Page 82 of Shifting Winds
“You almost died and didn’t think to send me a text?” He headed straight for the coffee pot and poured himself a massive mug.
“I’m so sorry. I forgot about Marek and how he might report back?—”
“Screw Marek!” Rowan shut his eyes and took a deep breath. “I am your friend. Or at least I thought I was. When a friend has a near-death experience, it’s a good rule of thumb to tell them about it so they can help you!”
I winced. “I didn’t think. I’m so sorry. Caelan and Ben were here, and that was a whole thing?—”
His brows flew up. “Both of them were here?” He hooted with laughter, his anger erased like a rushing river. “How’d that go?”
I put my hands on my hips. “You know damn well how it went.”
He grinned. “That doesn’t forgive what you did, but it helps.”
Rowan gestured for my mug. I reached down and handed it to him. As the Lord refreshed my mug, he kept talking. “Marek was really worried about you, but he felt like he would betray you if he called me.” He rolled his eyes. “He’s a terrible spy.”
I grinned. “Which is exactly why you volunteered him.”
“Yes, though I regret it now that I had to find out what happened to you two days later!”
He touched our mugs together.
“Is Marek here?”
“I sent him to a hotel.”
“Wait. Where was he staying before you arrived?”
Rowan’s dark brows went up.
“Rowan! You did not make that young man sleep in my driveway!”
“The Council wants what the Council wants.” He grinned at my outraged look. “Besides, it’s good for Marek. He’s gotten way too spoiled back home.”
“When does he get to stop?”
“When you give him something they can use against you, I suppose.” He sat on the couch and gestured for me to come over.
To his surprise, I sat beside him, only a few inches away. Rowan’s brow furrowed. “Everything okay?”
“Do you know anything about touch starvation?”
Rowan huffed a laugh. “I was wondering about that. When I first met you, you were the most standoffish natural mage I’d ever seen. Our genetic makeup is different, but earth mages and humans with earth magic, and I, require more grounding. Forme, touch helps. I assumed your background was so varied you didn’t require it.”
“Nope. I’m just dumb.”
His look was chiding. “We both know that’s not true. Ignorance is far different than stupidity. Who told you?”
“Cernunnos.”
His hand jerked. “The Fae King?”
“Yeah.” And since it was Rowan, I told him the truth. “He’s my father.”
Rowan stared at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. “That…explains a lot, actually.”
A snort escaped me. “Yeah. I’ll say. But the touch thing never occurred to me. Isn’t it weird to bring up to people?”
He kicked off his shoes and moved to the edge of the couch, turning so his legs were stretched out. “C’mere.”
