Page 28 of Simon

“Simon, great. We have a name! Thought it might be more fantasy, like what the orcs have. I’m glad it’s so normal. Not to say you are normal. Aren’t you are just fascinating? Amazing!” She blushed and stepped away. “Now, I won’t call you the other name anymore. Okay?”

I nodded and gave her as wide a smile as she gave me.

“Good.” Her arms slumped at her sides. “Well, Simon. I know it’s dark, and you made all this food, but I really do need to get going.”

I tilted my head when she looked over at the table.

“Wow, you made this?”

It was basic food. Bread rolls, meat and fruit. I hadn’t cut the fruit because I didn’t want any pixies to smell it and come inside.

Not that I had seen any pixies in the Wood, but you never knew.

They were evil.

“I have to get back to camp. Make sure everyone is okay. People will look for me, and it isn’t proper if I just stay up here. It isn’t considerate. Perhaps you can take me back, and I can come back and visit tomorrow?”

I balled my hands into fists.

I thought we were getting somewhere. I thought she was more comfortable. She wanted to leave me. My mate did not want to be in my presence.

I shook my head and huffed loudly; louder than I had ever done before. I shook my head again, feeling the weight of my horns.

“No.” I stomped my foot.

Lucy reared her head back, her eyebrow raised. “No? No, you won’t take me back right now? Do we need to wait until morning?”

I stepped forward, still not touching her since I had not asked.

“No. Lucy, ‘ere.” I pointed to the floor of the cave.

She stood there with her mouth open until she glared at me. “Are you saying I can’t leave?”

I straightened my back, crossed my arms, and nodded.

“Lucy mmm-ine.” I bleated.

Chapter Eleven

Lucy

Iplacedmytremblinghandon my pounding chest, feeling the rapid thump of my racing heart. My body tensed, and the sound of my heavy breaths echoed into the cave as I took three cautious steps back from Simon.

The sweet, innocent faun—whom I had no business finding attractive—with the curiosity of a child, just dared to look me in the eyes and say,Mine?!

My brain shut off, trying to reboot.

He had thoughts—complicated ones. He knew words yet had trouble speaking them because…? Well, I wasn’t sure why. Simon understood everything I said, so why had he never had the chance to speak his mind?

Simon had no one else to talk to, but surely he would have at least tried to speak? He should speak and know how to move his tongue. If I was guessing correctly, he should at least be in his twenties, even early thirties, but even that estimate was moot because nothing in this realm aged.

This place was confusing.

Why couldn’t he speak?

Simon stared at me with a smug look. He widened his stance, his hooves shining with the light source that filtered in. He thrust out his chest, showing off his lean, muscular body. You could see the deep v-line, that Adonis’ Belt I’d read far too much about.

I wasn’t a prude; I could appreciate the male body. I’d looked at the shifters before I came here. Dutton, for one. His body was nice, but it did nothing for me.

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