Or at least she better not be.
Not waiting for an answer, I ran from the room, taking the wide carpeted hallway where I heard the others in my mother’s cozy living room.
Skidding around the corner I almost took out the framed photographs of my mother and me which sat in a place of honor on her mahogany side table. Behind me, Davio steadied the largest frame, only to lift it.
“You look about six.” His gaze met mine as his eyes twinkled with humor. “Nice puddle.”
Drat. I hated that print, the one of me plowing down my childhood slide, only to land face first in one almighty, mucky winter puddle. I ignored Davio’s light laugh as I continued across to Zac and Viv and forced a polite smile to my face. “I’m so sorry. We haven’t been properly introduced. I’m Faith Stryker.” I extended my hand.
The female protector shook my hand while Zac idly stroked the hilt of his sword, eyeing me with a narrowed glare before tilting his head at Davio.
Viv knocked Zac’s arm. “Zac,” she admonished. “Mind your manners.”
“Huh,” he grunted, obviously disturbed.
“Men.” Rolling her eyes, Viv turned her attention back to me. “My apologies. My mate finds your presence unnatural. You are not from our country, and he finds…well, he finds that troubling.”
“You two are mated?” Wow.
Behind us, Davio set the framed photograph back in place and moved toward us. He slapped a hand on Zac’s shoulder as he drew up to him. “Zac, alarming or not, Faith is still half-Magioling, and whether born here on Earth or in Peacio, she is still the other half of my soul. You will speak to her with the respect she’s due.”
Zac cleared his throat as his alert gaze swung between his prince and me. “You are right,” he finally conceded. Then he stepped forward and half-bowed as he shook my hand. “My apologies. I was wary and should not have been. My service extends to you just as it does, and always will, to my prince.”
I scrunched my shoulder blades together, feeling a ripple of discomfort chase down my spine. This was not a form of formality I was used to. Exactly what service was Zac promising? And I had to remember there was a prince involved. Double eerie. “I don’t require anyone’s service, Zac, although thanks for the offer all the same.”
Edging onto my heels, I backed away, feeling a tense mix of animosity and irritation stirring in my gut. My mate was too close, forcing my tension to build. I reversed, faster, until my back hit the lip of our hearth’s upper mantle.
I slowly exhaled.
There was instant relief, but only at five feet and no less.
Davio stiffened, and a low mutter rumbled from his throat. “Why the distance?” He stalked toward me. “It’s not your right to decline Zac, and as my mate, Peacio’s entire contingency of protectors are called to your service. They protect our country and its citizens. You will accept his offer.”
I clenched my fists, blood pouring through my veins in a bubbling riot. “Well, you listen here, mister. I’m not a citizen of Peacio. Nor have I been to your country.” As if that weren’t obvious. “Or do I even wish to go there?”
At my biting remark, he glared.
My face heated as I continued, “So it’s obviously futile for me to accept Zac’s offer. I do not know your protector and nor does he know me.”
“Don’t.” Within a microsecond, he zeroed in on me, his hand capturing my wrist. “Your tension is clearly spiking, as is mine. Exactly how far away do we need to be so we do not suffer these appalling emotions?”
I squinted. “If there’s no skin-to-skin contact, then a good five strides away. The irritation is awful if we don’t touch.”
He dropped my wrist. “Five strides. We’ll enforce it again to make certain.” He turned and marched across the room the required distance as Viv, Belle and Silvie all watched with their mouths gaping.
Zac hissed as Davio halted. “Is it possible for you to explain this
Not waiting for an answer, I ran from the room, taking the wide carpeted hallway where I heard the others in my mother’s cozy living room.
Skidding around the corner I almost took out the framed photographs of my mother and me which sat in a place of honor on her mahogany side table. Behind me, Davio steadied the largest frame, only to lift it.
“You look about six.” His gaze met mine as his eyes twinkled with humor. “Nice puddle.”
Drat. I hated that print, the one of me plowing down my childhood slide, only to land face first in one almighty, mucky winter puddle. I ignored Davio’s light laugh as I continued across to Zac and Viv and forced a polite smile to my face. “I’m so sorry. We haven’t been properly introduced. I’m Faith Stryker.” I extended my hand.
The female protector shook my hand while Zac idly stroked the hilt of his sword, eyeing me with a narrowed glare before tilting his head at Davio.
Viv knocked Zac’s arm. “Zac,” she admonished. “Mind your manners.”
“Huh,” he grunted, obviously disturbed.
“Men.” Rolling her eyes, Viv turned her attention back to me. “My apologies. My mate finds your presence unnatural. You are not from our country, and he finds…well, he finds that troubling.”
“You two are mated?” Wow.
Behind us, Davio set the framed photograph back in place and moved toward us. He slapped a hand on Zac’s shoulder as he drew up to him. “Zac, alarming or not, Faith is still half-Magioling, and whether born here on Earth or in Peacio, she is still the other half of my soul. You will speak to her with the respect she’s due.”
Zac cleared his throat as his alert gaze swung between his prince and me. “You are right,” he finally conceded. Then he stepped forward and half-bowed as he shook my hand. “My apologies. I was wary and should not have been. My service extends to you just as it does, and always will, to my prince.”
I scrunched my shoulder blades together, feeling a ripple of discomfort chase down my spine. This was not a form of formality I was used to. Exactly what service was Zac promising? And I had to remember there was a prince involved. Double eerie. “I don’t require anyone’s service, Zac, although thanks for the offer all the same.”
Edging onto my heels, I backed away, feeling a tense mix of animosity and irritation stirring in my gut. My mate was too close, forcing my tension to build. I reversed, faster, until my back hit the lip of our hearth’s upper mantle.
I slowly exhaled.
There was instant relief, but only at five feet and no less.
Davio stiffened, and a low mutter rumbled from his throat. “Why the distance?” He stalked toward me. “It’s not your right to decline Zac, and as my mate, Peacio’s entire contingency of protectors are called to your service. They protect our country and its citizens. You will accept his offer.”
I clenched my fists, blood pouring through my veins in a bubbling riot. “Well, you listen here, mister. I’m not a citizen of Peacio. Nor have I been to your country.” As if that weren’t obvious. “Or do I even wish to go there?”
At my biting remark, he glared.
My face heated as I continued, “So it’s obviously futile for me to accept Zac’s offer. I do not know your protector and nor does he know me.”
“Don’t.” Within a microsecond, he zeroed in on me, his hand capturing my wrist. “Your tension is clearly spiking, as is mine. Exactly how far away do we need to be so we do not suffer these appalling emotions?”
I squinted. “If there’s no skin-to-skin contact, then a good five strides away. The irritation is awful if we don’t touch.”
He dropped my wrist. “Five strides. We’ll enforce it again to make certain.” He turned and marched across the room the required distance as Viv, Belle and Silvie all watched with their mouths gaping.
Zac hissed as Davio halted. “Is it possible for you to explain this
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