“You’re good to be his guardian.”
My mouth curls into a smile. “Are you complimenting me?”
She rolls her eyes. “Don’t get used to it.”
I smirk. “I won’t. And now…” She watches me carefully as if waiting for me to deliver bad news. “It’s your turn. When were you going to tell me you didn’t have magic?”
She drops onto her back and covers her face. “Never.”
“So, the same as me never telling you about Ryals. To be fair, I had a good reason for doing what I did. I’m trying to avoid him being devastated when you leave.”
My heart shreds at the mention of her leaving. It’s impossible to stay in control of my emotions around this woman.Our verbal sparring turns my blood to lava, and touching her sends waves of euphoria coursing through my veins.
Damn joining.
Even now, my skin ignites at the thought of running my lips down her stomach, breathing into her flesh, watching goose bumps flush her belly.
Gods, if I keep thinking like this, I’ll wind up ripping off her shirt.Snap out of it.
Addison exhales and drops her hands so that they fall to her sides. “I’ve never had magic. I’m the black sheep of the family, the one who’s supposed to have magic, the one who’s supposed to be the leader of the next generation, but I never have.”
She shakes her head, so distraught. The need to comfort her grabs me by the throat. “There are worse things than being born without magic.”
“Not to me, there isn’t.” His head snaps toward me, and an electric bolt slams into my chest. “Can you imagine that every guy you date only wants to be a part of your family because they’re magical, and when he finds out you don’t have any of that magic, you’re dumped fast and furious?”
Who are these men? I’ll kill them.“It’s not much different than being a king. Women want me for my status, not for who I am. Then they find out I’m part human, or they’ve known all along and sneer behind my back but smile to my face.”
Her brows pinch and she lifts her hand, reaching out like she’s about to touch me. My own fingers twitch, anticipating taking hers. But she lets her hand drop to the blanket. “That’s awful.”
“It’s not as bad as being told you’re not good enough simply because you don’t have magic. I hope you know that’s not true, and any man who would judge you based on that instead of how brave and selfless you are isn’t worth knowing.”
Surprise ignites on her face. Any man who can’t see what a treasure Addison is, is an idiot and not worthy of one glance from her beautiful doe eyes.
She slides back onto her side, propping her hand under her head. “Were you ever going to tell me that you were married?”
Her words punch me in the gut, winding me. “How did you?—”
“Zandra told me.”
Air slowly fills my lungs. Zandra. Of course Zandra would’ve said something. She likes to think that she’s my best friend.
“I’m sorry if I’ve offended you,” she says.
“You haven’t.”
“Did you divorce?”
“She died.”
Addison sits up, and I do, too. “Feylin, I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry. I never would’ve brought it up if I’d known.”
“You didn’t know. It’s okay.” No, it isn’t. It’s not okay. It’s definitelynotokay. But the way the words leap from my throat, there’s no anger in them, no fury. Addison doesn’t deserve that.
Her family does. Cold, steely anger wraps around my heart, threatening to incinerate it with frozen flames. But my anger isn’t at Addison. It’s at the rest of them.
When I don’t elaborate on the circumstances surrounding Tess’s death, Addison drops the subject. Good. I don’t want to lie to her, because as soon as she finds out what happened, the game is up. It’s over. She’ll demand the joining be severed, and she won’t like the way to undo it.
She tips her face back to the stars and sighs. My gaze sweeps her from head to toe. She’s gorgeous, every bit of her—soft and supple, no hard lines, no sharp edges. Not like me.
