The fear was real, and no matter how much I wanted to believe that Talis was different, thatwecould be different, the sad truth was that I didn’t trust him enough to tell him my secret.
And I didn’t know if I ever would.
His gaze swept over me, cold and distant. “You’re right. I knew going into this that I had feelings for you. I knew it would hurt to only have one night together. But you were wrong about one thing. I didn’t lie. I didn’t expect anything from you other than for you to treat me with the respect that I deserved. That ourfriendshipdeserved.”
I winced, couldn’t help it.
He shook his head, got up, and stalked back through my house, heading for the front door.
I hurried after him.
One hand on the door handle, he turned back to me. “I’ve always trusted my instincts when it comes to people. But they were fucking wrong this time because I’m standing here, looking at you now, and I don’t recognise you. The fae I knew was warmth and laughter, loyalty and strength. You’re a coward, Axel, because the way I remember it, I wasn’t the only one whose feelings were on display that night.”
He ran a hand through his hair, and I had a vivid memory of doing the same,blond locks sliding through my fingers as he caged me against the wall in my hallway.
The same one we stood in now.
With the way his lips twisted in distaste, if I tried it again, he’d bite my hand off.
“I’d appreciate it if you stayed out of my way for the next few weeks. I’ll still be on guard duty, but I’ll take the forest watch. Sasha and the others can guard the house.” He turned and wrenched my front door open, only to come to an abrupt halt as Lady Sarhin and Dathal stood on the other side.
Chlah’al.
I’d forgotten they were coming here this morning.
Judging by Talis’s surprise, he hadn’t sensed them either.
Because you just ripped his heart out and threw it back in his face.
I caught Dathal’s disappointed expression and wondered just how much of our conversation they’d overheard.
“Talis, Axel.” Lady Sarhin smiled as she swept into my house, ushering Talis and me back towards the living room. “Just the two people I wanted to see. How fortuitous that you’re here together.”
Dathal snorted, tried to cover it with a cough, and my stomach sank.
However bad I’d felt a minute ago, I was pretty sure I was about to feel a whole lot worse.
AXEL
Talis sat as farfrom me as he could physically get and still be in the same room.
Not that I blamed him.
I imagined he hated me right about now.
If not for Lady Sarhin’s insistence that he stay, I suspected he’d have shifted the second he left my house.
Dathal eyed Talis as he joined me on the sofa. He then shot me a look that promised a full interrogation later.
What fun.
Lady Sarhin stood in front of the fireplace, facing all three of us.
“Gabriel and Detective Knowles are on their way over here,” she said, glancing between us. “To discuss our progress with Zh’alek.”
I flinched at his name, hating that I did.
Dathal pressed his thigh against mine.
