Page 47 of Beyond the Faerie Gate

Lorcan

She’s pretty. More than pretty. She’s shiny—no. People can’t be shiny. She’s radiant—yes! That’s the word for it.

But she also hasn’t woken up since she passed out in the snow when I tried to show her the amazing view I found at the top of the tallest mountain in Faerie.

That’s concerning.

Did I break her? She doesn’t look broken.

The whole mountain shivered to life when she fell over and lost her clothes. I like her better without them, but I know from experience that frostbite is no fun at all, so I blinked her back to my room.

Then I discovered I like her better without clothes and in my bed. Seeing the pretty rosy gold locks of her hair spilling over the red silk of my pillow makes me want to grab a fistful of it in my claws and—

Did she just move?

Is she waking up?

I blink onto the mattress and peer at her little heart-shaped face, expectantly.

Yes! Her eye twitched. I definitely saw it.

Ooh, I like her eyes better when they’re purple. They’re like amethysts, staring out at me. I even like the soft, sleepy look she’s giving me.

“Lore?”

I nod so fast I think my head might fall off. Does she want food? Maybe I’ll go and—

Her hand reaches out, grabbing my arm and holding me in place.

Oh. That feels nice. Her hands are so soft.

At the same time, the movement dislodges the blanket covering her, and she finally realises she’s naked. Gasping, her other hand fists my quilt, dragging it higher over the pretty mounds of her breasts.

Noo! Why did she hide the pretty nipples?

I pout as I silently mourn the loss. Would she get angry if I blinked away the covers?

“I need you to tell me what’s going on,” she says, eyes searching mine. “Where am I? Why didn’t you come to find me with Jaro and Drystan?”

I stare at the place where her hand is still touching my arm as I think about her questions.

“You’re in my den. In my Court. Don’t you like it?” My voice trails off at the end as I realise that maybe she doesn’t like it.

I spent my hiding years building my father’s little court just to amuse myself and piss off Cressidick. When Rose’s pretty little mark broke my vow to serve the old leader of my troop, I went straight back and slit the bastard’s throat. Then I decided to occupy myself by pissing off the Queen of Autumn… partly because she’s a raging bitch, but mostly just because I could.

Eyslin Falls was always my town. Now it’s a perfect hive of scum and villainy nestled in the far western reaches of the Autumn Court. And I sit at the top of it all.

I thought little Rose would at least want to see the waterfalls before she decided she didn’t like it.

Ah, well. It’ll look better on fire, anyway. Most things do.

Minor courts never last long, anyway. I can find a different way to piss off Queen Cressidick.

“It’s beautiful,” she soothes, and I pout. Damn it, I was looking forward to setting it on fire, but I can’t now. “Where are we, exactly? Are we safe from Fomorians here?”

I chuckle. “Why would you want to be safe from Fomorians? Killing them is much more fun.” At her panicked look, I sigh and boop her nose. “I’ll keep you safe, silly pet.”

My hat morphs, turning from a cap to a spiked leather helmet, which I pluck off my head and pop it onto hers.

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