“Visit the fae who can tell you what day you will die? No, thanks. I’d rather not know,” I said
Dawn gave me a look. “They’re the ones who are helping us find another way to end the curse, Aribella. Each princess has a task and only the Wise Ones can tell you what it is. They will only answer one question per fae, so they wouldn’t tell me any of the other princesses’ tasks, only my own.”
Silence descended over our group.
Save my people without killing the man I was falling for? Well, if it meant I had to go see some old fortune-tellers, then sure.
“Okay,” I said, peering across the table expectantly at Stryker. “Will you come with me?” I tried not to sound pathetic, but my voice shook. Leaving him now, after that kiss, just felt wrong.
He nodded once, but said nothing more.
“Perfect. We leave first thing in the morning.” Zander squeezed his brother’s shoulder. “My wife and I have had a long day so we’re going to turn in.” He then looked at Dawn and wagged his eyebrows.
Her cheeks went pink. “Zander!”
He grinned, and I couldn’t help but smile at their flirting. I’d thought Dawn was insane for marrying an Ethereum lord when I first heard, but now I understood. They were perfect for each other.
She gave me a quick hug. “We’ll meet you down here for breakfast. I’m so glad you are safe.” She squeezed me and they both left.
After that, Stryker paid the bill and got us lodging. They only had one room left.
We walked upstairs together, my stomach in knots. Sharing a room before, when I was his prisoner, was different now that we’d shared that kiss.
He stepped inside the room and I followed him. When he walked over to the bed, which was much larger than the last few, he just stood there and stared at it. I’d overheard him telling the man he needed two rooms or at the very least two beds but the man insisted this was the last room left.
My stomach now felt like it contained a lead ball. I’d never slept beside a man before, in the same bed, sharing the same blanket.
I stood next to him wondering what he was thinking. Now that we’d shared that kiss, did he expect to bed me? Was he thinking about it right now? I knew he’d had a past lover but my experience was pretty nonexistent.
After that kiss everything felt different. Days ago I’d slept in the same room with this man, handcuffed and in shackles and barely thought twice about it, but now I was no longer his prisoner.
“The last time I slept beside a woman I cared about, I almost died.” His voice was hollow and I was so surprised by his words that my body felt numb.
Relief bloomed in my gut that he wasn’t thinking about bedding me, but instantly turned sour when I thought of him thinking about how he couldn’t trust me.
I spun to him, taking him into my arms and running my fingers over the scar on his cheek. I peered into his deep gray-blue eyes and spoke with gentleness. “I would never hurt you.”
Hurt flashed across his eyes. Why hurt? That wasn’t a normal reaction to those words.
“Oh, how I wish I had the power to see if you were telling the truth,” he said finally.
I frowned; now it was my turn to be hurt. “You’ll never know that for certain, Stryker. But can you trust me anyway?”
I didn’t need a verbal response, I saw it in his eyes and the way he pulled away from me, taking his warmth with him.
“In time I hope,” he said and then yawned. “I’m tired. Let’s get some sleep.”
My heart nearly shattered in that moment, but I had to remind myself he had some deep trauma that I knew nothing about. I’d never been tricked and almost killed by someone who was supposed to love me. I’d never even been in love!
I tried to conceal my pain, wearing a soft fake smile when he took off his belt and peered at me.
“I’m sorry I can’t give you all of me all at once,” he muttered. “But please know that I want to.”
This complicated man had won me over, because in those words I saw promise of a solid future if I just waited and was patient.
“It’s okay. I’ve been told I’m very patient. As long as you don’t give up, we can work through this.” This time I smiled for real.
He gave me his back as I slipped out of my dress and shoes and then was just in my chemise.
