“Ah, so you thought sleeping with her would risk your plan, that’s why you sent her away.”
His eyes narrowed, boring into mine. “Boreas, fucking freeze me.” He tried to close the distance between us, but I countered his step. “I sent her away because I have zero interest in her and you know it.”
I do?A flicker of relief sprouted in my stomach, slightly releasing the claw that had been clamped around it since last night.
“So this morning, when you didn’t answer the door, it wasn’t because you were still in bed with her?” He took another step towards me. I made to counter it but the wooden beam at my back didn’t let me.
“Why ask? I thought you said you couldn’t care any less.”
I tried to sound nonchalant. “It was a rhetorical question. Now can we get on with the training session? I haven’t got all day, you know.”
He towered over me—giving me the need to shift my weight—and looked me right in the eye. His left hand rested on the beam just above my head; with his other, he pocketed the Fae wolf in his breast pocket and tapped gently at his chest. “No it wasn’t. And so I’ll answer you,jealous one: I went to bed alone and got out of it alone. And I didn’t answer the door this morning because I wasn’t in my room.” His stare had me pinned body and soul, but then he retracted his hand and straightened himself, all while looking in shock at the space between my neck and shoulder. His combination of wide eyes and knitted brows had me uneasy.
“What—what’s wrong?” I asked.
“Uh…Cordelia…don’t freak out.” Him taking a careful step back made me do just that.
I regained control over my body, straining my eyes and my neck in an effort to look at my left shoulder, over it. “Is it a scorpion? Get it off me! Get it off me!” He had me circling around like a godsdamned dog chasing his own too-short tail.
“Stay still!” he bellowed. “It’s on your back.” I stiffened like a soldier does at the sharp command of his captain.
“What is it?” I whispered, giving him my back. “Please remove it.”
“It looks small and green.”
“Oh, is it a caterpillar?”
“Mmm, not quite. I’ve heard of these before. I think they’re called jealousy monsters, they grow on one’s back.”
I turned around so fast I dizzied myself. My eyes narrowed and I scowled at his smug face, at his chuckles. “You’re—you’re such—you’re such an insufferable tease!”
“You know, whenever you’re upset, I get this urge to—”
“I amnotupset! In fact, I feelabsolutely wonderful. I just need to shoot something, that’s all.” I went to push him away, meant for my hands to slam against his chest, but he stretched out his arms, causing my palms to smack flat against his. He interlocked his fingers around mine and pulled me near. It felt effortless, like a resting jaw, its top and bottom teeth aligning perfectly.
“Finally, you said something that I actually wanted to hear.” He let go of my hands, leaving my skin disappointed, my mind confused. “Because…I got you…” He extended the letteruas he rummaged through the many bags he always left lying around here as if he owned the place. “Where did Eldric put—”
And as if the mention of his name summoned him, Eldric decided it was safe to return and shifted before our eyes. I swore I could never get used to it.
“Where did you put it?” Aegir asked.
“Just listen first. I need to tell you something,” Eldric pressed.
“What is it?”
“It’s about the princess, the one with the flute.”
“What about her?”
Eldric gestured with his hands, mouthing something that I could tell included the wordssoundandbarrier.
“If you need me to give you some privacy, just say it,” I interfered, giving Eldric a hostile stare.
“No need, what is it?” Aegir asked.
Eldric let out a sharp exhale. “This morning, when I went to Joel’s room to get that thing you had stored there, you know the thing you asked me to—”
“Yes, yes, I get it. Go on.”
