“You can’t? Or you won’t?” He stepped forward, his entire body tense.
I walked towards him, my hands down, my shoulders slumped. I didn’t want it to be this way. I wanted to be able to tell everyone who wanted to listen, that my father was the High Warlock of all the Magical Realms, and that I was one of his three illegitimate daughters. I was proud of my heritage. I was proud of who I was, even if I didn’t really understand it.
But my sisters came first. They had to.
I lowered my gaze. “I wish I could tell you everything, but I can’t.”
“Did someone make you promise you wouldn’t?” he asked.
I nearly smacked my forehead with my hand. Why hadn’t I thought of that? I could have just told him about Aunt Alison’s vow. It wasn’t even a lie. Just because I was powerful enough to bypass the magic surrounding the vow didn’t mean I couldn’t at least use it to work in my favour.
“Yes,” I said quickly. “Yes, exactly.”
His shoulders bunching up as he began to pace the room. “This is... more complicated than I first thought. There is no way your father was a human, not with the power you possess. If you do not wish for that question to arise in your trial tomorrow, then you’re going to have to hold back.”
“What do you mean?” I furrowed my brow, shoving my hands in the pockets of my jeans. I tried to stop thinking about how badly I wanted him to kiss me again.
I had to focus on the trial and not Tavlor’s lips.
“I mean...” He shook his head, his gaze on the ground as he began to pace up on down the stone floor. “You need to use about half the power you have in these trials. Then no-one will realise how powerful you are.”
“Then you believe me?” I asked, a wave of relief flowing through my chest. “That I’m not a threat?”
I didn’t want him to avoid me or think of me as someone who was a danger to the realm he was paid to protect. That would make us enemies.
“I do... but I need to make sure.”
“Of course. How do we do that?”
“You submit to a questioning spell.”
That didn’t sound so bad. “Sure. So, like a... truth serum or something?”
“Yes. You allow me to ask questions and poke into your mind for the answer.”
That sounded dangerous to my father... and kind of creepy. I understood if he didn’t completely trust me, but actually looking into my mind felt like a violation of my privacy.
“Um... okay. Well, while I’m happy for you to do that, will that spell find out who my father is?”
Tavlor shook his head. “No. I only want to know if I can trust you.” He stopped pacing and turned on his heel so he could face me. “I promise I won’t look any further than that.”
As long as you don’t ask about my sisters...
I nodded and fiddled with the hem of my shirt. “I’ll submit to that. I trust you not to hurt me, if it will mean that it will help you, trust me.”
Tavlor waited a moment, the silence between us stretching until finally he grabbed my hand and pulled me closer. He could kiss me again if he wanted to. I wanted him to.
“I’m going to ask you a question, then look into your mind when you answer. You need to keep your guards down. Don’t fight me, or my Fae side will see it as a sign that you are trying to hide the truth. I can’t totally control that side of myself, and you... appear to bring it out in me stronger than most.”
I didn’t quite understand what he meant, but with his hands on me, and his hot body so close, I was struggling to focus anyway.
“I’ll try. What do you want me to do?”
“Just close your eyes.”
Oh my god... those were some of the sexiest words I’d ever heard.
I let my eyes close. Tavlor’s hands slid up my arms and up to my head, where he cupped either side of my face.