Page 25 of The Poison of the Earth
She giggles like a school girl as I wave and head out.
I hurry to my rooms to grab the book I need to return, pausing a moment to make my braid a bit loosier and messier.Give that after-sex look men like.
I hustle out and climb the stairs. I stand in front of Lonan’s doors and my stomach flutters. Ugh.I need to get my shit together.I remind myself that this is a job; an alliance for my own purposes.
I knock and almost immediately there are footsteps headed down.
Lonan tosses the doors open and stands before me. His brown hair is nearly black in the dim light but I can see his waves are tied back in a small bun and it leaves his delicate pointed ears visible. His eyes are dark and he’s in a loose white shirt that is left open enough that I can see the tattoos on chest. He’s also endearingly barefooted again.
His eyes drink me in and I find myself preening under the attention.
“Sire,” I say softly.
“Allie,” he blinks a few times before stepping back. “Come, please.” He holds out his hand. I look down, demurely, and take his hand with just the tips of my fingers, allowing him to “help” me up the stairs.
Once in his apartments, I cross to the large window. The sun is low in the sky and I can almost see the water over the treetops. Not far from Misery Bay, on the Forsaken Sea, Thistle Grove is not a port town, but is close enough to have a hidden harbor that they use for missions, I believe. It’s also a fairly easy flight to Guivre Shores from here, if you have wings.
“Allie,” Lonan says quietly, “Would you have a glass of wine with me?”
I nod, looking at him over my shoulder before I turn my body. “Just the one, Sire.”
He swiftly pours and crosses to me. “Come now, we’ve been over this. You were calling me Lonan this morning.”
I smile at his flirting and take the wine glass. I take a small sip.
“You wanted to speak?” I prompt, as I widen my eyes, looking at the floor and blinking rapidly as if trying to not cry. “About sending me off?”
“What? No, not ‘sending you off’ Allie—”
“Have I displeased you my lord? I most sincerely apologize if so...”
“No, no, of course not—”
“But you no longer want me in your kitchens? I have made a mistake somehow, and I’m so sorry for it. Sire, please, keep me, I don’t want to go out, unprotected, and sleep under a...”
Lonan has set his wine down and taken my elbows in his hands, pulling our bodies close.
He blinks, those blood red eyes keen. “Unprotected?” His brow furrows. “Sleep under what, Allie?”
I manage to summon tears to my eyes beautifully; you’d think I had water Fae in my line.
“Sleep under,” my voice drops to a whisper, “A different roof than you.” I look up, meeting his eyes, “...Lonan.”
I hear him take a small, surprised breath. His eyes study mine a moment and his hands tighten on my arms. “Unprotected?” He repeats. “What are you worried about, sweetheart?”
Chapter Nine
Lonan
“What are you worried about, sweetheart?”
The moment the endearment slips out of my lips, I curse myself internally. I cannotlikethis woman. This is... an infatuation. That I’ll fuck out of me.
Her big coral eyes are glistening with tears and the fear I see on her face is real. I let go of one of her elbows and my hand rises to cup her soft cheek. I can almost feel the curves of her now full hips through her dress.
“Tell me,” I command, firmer.
Her eyes flick back and forth within mine, searching. She whispers, “King Alder,” as a tremor goes through her body. I swiftly take her wine glass and set it next to mine, then scoop her into my arms.
