Another moment ticked by
I began to rub my thighs with my hands again. “Um, did you say something about a bounty?”
Tavlor’s lips thinned as his jaw hardened. “Yes.” Another nod, short and firm. “The Council have put out a notice to every realm that you are to be captured, alive.”
I guess if there was a silver lining to this, it was that they wanted me alive.
He paused and I wondered if that was an indication that the Council had considered putting a ‘dead or alive’ clause on the notice. Maybe they wanted to try and take me in alive but if that didn’t work, I would be ordered to be killed.
“Is it a lot of money?” I asked, my ego strangely putting a lot of weight on his answer. Was I a threat that went for a nice amount of money? Or was I as insignificant as a fly, an annoyance, that needed to be contained.
He nodded once, sharply. “Yes, it is a lot of money.”
I couldn’t stop the way my lips turned up in a smile. “I’m strangely flattered.”
“You shouldn’t be.” He seemed angry and disturbed.
I looked down at the floor, heat flushing my face. He was right, of course. This whole thing made me uncomfortable. I was starting to say stupid things. I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the shame that filled my body.
I coughed, clearing my throat. “I understand that,” I forced myself to say. “So how bad is it?”
I wasn’t sure if I even wanted the answer. A lot of money meant it would attract a lot of attention. Everyone would know my face. I highly doubted they would know who I was, that I was the High Warlock’s daughter. The Council wouldn’t want that information getting out. Not right now.
“It’s bad,” he admitted. He glanced over at me. It felt as though he was trying to evaluate how I was taking the news. He wanted to make sure he didn’t overwhelm me.
I would have thought it was sweet if I didn’t want to know the answers so badly. I didn’t want to be protected. I wanted to know what was going on and how I—and possibly my sisters—were affected by this.
“Every bounty hunter in the known Universe will be after you. Every shifter, some Fae... I can’t stand by and let this happen.” He clenched his jaw so hard that it popped. He looked in front of me, rather than at me. “And my people, Abigail... they will only be able to protect you for so long.”
He stood up suddenly and shuffled around the tiny room.
I wanted to ask him what that meant. I wanted to know if I could go anywhere or if it was better that I just stopped running. I didn’t want to risk the people who had tried to protect me. I didn’t want to risk Tavlor or Abigail or my sisters. I even didn’t want to risk my father. If Tavlor wasn’t lying and he was helping, I didn’t want him to push himself to the point where everything he had worked for was for nothing.
Tavlor continued, almost to himself. “It’s more money than most people would make in ten years. More money than has ever been offered—for anyone. It’s absolutely ludicrous.” He shook his head. His movement was graceful and I recognized the Fae in him, the air of timelessness we magic folk didn’t have.
I stood up, unable to stay seated while he roamed like a caged animal. He was too big for this cottage. Every move he made filled the space up even more. His hair roamed wildly like the mane of a lion. I wanted to calm him in some way. I wanted to run my fingers through his hair and make myself feel better. Instead, I kept everything to myself, my hands, my words.
“So, let me get this straight,” I said, shifting my weight from one foot to the other, trying to keep myself out of his way but needing to be on my feet as well. Magic buzzed around me, but I didn’t dare give into it. I didn’t think I’d be able to control myself. Not around Tavlor. “I’m no longer safe here, because the Council has put a massive price on my head, and every bad guy around is going to be hunting me down soon.”
“Not just the bad guys.” Tavlor stopped pacing and faced me, his intense gaze burning into mine. “Ava, anyone in desperate need of money will be after you. You won’t be able to trust anyone.”
He stepped forward, so that we were a whisper’s breadth apart. He lifted his hand and stroked my cheek, his touch as warm and light as a summer’s breeze. I leaned into it before I could stop myself. The last thing I expected from Tavlor was gentleness. He was fierce and strong and deadly. To have him touch me like this made me yearn for more.
Goosebumps ran up and down my arms. I swallowed. My throat suddenly dry.
I couldn’t stop looking at the beauty of his face, or thinking about how much I’d missed seeing him.
How could I yearn for someone I barely knew? And yet, I thought I knew him as well as I knew my sisters. As well as I knew myself. It was difficult for me to remember what life was like before I’d met him. Which, to me, someone who had never even been kissed before him, sounded absolutely insane. And yet, that was exactly how he made me feel.
I went up on my tip toes, bringing myself closer to his face, and leaned forward, hoping he would feel what my intention was and kiss me back. I was being bolder than I usually was. Then again, I had been waiting so long for him to kiss me that I didn’t want him not to. I didn’t know when I’d see him again. I had to make this count.
He didn’t disappoint.
His lips pressed into mine, stealing my breath.
I wrapped my arms around his waist while he cupped my face and held me tight, devouring my lips in a perfect kiss. Despite the fact that I wasn’t cold, I shivered. Butterflies crashed into each other in my stomach.
It wasn’t enough. I wanted to get closer.