“Nothing important.” I lowered until the pool’s surface rippled against my chin, suddenly aware of how naked I was.
“Do you often speak to naiads?” he asked, his stance casual while his gaze was intensely focused on me.
“Rarely, actually,” I answered, my voice shaking.
“You can turn icy water into a steaming bath then? That is another gift of yours?”
“I am a willoden. We can do many things with water. Changing the temperature is the most simple of a willoden’s charms.”
“Simple.” He huffed and uncrossed his arms, striding to the edge of the pool. He lowered to a crouch, never releasing my gaze. “Your magick is anything but simple, Jessamine.”
He finally looked away, up at the night sky where the stars were beginning to come out. The sun was gone, but there was still a few golden rays gilding his horns, his sharp jaw and square chin in silvery light. His features were harsh, but I wondered how I ever thought him a monster. I found myself mesmerized by the fierceness of his face, knowing what intelligence and passion he kept hidden away from the world.
“You can speak to fae creatures in an ancient tongue of their own, command water to obey you at will, transform your body into...”
He returned his gaze to me, my heart pounding furiously in my chest. “Into what?” I asked, terrified to know the answer, that it might be something my own family might call me—seductress, temptress, harlot.
“The most beautiful female I’ve ever seen.”
It was nearly dark now, and the water distorted my figure beneath the surface. Still, I was aware he was drinking his fill of me with that feral gaze. And yet, I didn’t feel the same shame or disgust when other men had stared at me. When my parents had made it apparent my body was formed and created by the gods for sin and for death.
“What does the word syrenskyn mean? I heard you and the naiad both say it several times.”
For the first time in my life, I wanted to own the name given to my kind. I wanted to see Redvyr’s reaction, to see if he would look at me with disgust the way others did in Morodon. The way my own family did.
“That is what I am.” Boldly, I lifted out of the water to my shoulders, not wanting to appear ashamed, even though a part of me was. “That is what they call a skald fae who has the ability to entrance an enemy with her body, lure them close, and then kill them with a swipe of her venomous claws.” I lifted a hand out ofthe water, showing him that my nails had transformed into long, dark green talons that curled at the tips—claws.
His expression tightened with what appeared to be pain rather than disgust. I didn’t understand this reaction.
“You don’t need the glow of a syrenskyn to lure in anyone, Jessamine. You could entrance any creature with one look of those eyes of yours.”
He held my gaze, his own predatory gold eyes glinting in the dark. I could do nothing but stare, wondering at his subdued response to knowing he had welcomed a killer into his clan. Finally, he stood and glanced up at the moon.
“Come. There are more than friendly naiads in these woods. Much less welcoming creatures. I don’t want you going anywhere alone.”
I didn’t question him. I knew the farther north we went, the wilder the lands were, and this was not my native land. It was his. But I wasn’t about to get out of this water with him watching me.
“Will you turn around, please?”
His smug smile returned. The one that sent a thrilling shiver along my skin and made me feel overwhelmed. But he turned away as I asked, facing the tree he’d been leaning against.
Slowly, I stepped out onto the bank and quickly dried off with the toweling blanket Tessa left for me. Then I hurriedly slid on the dress.
“What doesLàveen Orlamean? It is demon tongue, isn’t it?”
He turned his head slightly toward my voice.
“Don’t turn around! I’m not finished.” My fingers moved quickly to lace up the bodice.
He chuckled. “Làveen Orlais the name Bezaliel and Tessa gave this pond. It means Lover’s Pool.”
My fingers paused on the lacings. Tessa and Bezaliel had obviously enjoyed that pond together. And now imagining thisplace as an intimate one for lovers with Redvyr so close, his broad back to me, his tail twitching slowly back and forth, sent an astonishing sensation through my body. Heated arousal.
I wrapped my cloak around my shoulders and walked around him, needing some space, but I heard him—felt him—following close behind.
Before we made it off the trail and into the clearing where a fire burned with a radiant glow, he caught my arm, his fingers encircling and touching on the opposite side, then he gently turned me to face him.
I didn’t ask him why or what he wanted. Nor did I jerk away or tell him he shouldn’t put his hands on me. Rather, I sank into his space, staring up into his wild eyes so fixed upon mine, marveling at how my pulse quickened with excitement. Not fear.
