Chapter Nine
The afternoon sun warms my skin as I lead Soot across the commons, his fur gleaming with hints of ember when the light hits it just right. He pads along beside me, his posture alert but relaxed, cropped ears perked forward attentively.
“Sit,” I command, and he drops his haunches to the grass immediately. “Good boy.” I toss him a treat, which he catches mid-air with a snap of his jaws.
We work through his usual routine—stay, come, heel, down. Soot executes each command perfectly, his glowing eyes fixed on me. I'm about to have him practice “roll over” when a voice calls out across the grass.
“Hey there!”
I look up to see who's interrupted us. Soot sits automatically, letting out a short bark of greeting. Eunho strides across the grass toward us, that easy grin of his spreading across his face as he waves.
My sprite's stubby tail starts wagging, which surprises me—he usually takes time to warm up to strangers. But Eunho's grin only widens when he spots Soot, genuine delight lighting up his features.
He drops to one knee as he reaches us, extending his hand palm-up toward Soot. “Well, aren't you handsome? May I?”
I nod, watching curiously as Soot stretches his neck to sniff Eunho's offered hand. After a moment's investigation, Soot's tongue darts out to lick his fingers. A happy whine escapes him as Eunho reaches up to scratch behind his ears.
I stare as Soot melts under Eunho's touch. He's a very studious guard dog. But here he is, practically purring as Eunho scratches behind his ears.
Being a magical creature, Soot can sense things that mortal animals can't—auras, intentions, even the darkness that sometimes lurks in seemingly innocent souls. His instant acceptance of Eunho says a lot about the male's true nature.
A laugh bursts from Eunho as Soot flops onto his back, exposing his belly in a shameless bid for more attention. “Well, would you look at that.” His fingers find just the right spot and Soot's back leg starts thumping against the grass. “He's a fire sprite, right?”
Eunho glances up at me, still grinning as he rubs Soot's belly. I'm guessing he can feel the heat pouring off Soot's fur and sense the fire magic on his body, as I can.
I nod, watching them interact with fascination. “Yeah.”
“Where'd you get him? Don't normally see them outside of Ruby Hall.”
“Found him in the Obsidian night market.” I cross my arms, remembering that night. “Some trader had him crammed in this tiny metal crate. He was only weeks old. I bartered until the guy gave in.”
Eunho's face clouds with sympathy as he gives Soot an extra vigorous belly rub. “Poor guy. Though he seems happy enough now.” He tilts his head, studying Soot's blissful expression. “I've heard fire sprites are notoriously difficult to train. But he's incredibly well-behaved.”
“I've been training magical creatures for years,” I explain, pride creeping into my voice.
“Back in high school, I preferred animals to people.
Started taking a special interest in training magical creatures.
They're more complex than regular animals—smarter, more temperamental. But also more rewarding when you earn their trust.”
Not to mention the magic unique to magical creatures is a pretty cool bonus.
“Could you show me some of those commands?” Eunho asks, his eyes bright with interest as he watches Soot roll back onto his feet.
I shrug, secretly pleased by his enthusiasm. “Sure.”
I gesture to Soot, who immediately drops into a sitting position, his ember eyes fixed attentively on my hands.
“Watch carefully,” I tell Eunho.
I demonstrate the basic hand signals—palm up for stay, two fingers pointed forward for come, and a circular motion for weave. Soot carries out each command perfectly, dancing between my legs in a fluid figure-eight when I give the weave signal.
“Your turn.” I step back, letting Eunho take position in front of Soot. He attempts the stay signal, but his fingers are too rigid, the angle all wrong.
“Here.” I step closer, reaching out to adjust his hand position.
My fingers brush against his warm skin as I guide his palm into the correct position.
A jolt runs through me at the contact—his fire magic meets mine, creating a surge of heat that makes my cheeks flush.
Our eyes meet briefly, but Eunho quickly returns his attention to Soot, though I notice the corner of his mouth twitch.
He tries the commands again, this time getting the angles right. Soot responds immediately, following the signals with perfect precision. Eunho's face lights up when the sprite weaves smoothly between his legs.
“That's it!” I clap, genuinely impressed by how quickly he's picked it up.
But then I notice the dark smudges on his hands where I touched him earlier.
“Oh, shit. My bad.” I groan, mortified by the charcoal stains I've left on his skin.
Soot favors whole pieces of charcoal as treats during our training session.
I've gotten used to my hands being covered in it and completely forgot.
But Eunho just throws his head back and laughs. “It's fine,” he says, holding his hands out to Soot, who eagerly licks the charcoal from his palms. “See? No harm done.”
I dust my hands off on my pants and give Soot another piece of charcoal. His ember eyes glow with contentment as he crunches it between his teeth.
“Mind if I watch you work with him some more?” Eunho asks, taking a step back.
“Of course not.” I wave him off, focusing back on Soot as Eunho settles into the grass nearby.
We run through the more advanced commands—guard, track, and shield.
Soot's magic flares with each one, his coal-black fur rippling with waves of heat as he manifests protective barriers of fire magic.
His control is getting better—the shields are more focused, less likely to accidentally singe anything nearby.
“Good boy.” I toss him the last treat from my pocket. He catches it mid-air, tail wagging as he crunches happily.
I brush the remaining charcoal dust from my palms, looking around the common area. The afternoon sun has shifted, casting longer shadows across the grass.
Eunho smiles up at me from his spot on the ground, patting the grass beside him in invitation.
I hesitate for just a moment, that ingrained wariness of male fae making me pause. But Eunho's expression is open, genuine. And Soot clearly trusts him. After that brief second of uncertainty, I walk over and lower myself to sit beside him.
“What, afraid I'm going to bite you?” He catches my hesitation, his tone teasing as he quirks an eyebrow at me.
I arch my own brow in return, my eyes dropping briefly to his mouth, where I know his fangs are hidden. “Wouldn't you?”
His grin widens, the tips of his fangs flashing. “Only if you want me to.”
I snort and shove at his shoulder. He rocks with the push, chuckling, but then his expression sobers slightly.
“Are you really still wary of me?” he asks, studying my face with those warm brown eyes.
I draw my knees up to my chest, watching Soot chase a butterfly across the grass. “Actually, I'm starting to get used to you.” The admission comes easier than I expected.
Eunho stays quiet, giving me space to continue. I pick at a blade of grass, twirling it between my fingers.
“I have a habit of suspecting every male fae has an ulterior motive. It's not personal—I avoid them as a rule.” The grass blade snaps in my grip. “Even the nicest males can have bad intentions. I've seen them turn vicious on a dime.”
The memory of my ex's face contorting with rage when he discovered I was halfblood flashes through my mind. How quickly his gentle touches had turned to claws.
“I don't have a choice but to be suspicious.” I let out a hollow laugh. “It's not personal, just experience and necessity.” I glance at him from the corner of my eye. “But despite all that … I do like you.”
The words hang in the air between us. Eunho listens patiently, his expression thoughtful as he absorbs what I'm saying. He nods slowly, understanding written across his features.
A small, humble smile curves his lips. “I'm honored,” he says softly. “And I get it. If I were in your position…” He shakes his head. “I wouldn't trust me either.”
Eunho leans back on his hands, tilting his face toward the sun. A thoughtful frown crosses his features.
“I've never really understood the animosity toward halfbloods, anyway. It's stupid when you think about it. All that potential, just wasted because of pride.”
I watch him carefully, searching for any sign of insincerity, but find none. His expression remains earnest as he continues.
“I mean, look at what halfbloods can do that we can't. The immunity to faebane, being able to see through glamours. And who knows what else we could learn if we actually worked together instead of…” He waves a hand vaguely. “All this posturing and prejudice.”
“Then you're probably one of the few we actually need around here,” I say, surprised by his perspective.
Most fae males I've encountered either view halfbloods as beneath them or as exotic conquests to be pursued. Eunho's practical view is refreshing.
A teasing smile tugs at my lips. “Though I have to say, I never see you doing much actual guarding.”
Eunho's grin spreads wider, the points of his fangs glinting in the sunlight. “I'm guarding you right now, aren't I?”
I roll my eyes, unable to stop the laugh that bubbles up. “I think you're just using me as an excuse to skip work.”
“You wound me.” He presses a hand to his chest in mock offense. “I'm a dedicated civil servant. In fact…” His voice drops lower as he leans in slightly. “I'd work overtime if you asked. Stand guard right outside your bedroom door all night long if you wanted.”
The suggestive tone in his voice sends a little shiver down my spine, but I force myself to tut at him disapprovingly. “Is that what you tell all the females?”
His eyes sparkle with mischief as they roam over my face. The heat of his gaze reminds me of embers glowing in a fire pit—warm and inviting, but with the potential to burn if you get too close.
I find myself studying him back, taking in the strong line of his jaw, the elegant arch of his cheekbones.
He really is unfairly attractive, even by fae standards.
And while I have no intention of inviting him to guard my bedroom anytime soon, I figure there's no harm in looking.
After all, appreciating art doesn't mean you have to take it home with you.