Page 136 of Prince of Darkness and Deceit

The words crack something in me. Anticipation coils hot and relentless, stripping away reason, tugging at my soul. I yearn to give in to this attraction I’ve been so determined to ignore.

And I almost do.

But a thought lingers in the back of my mind, compelling me to take a breath. To pause.

Rian’s lips trail up the column of my throat.

My toes curl, and I groan. “Why are you telling me this?”

Is it because we danced? Is this because I have magic?

Is the one thing that marks me as an abomination to humans the very thing that would entice someone as alluring as Rian to feel this way about me?

Is it why I am also drawn to him?

Shadows caress my cheek, leaving tingles in their wake. One tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

Instead of answering, Rian leans back. I barely refrain from whimpering in protest.

“You wanted me to tell you about the monsters in the forest.”

My soul cries out at the subject change, but good sense urges me to grab onto this lifeline, to not question why he offered it.

I chew the bottom of my lip, my eyes searching his, and I nod. “I do.”

A chorus of laughter passes. I catch a glimpse of the groups’ colorful dresses and ironed tunics before they move past the alley.

Rian’s shadows coil tighter around us, a living cloak that presses in, shrouding us in darkness.

“The beasts that roam your forest,” he begins, voice low, “are contained by a Fae ward.”

I blink, startled, and stare at him.

His eyes continue to gleam in the dark, but they’ve lost their lusty, dazed haze.

“A ward?” I echo.

“It’s a magical barrier,” he reminds me. “Similar to the one I utilized in the tent. But significantly more powerful, created by dozens of Fae.”

I frown. “Why would the Fae bother trapping those creatures in the forest?”

“I doubt it was done for the good of humans,” he admits. “Though your neighbors’ ancestors certainly benefited from the protection left by Fae who once lived in this land.”

The memory of the temple fills my mind. The elegant Fae script carved in the pillars and beams. It wasn’t humans who wrote the words…

“Where did the beasts come from?” I ask.

Did the ancient Fae bring them here?

“My understanding is they have always roamed this continent.”

“But…” My forehead furrows. “That doesn’t make sense.”

“In what way?”

A shudder jolts down my spine as I remember the klarv’s claws…the natchling’s burning saliva. “How could humans have survived in this land before the Fae arrived? Those monsters would have torn everyone to pieces.”

Rian’s thumb brushes the back of my hand. “You are assuming Fae weren’t here first.”