Chapter Two
Butterflies fluttered in River’s stomach as the cabin Stygian had described came into view. A lone man stood outside, stirring something in a smoking cauldron. That was interesting. Stygian hadn’t told him much about his brother. Now River was curious.
River waved to get his attention as he approached.
“Hello there.” He pasted on his brightest smile as he approached.
Then River recalled he was here because someone had died and rearranged his face.
“I’m looking for Stygian’s brother.” Too late, he realized Stygian hadn’t even given him a name.
“Sorry, I hope you know who I’m referencing.
I’ve just now realized I don’t know his name. ”
Gorgeous dark eyes focused on River. The closer he got, the harder it became to breathe. If this was Stygian’s brother, he was absolutely stunning. As he closed the last few feet between them, he stopped on the other side of the cauldron, and the man smiled.
“You found him.” His gaze dropped to the flowers in River’s hand.
River shook off the spell the stranger had cast over him.
“Oh. I’m here because I have a message. Yep, that is why I’m here.
” He had no idea why he was nervous. “Stygian can’t make it to your father’s funeral today.
So I volunteered to bring your father’s favorite flowers for you to place on his grave or whatever ritual you use to honor the dead.
” He held his hand out and passed the glittery cosmos to his—hopefully—new friend.
Dark eyes never left River’s face. “This was a lovely gesture, and much appreciated. Mr. I-don’t-know-your-name-either, do you know what keeps my brother from such an important event?”
River clasped his hands so they wouldn’t shake. “He’s currently imprisoned in Faerie. I don’t know why. I’m just a servant for the royal family, and my name is River. It’s nice to meet you.”
For someone who had just been informed his brother was in prison, the man didn’t look surprised or concerned.
His gaze swept River’s body. “That’s my brother, always in trouble.
This was a kind gesture. I appreciate it more than you can know.
My name is Bodhi, by the way.” He set the flowers on a nearby folded coat on the ground.
“Bodhi,” River repeated, tasting the name on his tongue.
He liked it. “That’s very fitting. It’s pretty, just like you.
” Heat rushed to River’s face. Sex was food.
As such, River would do anything sexual in a heartbeat.
Complimenting a stranger, on the other hand, was mortifying.
He knew nothing about Bodhi. Maybe his words…
oh, shit. He hadn’t thought about his sexuality.
River had just assumed he liked men because fairies didn’t discriminate.
He understood other species weren’t the same, though.
River pressed his hands against his hot cheeks. “Oh my ancestors, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. If I offended you, please feel free to spank me. It was wrong of me to assume you would welcome my words.”
Confusion crossed Bodhi’s features. “Why wouldn’t I welcome a compliment?”
River’s shoulders lifted. “I know nothing of your life. Maybe you wouldn’t like another man to speak to you in that manner.”
Bodhi’s obvious bafflement didn’t clear. “In what manner?”
Now River was just as bewildered. “Did you not realize I was flirting? That’s likely for the best,” he added more to himself than Bodhi. “I’m here about your father’s death, and here I am, just—” He squared his shoulders. “Again, I apologize.”
Bodhi's expression smoothed before turning into a bright smile. He moved closer, circling the cauldron. River took a step back at the flash of something wicked in Bodhi’s eyes. Bodhi kept coming until he had River backed against the closest tree. River hadn’t even realized he was being herded.
“Is that what you think flirting is?”
River’s mouth went dry. He could barely breathe past the lust he drowned in. He licked his lips in his nervousness, but no words came to him.
Bodhi leaned into River, letting him feel his erection. “Now, this is flirting. I enjoy the way fairies smell. Do you come here often?”
The word come dripped with sexual innuendo.
“Not here, no.”
“Would you like to?”
River fanned his face. He liked them big and sturdy, like Bodhi. “Um…” He seriously couldn’t think straight.
Bodhi backed away as if nothing had happened. “Next time I see you, you’ll know how my kind make romantic advances.”
Romantic. River liked that. Even though Bodhi’s actions had been more akin to a sexual advance, River enjoyed those too. But the other part of his statement was the thing that really caught River. “Next time?”
Bodhi smirked.
River fought a sigh.
Another dark gaze swept down River’s body before returning to hold his stare. “Yes, next time. I’ll be waiting.”
Holy wow. River was transfixed. Maybe Bodhi was right. His flirting was way better than River’s had been. River was totally in.
Frustration welled up inside Stygian. He had to get out of this cage.
He had been testing every inch of his invisible box, but without a physical form, he was useless.
Manipulation was the only tool he possessed.
It was his nature to corrupt. He knew how to exploit every weakness, and Taurus was the chink in Stellar’s armor.
Maybe Taurus wasn’t Stellar’s true mate, but he might as well be.
The only reason he had chosen anyone else today for food was Stygian putting the thought in his head.
He was an expert at twisting reality. No one had been able to find Taurus.
Surely that meant he must be in someone else’s bed.
They were his ticket out of here. A hint of jealousy here.
A dash of doubt there. That was the recipe for chaos and distraction.
River slipped into the room. His wings glittered with the power of his prince. His unnaturally green eyes sparkled with mischief, matching his smile. “Did it work? Was Taurus jealous?”
Ah, the final ingredient to his plan: a gullible spirit with more belief in love than good sense. “He glowed with fire like I’ve never seen him.”
The blond sprite bounced on his toes and clapped. “Yay. I mean. I still don’t understand the issue. Sex is food. It’s nothing personal.”
The poor summer child. “Not if someone is your mate. No matter the creature, straying from a mate is soul-crushing.”
River tapped the tips of his fingers together in excitement. His eyes glowed even brighter. “Do you really think they’re mates? Wouldn’t there be signs by now?”
Stygian’s patience wore thin. He never knew when Stellar would return. “Yeah, I have no idea. Did you find my brother?”
River jumped as if he suddenly remembered something. “Oh, yeah. I forgot. You didn’t tell me he was so handsome. I almost forgot to ask about your trinket.”
Fairies were a horny lot. They were distracted way too easily. Stygian would roll his eyes if he had any. “He said he understood your need to have at least one thing from your dad. By the way, did I remember to tell you how sorry I am about his passing? Today has been a day.”
Goddess, spare him. Stygian was just thankful Bodhi understood his code.
He had asked River to make sure he understood the reason he would not make it to his father’s funeral.
He was delayed in Faerie. Stygian had played on River’s sympathies like a master.
River hadn’t seen the danger Stygian had put him in.
Thankfully, Bodhi could read minds and would know everything with the smallest peek inside River’s head.
“Did he give you anything?”
A bright smile lit River’s face. He pulled a large ruby from his pocket.
His smile vanished, and his brow furrowed.
“I’m not sure how to give it to you, though.
Here. Let me just try this.” River pressed the stone against the invisible barrier.
His expression turned triumphant when the stone passed through.
“Ha. It seems things can get in but not out. That’s fascinating. ”
Wickedness grew inside him alongside his satisfaction. “That’s not what happened at all.”
“What do you mean?” River was back to looking puzzled.
An evil laugh burst from Stygian. In an instant, he slipped through the hole the magic ruby made. He left his trap behind and slid right inside River. The skin was smaller than he was used to, but he could make this work.
What have you done?
Go to sleep, River.
The way River immediately disappeared made Stygian chuckle. A simple mind. Stygian loved it.