Cameron sleeps a few feet away from me. The magic she expelled must have worn on her more than she lets on. Jeriko rests soundly across the fire from me as if she isn’t afraid I might kill her in her sleep.
My stomach sinks as I remember how quickly she tookhersoul. The vicious exhilaration she held when devouringherlife is all I can think about.
Mother was afraid. I could tell. She was terrified, and I couldn’t even comfort her.
It’s Jeriko’s job. I know it is. I hope mother’s in an afterlife now, just like she should be. Safe, away from my father for the first time in decades.
I try hard to let that thought ease my conscience, but still my throat feels tight. My eyes threaten to fill with moisture before I shove the thoughts away.
I blanket the emotions with a sense of numbness.
“Scoot over.” I startle from the sound of Nollix’s quiet voice. “It’s creepy to watch someone sleep.”
The pale moonlight reflects against his eyes, making the blue appear darker tonight. He looks tired, but I know he’ll never admit it. Normally, when his nightmares wake him, he slinks off into the woods and doesn’t appear until morning. He must really feel sorry for me, then.
I shift on the damp grass until there’s room for both of us against the wide tree trunk. The bark bites into my back when I settle against it.
This is how I normally fall asleep. Watching the three in my life and thinking about what I can’t change.
“You look like a fucking ghost.”
I feel like a ghost.
His casual teasing is the first sign of him lowering his guard. I’ve seen him do it countless times with Carver. And now he’s doing it with me.
He wants to talk though. I can tell.
Is he mad that I shut him out again?
I guess I would be. I’m the closest thing to a friend that he has. Jeriko hates me, Carver coddles me, and I avoid them all. That leaves Nollix trying to find a hint of normalcy in our little band of misfits.
“Like you didn’t watch me when I was asleep.” I taunt him with my words to force him to acknowledge me.
“No, I think your human friend did that enough.” His attention drifts to Cameron. The Witch’s head rests near my thigh, and my fingers push through her soft hair. She does look human, less perfect than the others in my life. She looks pure and innocent.
Is Nollix... jealous?
To test him, my index finger skims the length of Cameron’s jawline, and I study her pretty profile. For a moment, I forget I’m trying to get a real emotion out of Nollix. All this Witch wants is help in saving our kingdom from my own father’s cruelty.
I want to help her. I want to help our people. But I don’t know if I can face my father again.
Not without murdering him.
“Fae don’t have to stare at a beautiful woman to know she’s safe.” Nollix leans closer before peering into my eyes as he licks his lips slowly. “Fae can feel desires. They don’t need toseea woman to know what she needs. Fae are different.”
His sensuous words tingle all through me. What does Nollix know about desire?
“You’re nothing special, Nollix. Don’t try to pretend you’re somehow better.”
“It’s a simple fact. We’re different.” He pauses for only a second, his gaze flashing with mischief. “Taste different too.”
He doesn’t look at me as he says it. If it wasn’t for the small smile pulling at his lips, I’d say he believes those words himself.
Some woman must have stroked his ego too hard.
“You’re lying.”
“I’m not. Like pure sugar. Melt-in-your-mouth sweet.”
