Rían tugged at the basket on my elbow. “What’d you bring me to eat?”
I let him slip it free and look for himself. “Something far nicer than you would have made.” According to Eava, Rían had shown an interest in cooking once upon a time. And had nearly burned the castle to the ground.
“Ah, here now. I can’t be good at everything.” Rían handed me a cake and took the other for himself.
I sat, clutching my knees to my chest and watching the chaos below. The cake was almost perfect. A little dry, perhaps. I’d have to ask Eava what I did wrong.
Rían ate the whole thing in four bites. “Revolting,” he said, dabbing at his lips with one of the serviettes from the basket.
That’s what he says when he loves something.
Blue peeked from under his sleeve. I caught his hand, drawing his cuff back from his wrist, to find a blue silk ribbon tied beneath. “What’s this?” It looked like . . . “Is that mine?” Itwasmine. I remembered betting it the other night.
“I was hardly going to let Ruairi or Tadhg have it.”
“Sentimental Rían.” Fanning my face, I pretended to swoon. Although the fluttering in my stomach wasn’t pretend. It was as real as the heat building in my core. He’d stolen my ribbon. And was wearing it. “Be still my heart.”
He chuckled Ruairi’s chuckle. Smiled Ruairi’s smile.
Would this powerful prince, hiding behind someone else’s skin, ever stop surprising me?
For the longest time, I had been hiding too. Beneath lies of contentment and complacency. Beneath makeup and dresses and nods and smiles.
I may not look any different than I had back in Graystones. But I felt different.
All it took was being held hostage by a fae prince to make me feel free.
“Do you always stare at Ruairi this much?” Rían asked in Ruairi’s voice, blue eyes crinkling at the corners.
“I stare at him all the time. Barely get anything done when Ruairi’s around.”
Gleaming white fangs flashed.
I missed his obnoxious dimples.
“Sounds like I need to find you a new guard,” he said, nudging my shoulder with his—and nearly toppling me over. “A female one.”
“What’s the matter?” I nudged him back. “Afraid I’ll fall in love with him?”
I thought his smile faltered, but it was probably my imagination.
“Love him all you want. The dog’s a waffling eunuch.”
I laughed. “Stop lying.”
“It’s not a lie.” He reached for his belt, dragging the strap through the buckle. “I can show you, if you want.”
“Rian!” I whapped him on the shoulder as hard as I could.
He captured me in his massive arms, hugging me to his chest. “Violent Aveen. My favorite.”
I leaned into him, committing this perfect moment to memory. This sort of happiness never lasted. It wasn’t like I wanted live in Tearmann forever. That would be madness . . . wouldn’t it?
If the Queen gave me permission to cross the Forest, could I leave this behind? What about when Keelynn returned? If she cared for Tadhg half as much as the man seemed to care for her, she wouldn’t want to leave him.
The obvious choice would be for both of us to stay.
Only, I wasn’t sure how I felt about being in a secret relationship with someone in the long term. It may be exciting and exhilarating now, but we couldn’t keep this up forever.