I couldn’t take it any longer. Twisting around to face him, I wrapped my arms around his neck and crushed my lips against his. For a moment, I was scared this shower idea of his had been nothing more than a way to get clean, but then a groan seeped from his partedlips.
His hands slipped down my back, splaying across the curves of my bum. With a sharp tug, he pulled me closer, his kissdeepening.
“Excuse me!” a shrill voice echoed through the marbled bathroom. “You have a dead fae lying in yourentryway!”
Lugh growled, twisted away, and cracked the door just enough to stick his head around it. Steam billowed around us, obscuring the view, but I’d recognise that voice anywhere. “Uisnech. I told you to wait. I am otherwise occupied. I will be with you in...anhour.”
Anhour?!
“Yes, you see, but the door to the palace was wide open, and you see...there’s a crowd. And they are extremely frightened, my dearKing.”
Lugh swore. He released me and vanished from the steamy shower. Through the fogged glass, I could see the outline of his shape. One moment, he was the male I’d wrapped my arms around. The next, he was taller, more commanding, justmore. He was theKing.
16
It had beenthree days since Saoirse had been taken, and the entire Court was on edge. Uisnech had cleaned up the mess, but a half a dozen fae had seen the gore first. News had spread like wildfire, and everyone was too afraid to step outside their rooms atnight.
Truth be told, I didn’t blamethem.
For the past two nights, I’d stayed in the Royal Palace guest room, but Lugh had been gone for most of it. At night, he would disappear after playing his harp for an hour, and he would do who knew what. I never asked him. I assumed it had something to do with Saoirse’sdisappearance.
Tonight, however, things were different. He’d called me into his room just before ten. Uisnech stood in the corner, rubbing his hand against hischin.
“What’s going on?” I glanced between them. “Have you heard something aboutSaoirse?”
“The enemy has called. Saoirse can go free. For a ransom.” Lugh’s words were clipped, his expression betrayingnothing.
“Are you serious?” I strode further into the room, heart tripping. “What did theysay?”
“They want to exchange you for Saoirse,” the little creature piped up. His expression was nowhere even near blank, though he was just as hard to read. Nose twitching, his eyes swirled with a mixture of delight, curiosity, but also somberdread.
“Trademe?” I gazed from Lugh’s blank face to Uisnech’s strangely somber one. “Why the hell would they want to do that? You can’t beserious.”
Lugh pursed his lips. “Unfortunately, Iam.”
My heart thumped hard, and I hated that I couldn’t read his damn face. I knew he cared about Saoirse. They had a bond I didn’t understand. Would he willingly toss me to the enemy in order to save her life? “What did you tellthem?”
At that, he finally shifted his eyes to meet mine. “I told themno.”
I actually didn’t know how I felt about that. Somewhat relieved, if I were being totally honest. That meant he cared about me, too, and that sent a buzz of electricity through me that I hadn’texpected.
But then a jolt of frustration joined the much more pleasant emotions. Saoirse was a smart, savvy, intelligent fae. Well, druid fae. But she wasn’t a fighter. She wasn’t skilled in combat. I respected the hell out of who she was and what she could do, but if it came down to a physical fight, she’d lose. I’d seen those traitors in the streets. They’d beentrained.
I levelled my eyes at Lugh. “We have to take them up on this offer. It’s been days since her disappearance, and we’ve learned nothing about where they might be keeping her. No leads. Not even a lead for a lead. This might be the only chance we have to saveher.”
“I told you that’s what she’d say,” the hobgoblin hissed towardLugh.
“Uisnech thinks you’re some kind of noble warrior,” Lugh said dryly, “but what he doesn’t understand is that surrendering you to Athaira’s lot will be signing off on your deathsentence.”
I crossed my arms. “Really? After everything we’ve been through, you still don’t have confidence in my ability to take on these cauldron tossers? I can take care of myself,Lugh.”
“They won’t accept the trade if you have a sword,” he replied. “And I doubt they’d let you anywhere near something you could transform into a weapon, like thatsign.”
“I don’t need a sword,” I shot back. “I only need a blade. Or a few dozen. Yeah. I like the idea of adozen.”
Uisnech smiled wide, his yellow-green eyes crinkling in the corners. “Clever as well asbrave!”
Honestly, it was nice the little guy didn’t want to feed me to the Sluagh anymore, but this newfound devotion was a bitmuch.
