spitty ball between us. “Want to fetch?”
His laugh snorted out. “If it results in a reward from you, then yes.”
This guy was too appealing. I slid across the sofa, out of his reach. “Wildfire feels better now that I know.”
His eyes darkening, he nodded.
Rising, I tossed the ball into the bedroom, and Farris bolted after it. “I decided I’m not as eager to kill you or him or whoever you are?—”
“I’m me. Merrick. Your husband. And you are my wife.”
As I eased further away from him, he continued to stalk me.
Until I pulled a blade from the sheath at my side and slashed it through the air between us. “Stay back so I can…” Naming how easily he could make me fall apart would not suit my best interests at this time.
“So you can think?” he rasped. “Breathe? Keep from wrappingyour arms and legs around me and begging me to claim your mouth with my own before I trail my lips down your body to other, equally intriguing areas?”
“I don’t know who you are anymore,” I growled, only lowering my voice to keep those in the hall from overhearing. Although, did it really matter? The curse would just steal what I said from their minds with one blink. “I toldhimI’m stepping back from you both until I figure this out.”
“Don’t take too long.”
“And don’t play on my sympathy because of the curse.”
“Do you feel sympathetic? I hope so.”
“I imagine you hope for more than sympathy from yourwilling, pretty little bride.”
He jerked out a nod.
“Sit.” I pointed to the sofa as Farris bounded back into the room with his ball. “We’re going to talk.”
Since he complied, I walked over to stand in front of the fireplace, warming my back against the flames and piercing my “husband” with my eyes. “You’re you but you’re also him.”
I still couldn’t quite believe it.
His eyebrows lifted.
“As with Lorant, will you blink if I ask a question and the answer is yes?”
His eyelids dipped down before they widened again, revealing his eyes that watched me like a predator deciding how much of its tasty prey to consume with one bite. “Some locations may be better than others. Let’s…” He peered around. “Go dress in your leathers, and we’ll talk in the training room. It’s much easier to ward.”
“You’re suggesting this room is less secure? Isleephere.”
“It hasn’t always been your room.”
Only recently. Before that, it had been occupied by the queenmother. Erisandra seemed to feel she could stroll in whenever she pleased. And who knows what spell she might’ve left behind.
“If I go with you, there’ll be no tricky stuff,” I said with a scowl.
The damn man smiled.
Farris plopped his furry little ass in front of me and dropped the ball onto my feet. I gave him pats before striding over to the door and opening it.
Calista nearly fell inside, verifying Merrick’s assumption.
“Standing a bit close, weren’t you?” I asked, though politely. “Surely you weren’t snooping?”
Her cheeks blazed bright pink. “I’dnever.”
