“I told you that I could use my Fae powers if it came to protecting you,” Tavlor said, his voice firm. There was a sense of duty when he regarded my father that I hadn’t noticed before. Not just because of duty but because he respected my father. Because he was loyal.
A new respect for Tavlor spread over my father’s face. “Even so, you don’t need to play down the strength of your powers with me,” he said. “It’s one of the main reasons I elevated you to head of the Council guard. I trust you. I trust your power.”
Tavlor nodded stiffly but didn’t say anything. He rubbed his lips together, as though he wanted to hide his emotions but couldn’t. Not this time, not when he heard this from my father.
I smiled softly. Finally, he was being treated the way he deserved to be by someone else who wasn’t me.
“You okay?” I asked, reaching over to squeeze his arm.
He froze beneath my touch and that was when I realized what Charity had said about us had affected him somehow.
My father walked over to us with a wry smile. “Was Charity correct?” he asked, glancing at my hand on Tavlor’s forearm. “Are you two in love?”
My stomach twisted. It was probably a bit early to talk about love, out loud, but...
“Yes,” I answered, lifting my head high. I swallowed. If this was too much too fast for Tavlor, that was fine but I wasn’t going to lie about my feelings for him.
Tavlor’s gaze swung to me as though he couldn’t believe I was admitting such a thing.
I didn’t look at him.
I didn’t want to see any rejection of the idea, if there was any.
I sucked in a breath, waiting for a response from my father.
My father looked between us. Truth be told, it shouldn’t matter what he thought of me and Tavlor. I was old enough to make my own choices and I didn’t care if he had something to say about it.
If my mother was here, she’d say something about it. I didn’t think she would judge Tavlor for who he was, but I do think she would worry about how his role in my life might impact me, and she would want to shield me from it.
All the same, I couldn’t help but hold my breath as I waited for him to say something.
Finally, the corners of his lips curled up and his eyes sparkled. “Well, you have my support, if that means anything,” he said. “I would never stand in the way of either of your happiness.”
Now I took a chance and glanced at Tavlor as warmth spread through my body, encircling my heart and giving it a hug.
Tavlor looked frozen with surprise. A bubble of laughter floated out of my mouth. I slapped my hand over my lips, not wanting him to think I was laughing at him.
He looked over at me and I smiled at him. I shook my head, telling him I had no idea that this was going to happen. His entire face softened.
“Thank you, sir,” he said, and I could hear the sincerity in his words.
“I couldn’t have chosen a better protector for my daughter, Tavlor,” My father said.
I pressed my lips together, trying to clear my throat without opening my mouth any further. I didn’t want to kill the moment by ugly sobbing, especially when this wasn’t about me. I looked up at the ceiling, sucking in a deep breath.
“So,” I said, once I trusted myself to speak. “Now we just have to win the trial, so we can live our lives how we want to.”
I said it like it was no big deal, like we could accomplish the task in our sleep. The truth was far worse, far more dangerous.
My father nodded, and then conjured up a tray with three glasses on it.
“I think we all need a drink,” he said, mirroring my thoughts.
I didn’t ask what the dark amber liquid was, but instead took the glass and held it in my hand. I trusted my father. I hadn’t expected to, but I did. And I was glad he was here.
“To a bright future,” he said, and the three of us clinked glasses before drinking.
I took a sip. I wanted to keep a steady head, but I did want the elixir to ease the tension in my body. It burned like the devil, but I swallowed it down and gasped. I assumed it was going to be sweet, like everything Bella made for me. I hadn’t realized it would taste like that.