Page 51 of Heartsong
Frey used the preparation of their nightly meal as an excuse to hide his face from Anna, lest she see the murderous thoughts playing out in his mind. By the time he plated the seared steak and roasted squash, herded Anna to the table, and seen her sat and cutting up her food, he’d gathered his thoughts enough to speak.
“You will not endanger yourself like that again.”
Anna groaned. “I know I know I know, it was stupid. I just…” She popped a forkful of meat into her mouth and that groan turned into a moan of pure pleasure. “Oh, Frey, this is amazing.”
“I have found the cooking tutorials,” he said, waving her compliment away. Normally he’d have preened with her praise, but he wouldn’t be distracted by her compliments nor the way his cock twitched with interest over the sounds she made.
“That place is unsafe,” he said, enunciating each word.
“Technically, it’s even more safe with all the new security.” He knew her hedging by now, and rather than look at him, Anna studiously ate her meal.
“The new security is what worries me. From what you say, it sounds abnormal. One of many strange circumstances.” How many would finally be enough to prove to her that something was going on in her museum?
“I know,” she said again on a sigh. “Nothing is adding up. It’s allsostrange. But I just don’t understand what it could be.” She pointed her fork at him. “Don’t say fae magick.”
“Butit isfae magick,” he grumbled. “And the fae aredangerous.”
“So, what, my bosses are fae?”
His instinct was to declare that yes, it had to be the cruel creatures who’d cursed them now displaying them in their stone prison. But…
Jaw working, Frey admitted, “I don’t know. It would be…unlikely. In my time, there were stories of the fae being trapped in another realm, only able to visit this one when the veil between realms is thinnest, on Beltane and Samhain. No one had known of a fae lingering in Albion in many ages.”
“Okay, so then it’s probably not the fae, even if their magick is still hanging around your kind.”
From her bag, Anna pulled a small notebook. Flipping through the pages, she came to the end of her writings before saying, “I’ve been trying to take notes on what I’ve found out, but it isn’t much. I’m working right now on a sort of inventory. How many statues, what they look like. Not sure what it’ll be good for, but it’s something.”
A surge of conflict battled in Frey’s chest. Pride and admiration and affection were a warm syrup in his blood. His Anna was brave and cared enough about him and his people’s plight to try helping. Yet, outrage and protective instinct flared their jagged edges, agitated to know how much she truly was putting herself at risk.
Reaching a hand to place over hers and her notebook, Frey rumbled, “My Anna, I’m touched by your efforts, but you will stop this. You cannot put yourself in such danger.”
“I’m being discreet,” she protested.
A blush pinkened her cheeks at the unimpressed look he gave her. If today was any indication, she most certainly wasn’t being discreet.
“Okay, today aside. I just…wanted to see what would happen. In case.”
“In case I am not your mate,” he accused.
Her blush deepened, and her gaze fell away.
Frey became almost as irritated with himself as he was with her, but he couldn’t help the accusation. Nor the hurt from knowing he was right when she wouldn’t meet his gaze.
“But nothing happened. Because youaremy heartsong.” His triumph was vicious and ugly; though he reveled in it, he was wise enough to keep it to himself.
“I’m…we’re…” Anna sighed and ran her hands through her hair in a gesture of exasperation. “We’re something, okay? There’s obviously something going on that links you and me.”
The mate bond!he wanted to shout, but clenched his jaw not to.
His Anna was a fierce but strange woman. He would take his victories where he could.
“Which is why I don’t want you returning to that place,” he insisted. “You are special to me, Anna. Something is going on in that museum, and until we understand more, it isn’t safe for you.”
“You’re…special, too,” she admitted in halting words. “But we can’t find out anything if I’m not there. It’s our only access to your people. And like I’ve said, until the investigation dies down, I’m under suspicion. It would look suspicious if I quit now. Especially after today.” She muttered that last bit in an irritated huff.
“Perhaps, but it is a greater risk to walk into all the unknowns.”
Looking conflicted herself, Anna said, “I really don’t think my bosses have it out for me. Something is going on, but it doesn’t feel…sinister? I guess?”
