want to find my parents,” she said.
Now he walked to her until he stood just before her. He seemed so large, so powerful, and certain of himself.
“You are trying to convince yourself that you are afraid,” he said, his deep voice coated the icy stillness of the moor.
“I am not.”
“You aren’t afraid.” Then he touched her. Just like that, skin upon skin, flame to flame. He stroked her cheek with the backs of his fingers and she did not move, did not flinch, did not turn away. The weight of all the stars hidden behind the clouds held her immobile.
“You are a wild bird, caged too long and desperate to be free,” he said. So close, his skin and scent. His mouth. Dear God, his mouth . If he kissed her, she would let him. She would fall to pieces. “You have believed every word they’ve said about you, Eleanor. You have accepted the cage, despite your nature. Even now when you are freed, you have allowed them to tie the jesses tight to ensure your return.”
“I— What jesses?”
“Ducal carriage. Lady’s maid.” His shadowy eyes, glittering gold, caressed her lips. “But they chose the wrong man for the job of bodyguard, didn’t they? Only you and I know that.”
“I’m not trying to convince myself that I am afraid,” she forced past the clutter of emotions in her throat. She had loved her life. He’d been the one to abandon the vicarage, not her. “There is no cage. No fetters.”
“Prove it.”
Prove it .
“P—” Her tongue fumbled. “Prove what?”
“Prove that this isn’t about fear. You aren’t in St. Petroc now. Your family is miles away. Do what you wish,” he added upon the purring growl that was wholly new and alarming. And intoxicating. She felt drunk.
She stared into his black eyes, but now they were not hard. They were hungry. He was suggesting something more than a journey, more than a simple adventure. As he had years ago, he was suggesting him.
He couldn’t be . Memories were playing tricks on her, making her imagine. And wish.
“I—I don’t need to prove myself to you.”
He shrugged and began to turn away. “As you wish.”
“I don’t want to make this journey in the carriage,” she said upon a reeling breath. “I would like to ride.”
He paused. Assessed her. Made her knees tremble again. “It’s a long road.”
“You’re riding. Why can’t I?”
A suggestion of the provoking grin appeared. “I suspect I’m more accustomed to the saddle than you.”
“Hire a horse for me and I will prove you wrong.”
“And if you don’t?” he said, turning fully to her, and she knew she’d won. He would do this for her.
“Then I will repay you the expense of it.”
He laughed. “I don’t want your money.” He walked to her, the lamplight casting his features in halos of heaven and hell. “What do I get from it?” His gaze dropped, slipping down her body, then slowly back to her face.
He was suggesting what she imagined. What she wished.
She tugged her cloak tighter. “The satisfaction of knowing you’re right.”
A slow smile curved his lips. “While that’s tempting, if I am to engage in this wager I’ll want more than that.”
“Name your terms.”
“For each challenge, the winner chooses the prize.”
It was like they’d never been apart. Eleven years, he stood there a man, she a woman, but nothing had changed.
“This isn’t a game, Taliesin.” Her words quivered but she couldn’t care. “You don’t believe me, do you? You think I’m being willful.”
“I believe you wish it. I don’t believe that you are convinced you’re up to it.”
“I am. I will prove it to you.” Memories crowded her chest, warning of danger, jumping onto her tongue. “Or you could go, as I said.”
“I’m not leaving you to this, pirani . If you imagine I would abandon you alone on the road, then I suggest you employ that imagination otherwise.” He started back toward the inn. “Now, before I haul you over my shoulder and carry
Now he walked to her until he stood just before her. He seemed so large, so powerful, and certain of himself.
“You are trying to convince yourself that you are afraid,” he said, his deep voice coated the icy stillness of the moor.
“I am not.”
“You aren’t afraid.” Then he touched her. Just like that, skin upon skin, flame to flame. He stroked her cheek with the backs of his fingers and she did not move, did not flinch, did not turn away. The weight of all the stars hidden behind the clouds held her immobile.
“You are a wild bird, caged too long and desperate to be free,” he said. So close, his skin and scent. His mouth. Dear God, his mouth . If he kissed her, she would let him. She would fall to pieces. “You have believed every word they’ve said about you, Eleanor. You have accepted the cage, despite your nature. Even now when you are freed, you have allowed them to tie the jesses tight to ensure your return.”
“I— What jesses?”
“Ducal carriage. Lady’s maid.” His shadowy eyes, glittering gold, caressed her lips. “But they chose the wrong man for the job of bodyguard, didn’t they? Only you and I know that.”
“I’m not trying to convince myself that I am afraid,” she forced past the clutter of emotions in her throat. She had loved her life. He’d been the one to abandon the vicarage, not her. “There is no cage. No fetters.”
“Prove it.”
Prove it .
“P—” Her tongue fumbled. “Prove what?”
“Prove that this isn’t about fear. You aren’t in St. Petroc now. Your family is miles away. Do what you wish,” he added upon the purring growl that was wholly new and alarming. And intoxicating. She felt drunk.
She stared into his black eyes, but now they were not hard. They were hungry. He was suggesting something more than a journey, more than a simple adventure. As he had years ago, he was suggesting him.
He couldn’t be . Memories were playing tricks on her, making her imagine. And wish.
“I—I don’t need to prove myself to you.”
He shrugged and began to turn away. “As you wish.”
“I don’t want to make this journey in the carriage,” she said upon a reeling breath. “I would like to ride.”
He paused. Assessed her. Made her knees tremble again. “It’s a long road.”
“You’re riding. Why can’t I?”
A suggestion of the provoking grin appeared. “I suspect I’m more accustomed to the saddle than you.”
“Hire a horse for me and I will prove you wrong.”
“And if you don’t?” he said, turning fully to her, and she knew she’d won. He would do this for her.
“Then I will repay you the expense of it.”
He laughed. “I don’t want your money.” He walked to her, the lamplight casting his features in halos of heaven and hell. “What do I get from it?” His gaze dropped, slipping down her body, then slowly back to her face.
He was suggesting what she imagined. What she wished.
She tugged her cloak tighter. “The satisfaction of knowing you’re right.”
A slow smile curved his lips. “While that’s tempting, if I am to engage in this wager I’ll want more than that.”
“Name your terms.”
“For each challenge, the winner chooses the prize.”
It was like they’d never been apart. Eleven years, he stood there a man, she a woman, but nothing had changed.
“This isn’t a game, Taliesin.” Her words quivered but she couldn’t care. “You don’t believe me, do you? You think I’m being willful.”
“I believe you wish it. I don’t believe that you are convinced you’re up to it.”
“I am. I will prove it to you.” Memories crowded her chest, warning of danger, jumping onto her tongue. “Or you could go, as I said.”
“I’m not leaving you to this, pirani . If you imagine I would abandon you alone on the road, then I suggest you employ that imagination otherwise.” He started back toward the inn. “Now, before I haul you over my shoulder and carry
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