Tavlor, and my father, had spent so many years dancing to the Council’s drum beat that they never even considered going against them.
He reached up and stroked my face with his fingertips, the touch soft and caring. “Well, I’ve been conditioned since a very young age to think highly of the Council... until you came along, of course.”
That sounded about right. I smiled.
“And now?” I couldn’t help but ask.
He smiled brighter.
“And now... I can’t believe I spent so many years worrying what those people thought of me,” he admitted.
I threw myself against his body, wrapping my arms around his neck and holding him close, my heart soaring. I didn’t expect for him to actually admit such a thing ever. I wouldn’t have pressured him to feel that way regardless. But I was grateful that he had come to the conclusion on his own.
“You’re so beautiful, you know that?” I asked.
He huffed out a laugh and pulled me back a little. His cheeks were pink.
“It’s going to take me a bit longer to come around to your way of thinking on that one, but I’m going to try,” he said.
I lifted my chin and kissed him.
He went very still, not responding to my lips at all. Then I realized it was probably because my father was in the room. How I forgot that important point, I had no idea.
Reluctantly, I pulled back and put my head on his chest. I couldn’t wait for us to be alone again.
I chanced a glance at my father to see if he had seen. Thankfully, his eyes were still scanning the pages, taking in my mother’s words. He barely noticed us at all.
“Are you going to stay tonight, or do you have somewhere else you need to be?” I asked, turning my attention back to Tavlor.
“I’m staying here. I’m not leaving your side, although... thank you for the reminder. I meant to reinforce these guards when we got back.” He extricated himself from my grasp and walked around the room, lifting his hands and saying words I didn’t understand.
Magic flowed from him, the air shivering with intensity as he moved around every wall, pointing at the floor, the ceiling, and then walking into my room, I assumed to do the same thing.
I sighed with contentment and leaned back against the couch. I’d never really thought about what sort of man I wanted as my partner in life. My husband. Having had no male role models growing up, I’d been left with only a vague impression of what a man should be.
But if I thought I’d find someone I was instantly attracted to, with a killer body, incredible magical skills, and perfect protective instincts... I would have thought I was dreaming.
But the thing about Tavlor was, he was so much more than a pretty face. And I was lucky I got to call him mine.
My father’s gaze flicked up and met mine.
He smiled, and happiness wove through my chest. He liked Tavlor, and that was such a nice bonus. It made everything easier, and when everything up until this point had been terribly hard... I welcomed the change.
“Are you hungry?” he asked unexpectedly.
I glanced at the clock in the room. It was way past lunch time and I didn’t think I’d eaten breakfast. “Not really... but I could eat.”
At that moment, my stomach grumbled, displeased that I was going to dismiss food after I had consumed so little. It always went off at the quietest of times, calling me a liar in front of everyone.
I placed a hand over it, trying to shush it.
My father waved his hand over the coffee table in front of us, and a feast of platters appeared.
Sandwiches, hot meat and potatoes, pastries, and fruit.
My stomach grumbled again, this time in anticipation for the food I was about to consume, and my mouth watered.
I reached for a smal