Page 86 of This Is Not True Love’s Kiss

“I know,” I said before he finished his sentence. “We can’t portal outside Fairwitch Isle. We can’t have Fairtine. It would be too risky.”

He nodded, his face so full of regret and sympathy that it melted some of my anger.

I shrugged. “Maybe we can have another dance or something to bring everyone together, to make them forget that our world might be falling apart around us.” I moved to go back toward the castle when Lor caught my arm.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

I yanked my arm from his grasp. “I’m tired,” I said, voice short. “I want to go back to the castle and rest.”

His jaw set like it did when he was gearing up for a fight. “We have a border to inspect.”

That only made my own defenses rise.

“Oh no.” Fargus hopped backward. “Find something to shield yourself.”

“Here we go,” Meera added.

Lor and I faced each other. “Can we just finish the inspection?” His voice was pleading. “We’re already here.”

“Wolfe just inspected the border a few days ago,” I said. “I think this is a little much, Lor.”

“Yes, he did, and then we were notified there’s brotherhood members crawling all over these woods, a day’s walk from our home. We have to be more cautious.”

“We don’t have to do anything.” I threw out a hand. “You are feeling anxious and so you want to exert more control to make yourself feel better, but all you’re doing is wasting time and effort.”

Meera’s mouth and Fargus’s beak dropped open.

“I have a . . . a worm to go catch,” Fargus said weakly before flying off.

“And I . . . just don’t want to be here,” Meera said before she turned and disappeared between two buildings.

Lor’s low chuckle floated through the air as he pushed me against a nearby tree, his body caging mine, his eyes black with desire while anger still coursed through me.

“What are you doing?” I asked, shoving at him, but there was no real bite to the movement.

“We’re alone.” His voice dropped low. “So I’m going to kiss you, and you’re going to kiss me back.”

I raised my chin, heat pooling in my belly. “Maybe I’ll bite you instead.”

He pressed his body into mine, and despite myself, I melted. “I wouldn’t be opposed to that either.”

“Lor,” I started, ready to protest. My hands went to his chest, up to his shoulders, and then I was grabbing his face and tugging it down toward mine. There would be no resisting the pull between us, fight or not.

Our lips met as he kissed me so thoroughly my toes curled. I broke it off. “If you think you can just kiss me and get me to go on this border patrol with you, you’ve got another thing coming.”

He shook his head, lips twitching. “No. I just realized that you’re right. This is what I do.” He shoved a hand through his hair. “I try to control everything I possibly can because it quiets his voice.”

If I had a single drop of anger left, it was gone now. My gaze softened. “I’m here to help you fight those demons. To be louder than that voice. You’ll kill yourself trying to prevent every worst-case scenario. You have to live—and nap.”

His hand skimmed the inside of my waistband, his fingers so rough, rasping against my skin, and I shuddered. “I’d rather do this.” He leaned in and nipped at my ear, and I looked over his shoulder to double check that we were, in fact, alone.

No one came out near the border unless they had to. We’d be unbothered.

I moaned as his lips trailed down my neck while his fingers dipped lower in between my legs.

“Thank you for being the queen I need,” he said. “For not being afraid to tell me when I’m wrong.”

“You don’t ever have to worry about that—” My words got cut off as he stuck a finger inside of me, and I gasped.