Chapter Nineteen #2
People bustling along, haggling for goods.
There’s laughter and music, and the scent of various baked goods and herbs.
And again, it becomes too easy to forget about everything, everything aside from him.
It’s as if we’ve walked these streets hundreds of times before, a strange sense of comfort and familiarity working itself up my spine.
It teases me with a peaceful future I’ll never have.
Not as long as Netharis hunts me.
“What do you want, Ryc?” I ask, keeping my voice low. “I need to understand why you insist on seeking me out.”
With any luck, his answer could give me insight into what I could offer in exchange for his service, his protection.
“Time with you.”
I blink, the air evaporating from my lungs. Not the answer I expected.
I expected a lie.
I would have lied.
He should have lied.
“I realize this isn’t ideal for either of us,” he says after an extended pause. “Things are… complicated.”
Heaving a sigh, I swallow hard. “You have no idea,” I manage with a sardonic laugh.
Ryc stops, placing a hand over mine. “You see, little witch, it’s getting harder to stay away from you.” His fingers entwine with mine, and my heart leaps into my very dry throat.
He lifts my hand, cupping it against his cheek, and I freeze, barely breathing.
His touch on the back of my hand sears my skin as my palm rests against the face I’ve yet to fully see.
The gesture races right into my stupid little heart, and my feet move without thought, without hesitation, closing the distance between us.
“It’s you,” he says softly, drawing me closer by my waist.
His hand slides over the small of my back, the heat of his palm through my shirt is enough to set me on fire. My entire being is drawn to him in a way I don’t understand.
It feels impossible to understand.
He smirks, as if he can hear my thoughts. “Like I said, complicated.”
“What kind of faerie magic is this?” I ask, breathy, staring up at the shadowed face peering down at me.
His full lips curl into a sanguine smile. “No magic, I can assure you.” He lowers my hand, brushing his lips against my palm, tracing them down to the sensitive skin of my inner wrist.
The sensation leaves me languid, every sense zeroing in on his lips, prompting my thoughts to spiral in search of delight. All logic leaves me, replaced with scorching desire. As if he knows exactly what he’s done to me, he grins, as he releases my hand and his arm vanishes from around my waist.
“Your guard watches,” he says softly.
Shifting his face to his right, I follow his gaze. Eve leans against one of the buildings near the edge of the crowd. Arms crossed over her chest, she stares openly in our direction. Briefly, our eyes met and she arches a dark brow.
“I’m needed at the castle soon,” Ryc says, and I tear my eyes away from Eve. “There are things we should discuss in private. Meet with me tonight?”
Forcing myself to step back, to reclaim some space and sanity, I nod. A feeble gesture, my voice lost. He flashes me a handsome smile.
“Then I shall find you,” he says and, with a departing glance, begins toward Eve.
He gives her a small nod as he passes, one she doesn’t return. Instead her eyes remain fixed on me as he vanishes into the crowd.
I imagine Eve has thoughts.
And I imagine I’m about to hear them.
The stern look on her face says it all as she pulls herself from the wall.
“You good?” she asks, her tone firm. “When you said hunt a fae, I thought demons were supposed to be the seducers, not the seduced.” She drags her eyes over me, arching a brow as she smirks.
She’s not wrong.
But Ryc… Gods, all logic goes out the window when he draws near. And it’s getting worse each time we see one another. None of it makes sense.
Meeting her ice blue stare, I shake my head. It’s the only thing I can do as I struggle to find my voice.
“That the male you met at The Lioness?”
I nod.
“Based on what I just witnessed, he’s got you.” She laughs, throwing an arm over my shoulders. “You better offer him a contract before you can no longer bear the thought of damning his soul.” She begins down the street, in the opposite direction of Ryc, laughing.
My hands race to my brow. “I don’t understand,” I breathe the words, reeling even still. “I’ve never met someone who drives me to absolute madness in such a way. I am a fool to allow myself to be so easily distracted.”
Eve’s brows raise in surprise with my scathing admission.
“Is he the one?” She asks and my head swivels to meet her stare. “The one you want to offer?”
I stammer.
Yes.
But no?
Good gods, I don’t know anymore. I didn’t accomplish anything I’d planned for our next meeting. Again, I’m no closer to knowing what I need to negotiate a successful contract.
“Sounds like you need to figure that out.” She huffs a small laugh. “Sooner rather than later. It’s clear he’s interested. The longer you wait in offering him a contract, the more territorial and aggressive he’ll become. Fae males delight in the chase, Ves.”
The chase?
Is that what this is?
Have we been hunting one another these last couple weeks?
“I’m not going to tell you how to live your life, Ves,” Eve says and I swing my head to meet her stare. “But I hope you know what you’re doing.”
I scoff a laugh, a mixture of bewilderment and disbelief.
Truth be told, I have no fucking idea what I’m doing anymore.
Especially when it comes to Ryc.