Page 19 of Thunder with a Chance of Lovestruck

If that had been his attempt, it didn’t work. Drest kept hold of my hand and I felt no need to pull away. Mostly I just felt the urge to touch more of him.

Okay.Allof him.

Drest took a deep breath in and then glanced at our joined hands. He turned them, focusing on his ring as it continued to glow dimly at first before increasing in intensity. He released my hand quickly, his gaze snapping to mine. “Did I hurt you?”

“Hurt me?” I asked, getting lost in the fact the man was even more attractive up close.

He lifted his ring hand toward his face, surveying it, appearing baffled as the ring stopped glowing. He touched it several times before giving it a light slap as if that might somehow kick-start the glow once more.

It didn’t.

Seeing his confusion was somewhat alarming. If his ring was doing that and he didn’t know why or how, and he was the expert on Fae things, there was room for concern.

“I’ve asked that you not use magik in my home,” said Henry sternly. “Look what happens when you do. We’ll no doubt be blamed for this somehow.”

“Henry,” I said quickly, wanting to shut him up before he got into an argument with Drest.

“No, Rachael,” said my brother. “You know how they are. They blame us for everything. This will come back to bite us in the backside. Mark my words. They’ll tell us we can’t use these light bulbs and have to live our lives by candlelight. And they’ll accuse us of using alchemy again to cause the reaction in a Nightshade Clan ring.”

“I’m sure they won’t,” I offered, hoping I was right. Honestly, our track record with them wasn’t great. They very well might blame us.

“You’re young,” said my brother as if that was explanation enough.

It wasn’t, but I let him have the win in hopes it would keep him from ranting more about the Fae.

“I’m sure Rachael is right,” said Amice, having my back.

Henry held his tongue.

“Truce,” I said, trying to remind my brother of what he’d said before.

“I’ll agree to one if our jailor agrees not to use magik in our home again,” responded my brother, his lips drawing into a thin line. One that made him look so much like our uncle that it nearly made me recoil.

“I didn’t, um, mean to use magik,” admitted Drest, staring directly at me and then his ring again. His brow furrowed. “I’m not sure Ididuse any magik.”

“Of course you did,” said Henry with a huff. “Unless you’re going to accuse my sister of having latent Fae powers. We’re not full-bloods, Drest, as your kindlovespointing out. We’re watered-down versions of you—the supreme beings.”

So much for a truce.

Drest grunted at him. “Is it too much to ask for one of those moments your sister mentioned where you lose the ability to form words? Keep it up, Henry, and I’ll insist on a dance-off or roller skating.”

Laughter bubbled up and out of me. I sounded like a crazy person but I didn’t care. It was funny and sliced through the thick tension in the room.

Henry groaned. “Sister, really? He’s not that amusing.”

“It’s almost as if you’re begging for a sing-along,” I said, doing another popular dance move.

Amice was all smiles as she watched our interactions.

Henry shook his head and covered his eyes. “Why do I agree to these dinners?”

“Because we’re too adorable to say no to,” I said.

ChapterEight

Drest

Try as he might,Drest couldn’t seem to manage the willpower to step away from Henry’s sister. Truth be told, he was fighting the burning need to draw Rachael closer and sample her ruby-red lips. That should have been enough of a wake-up call to send him running for the hills.

---