“Elle.”
Rys huffs. “Seeing Oberon in his throne room is one thing. Going on a trial into the Shadow Realms when you just managed to leave them behind is something totally different. You can’t go.”
“Yeah? Well, it’s not like I can go home and escape this instead, right?”
His jaw tightens. I obviously struck a nerve there. The playful, charming fae who flirted with Riley and ticked off her Unseelie mate is gone now that we’re back at Rys’s home. In his place, I’m stuck with the demanding, cool Rys who thinks he has some kind of a right to tell me what to do. He’s been like this since he tried to convince Oberon that he didn’t need the mated couple’s help on his trial and it’s only gotten worse after the king refused to allow me to stay behind like Rys requested. Why? I’ve got no clue, but you try telling the imposing Summer King that you’d rather not tag along if you could help it.
What makes it worse is that we’re not even leaving straight away. I’m sure Oberon would have liked us to, but Nine and Riley told him that they had some things to take care of in the Iron before they could go off on an adventure in Faerie. I expected him to remind the couple that he was the one in charge but, to my surprise, Oberon allowed it.
As soon as Nine and Riley return to Faerie, we’re on our way. Until then, I guess I have to deal with Rys—who wastes no time in telling me that I can’t go.
“I wish I could help you through the veil, but I can’t,” he replies. “Even so, you must know that you’re welcome here. You can stay in my home for as long as you like. At least until...”
“Until what?” When he keeps quiet, I let out an annoyed huff. Does he really have to leave me hanging like that? Ugh. “Forget it. It’s not like it matters. The king told me I had to go.”
“Don’t you worry about him. I’ll explain things to Oberon while you stay here.”
“No.”
Rys frowns.
Ugh. How does he make a frown look so sexy?
Stay mad, Hel, I tell myself. It’s too easy to give in, to do what Rys wants, but I won’t do it no matter how bad I still want to jump his bones and feel his skin against mine.
But, since there doesn’t seem any chance for a repeat of last night, I tighten my hands into fists, keep them hanging at my side, and purposely move a few steps away from Rys.
He stays where he is, looking thoughtful. “Do you know,” he muses, his frown deepening, “you’re only the second soul in the last century who’s told me no? I used to consider it charming, though I think I’ve come to change my mind.”
I pause in my pacing. There’s something in the way he says that that catches my attention. “Second?” I echo. “Who was the first?”
“It doesn’t matter. It was a novelty and, rest assured, I didn’t listen when she refused me, either. I was certain she was wrong then, just like I’m sure you are now. Only I was amused before, though I admit now that I was the one in the wrong. But I’m not now.”
Neither am I.
She. Oof. I don’t care if it’s hypocritical as hell, that I fell for Rys when I still have Jim at home. Just hearing Rys mention a “she” with such affection and annoyance—hearing him put her and me together—bothers me.
“Were you trying to talk over her, too?” I snap. “Tell her that she couldn’t do something? Act like it only matters what you think?”
Rys gives nothing away as he says, “No. It was when I insisted she was my mate.”
16
I storm to the other side of the bed, desperate for some space from Rys as I try to process what he just told me.
Because my stubborn fae just can’t take a freaking hint, he follo
ws me across the room.
“I tried to convince her to let me touch her. She refused me that, too.” He’s still talking. Why is he still talking? “It never occurred to me then that I was wrong, so I laughed it off. Of course, we both know better now. Seems as if, as unlikely as it is, sometimes I can be wrong.”
“Yeah? Well, you’re wrong now. I’m going.”
“Leannán.”
“Stop calling me that.” I don’t care why he gave that name to me in the first place, but I’ve come to think of it as something special between us. Now? I can’t handle hearing it anymore.
“Give me your name then. Your true name.”