Ever Mine (Dragon Lore) by Eden Ashe

he’d slow down or carry her, but she wanted away from this place as bad as he did. She was just grateful he hadn’t left her behind in his fury.
    He was silent as they got into the vehicle and on the road. He’d barely glanced at her while he’d helped her with the weird belt thing, but his fingers were clenched so tightly around the wheel, she was sure he was going to pop a knuckle.
    “Nathan?”
    The muscle in his jaw ticked violently for a full minute before he ground out a single grunt that could have been “Yeah”. She wasn’t sure, but she went with it anyway.
    “Your aunt and uncle—” she started slowly, only to have him cut her off with a flash of temper.
    “They’re behind this, and they’re up to something. Thad is Mellie’s younger brother, and he’s never been right.”
    Because just thinking about Thad made her want to vomit, she hesitated saying what she felt, but if they had kidnapped her, they could do it to another fairy on the land that rightfully belonged to the wee creatures. “What did he mean by ‘fairy mine’?”
    “Hell if I know.” He let go of the wheel with one hand long enough to shove it through his shoulder-length hair. “But I’m going to find out. Until then, you’re staying with me.”
    Katenia closed her eyes as her brain, which screamed bad idea! loudly, warred with her heart, which was on a non-stop loop of mine!
    She willed back the tears flooding her eyes. The entire situation was out of her control, and no matter how much she hated it, she wasn’t going to collapse into a helpless female. Her sister, Chaela, was good at that. She’d bat her big blue eyes, and the entire male population of the Lillie Valley would collapse at her feet, begging to come to her aid.
    Thinking of Chaela had a small smile tugging at her mouth. While her older sister had let everyone wait on her, always the princess, Katenia had been out learning. Talking to the bugs and the trees and the birds, learning how to help every living thing. She’d become a healer, as well as an impartial ear to listen to grievances and complaints. She understood the circle of life and the basics of how nature worked, and she used it to help the forest creatures live in harmony.
    Nathan shot her a quick look. “Are you alright? I know I told you we’d get you home tonight—”
    “Stop.” She reached out and laid her hand on his arm. She could feel his tension, the frustration at what he thought was his inability to help her, but she didn’t think he’d failed at anything. “Thank you.”
    He snorted. “For what? My crazy family got you into this mess.”
    “Exactly,” she said, patting him on the arm. “Your family. Not you. Besides, you’ve never met my family. My Uncle Finn once cursed one of my brothers and turned him into a toad.”
    Nathan’s brow shot up. “That’s not in the same ballpark as kidnapping, Katen.”
    “I don’t know what that means.” She sighed, feeling a little dejected. “I don’t understand most of what you say.”
    His face softened, and his hands finally relaxed on the wheel. “It means it’s not even close to the same thing.”
    “Oh.” She laughed. “But it was ten years ago, and he still refuses to change Linx back.”
    He chuckled softly. “And what did Linx do to deserve being turned into a frog?”
    “Not frog. Toad. Totally different.” She grinned at him, then winced. “He, ah, slept with Finn’s current mate of choice.”
    He glanced at her again as he slowed the vehicle down, the beautiful gardens once again turning into cold buildings and ugly asphalt. “I didn’t think fairies took the mate thing seriously.”
    “Mostly we don’t. It’s very rare for any fairy to commit to another for eternity, and Uncle Finn certainly isn’t one who would ever do such a thing.”
    He let out a low rumbling sound of frustration. “Then why did he care?”
    “It wasn’t the first time Linx had done it, and Finn had warned him he wouldn’t be