Page 150 of A Legacy of the Light

“It was ten thousand years ago. Seelie have been around a long time. It would be impossible to know everything about the history, right?”

“I suppose, but this seems like an important war. It almost wiped out the entire Seelie population.”

The books we have skimmed so far only talk about the devastation of the battles and how the world rebuilt itself with so few remaining.

“I will continue reviewing the books when the library is quieter this afternoon,” he confirms.

I nod. “Maybe there is some information contained in books out here, too. Let’s ask the Seòlta and see.”

Finneus snaps his fingers and a pen appears in his waiting palm. He writes down a few questions in the nearest Seòlta and five threads shoot from it in different directions.

“I’ll grab the three in that direction,” I say, jabbing my thumb over my shoulder and following the threads to the books.

Thankfully, they’re all on the same row. As I reach up on my tiptoes to grab the final one, the feeling of being watched has the hair on the back of my neck standing on end.

A cold tendril of white mist wraps around my waist. Panic would ensnare me if it weren’t for the scent the mist carries. It’s woodsy, like the smell of the forest after it’s rained. Before long, a strong arm replaces the magic and Tavish buries his face in my neck. The bite of the wind clings to him alongside his earthy scent.

I turn in his arms, the hand not holding books immediately fisting in his shirt, a smile pulling on my lips.

“Hi,” I whisper quietly.

That eye-wrinkling grin peeks back at me. Tavish captures my mouth in a deep kiss, his nose still cold from the ride back from Lassodie.

“Hi,” he replies breathlessly when he pulls away.

Still wrapped around me, he pushes me against the bookshelf and kisses me again. Hard. My body lights up for him like fireworks on the Fourth of July. The desire to have him as close to me as quickly as possible overrides common sense.

Tavish bites my bottom lip and I have to fight the moan that wants to crawl its way up my throat.

“Miss me?” I tease between kisses.

His only response is a low growl before he moves from my lips to my neck.

“Ahem.” A throat clears at the end of the stack as my leg curls around his waist. I look to my left and find Finneus looking at us, amusement dancing in his eyes.

My cheeks heat hotter than the sun and I shove Tavish away with a strength that surprises us both.

“I’ll just be a moment,” I say to Finneus in a high-pitched squeak that prompts him to chuckle as he turns and heads toward our usual work space.

Tavish and I stare at each other, and break out into laughter. He wraps his arms around me and holds me close.

“We need to be careful,” I explain as I take a step away from him.

“Why?” His brow drops in confusion.

“Your dear old dad asked me to breakfast while you were away. He told me to stay away from you.”

Tavish’s eyes pulse with a sudden flash of anger. “I hope you told him to mind his own fucking business.”

“Sort of. It’s not the first time he’s said that. He’s the king and I’m a guest. I didn’t want to piss him off too much.”

“What do you mean it isn’t the first time?” His voice takes on a dangerous edge.

“When I first arrived. He knew we had breakfast and said something along the lines of ‘I hope this is only the start of a budding friendship’.”

Tavish rolls his eyes and drops his hands to my hips. “He still has no right.”

“He doesn’t. But I can’t risk the consequences.”