Where the hell are these feelings coming from?
These emotions?
I’ve never felt anything like this before.
I’ve never known anyone like him before who could make me feel the way that I do. I don’t believe in fairy mates the way that my sisters do. Daisy especially believes that each dark fae has someone special just waiting for them. I don’t really buy into that, though. Who could? The reality is that we have who we have. We are who we are. There’s only so much we can do when it comes to finding true love, and it’s not something that happens by chance.
It can’t be.
Only, Edward makes me feel tingly.
And good.
And alive.
And unfocused.
I steel myself, clearing my head, and look once more at the wizard.
“I found your book,” I tell him. “Martin sent me to find you.”
“Martin? Oh, how is that old bloke?” The wizard leans against the dungeon wall, as though we haven’t just been busy escaping from this place.
“He’s well,” I tell him. “And I found Greg,” I lower my voice, as though it’s a secret.
“How is he?” The wizard looks nervous. Luther is an old wizard: kindhearted and strong. He obviously has a tender heart. How else would he have been able to connect with a kid like Greg in such a special way?
“He’s gone to Dark Village to deliver anquan to my sister,” I tell him. I don’t need to say anything else. Obviously, the wizard can tell that I’m scared and sad and nervous because he steps forward and wraps his arms around me.
“Everything will be fine,” he says. “You’ll see.”
“I came to bring you the book,” I tell him. “And to warn the king.” Pulling back, I look from Luther to Edward and back again. “I have to warn the king.”
“What do you need to warn him about?” Luther asks carefully.
“Wyatt is planning to take over the kingdom,” I warn them. “It may already be too late.”
“Why do you care about the king so much?” Edward asks, and I turn to him. “Are you vying for a spot as queen?”
Disgust washes over me at the insinuation that I would value someone for their position and not for their heart. Edward doesn’t know me. How could he? So I can’t really fault him for his words, but I do.
And I hate how they make me feel.
“You don’t know me at all,” I glare at him, crossing my arms over my chest. I’m well aware of how his eyes move down to my bosom. I look down and realize that in my haste to frown at him, I actually pushed my breasts up. All I’m doing now is drawing more attention to myself and attention from Edward is not something that I need right now. Not from a fairy like him. Not from someone who can make me quiver and feel wild with just one look.
I drop my hands back to my side and ball them into fists.
“You don’t know me,” I repeat, steeling myself. Maybe saying the same thing over and over again will convince him that I know what I’m talking about. Maybe it’ll show him that I’m not just some girl who would marry a man for a throne.
I’m better than that.
Money isn’t important to me and even if it was, I wouldn’t marry some king to get it. I’d just go get a job. You know, like normal people do. Why would marrying the king be the first thing that jumps into his head? It seems like quite the leap, but then again, I don’t really know this man.
“You’re right,” Edward says. “I don’t know you at all.” He steps forward and, in a move that’s quite presumptuous, puts his hands on my waist. He leans down and his lips brush against my ear. “But I’d like to get to know you, little Rose.”
The sensation shoots straight to my core, making me want more. His lips awaken a desire within me that has long been pushed away, that has long been forgotten because I’m a dark fae. I’m not going to mate with some random bloke. I won’t do it. I haven’t wanted to do it, so resisting has been easy.
Until now.