His smile breaks its hold, a longing glimmers in his silvery eyes. “That’s a grand notion.”
He’s about to speak, probably to elaborate on being a king, when his body language changes. Every muscle seems to tense, his quicksilver eyes widen, and then he’s gone from the window ledge.
Suddenly, there’s an arm around her waist, pulling her back against a taut, muscular body. A hand wraps around her throat, gentle but unyielding.
Orion appears in the center of the living room, looking worse for wear.
Rachel elbows back, the powerful slam hitting Nova straight in his upper abdominal muscles. He exhales a whoosh of air, but isn’t deterred. “Get off me, you oversized firefly. Zig—” Her shout is cut short as the hand around her neck tightens.
Freaking sibling squabbles.
“Brother,” Nova’s voice is amicable as he greets Orion, but there’s an underlying threat there, too. “We’ve been expecting you.”
Orion’s gaze moves over her, evaluating every inch of her body. His jaw tenses, hands ball into fists by his sides. His nostrils flare as his golden flames trickle up his hands. “Let go of her. She has nothing to do with any of this.”
“Oh, I know,” Nova answers. The arm around her waist disappears.
Orion’s hands move to his head, where he presses against his temples, his eyes shut. “Get out of my head,” he hisses. “Get out!”
In her peripheral vision, Rachel spies blue flame rippling over Nova’s arm. The air grows thick with electricity as the tension between the brothers becomes palpable.
“So melodramatic,” Nova says. Breathy chuckles accompany the words. “Do I have your attention?” He brings his blazing arm closer to her shoulder, singeing the fibers of her shirt and flyaway hairs in her braid. Sulfur stinks up the room.
Orion extinguishes his flame, pursing his lips together to keep his rage from getting the best of him. “What do you want?” he bites the words out through gritted teeth.
“I will meet you at the Harrowsgate in five minutes, where we will discuss the terms of Rachel Cleary’s release,” Nova says. “If you do anything stupid, the girl will suffer the consequences. Are we understood?”
Orion sneers, but says, “Yes.”
“Good. Now go.”
Orion glissers away from the cabin.
Nova loosens the hand around her neck, the blue flame winks out.
“Ziggy,” Rachel finally screams, and her Fae light zigzags out of its hiding place. “Attack.” The golden sphere hesitates, his light dimming slightly.
“You have a Fae light?” Nova asks, not in the least bit concerned over Ziggy’s presence. “Interesting.”
She turns her head sideways as much as she can, looking away from him, but opens her arms for Ziggy to come closer. The sphere rushes forward and she wraps her arms around him, holding on tightly.
“I can’t believe you did that after I told you about the Halfling,” Rachel says.
“It was the only way for him to listen. At least we’re both getting what we want now,” Nova says. “Orion will be safely away from my kingdom and you’ll have your champion back where he belongs. It’s a—what is it humans call it? Ah, yes, it’s a win-win.”
“Your tactics leave much to be desired,” she mumbles.
He snickers behind her. “Manipulation is the crowning jewel in any monarch’s arsenal. My tactics may have been questionable to you, no doubt, but everything I do is done to keep my kingdom safe. Think about that on your way home.”
Before Rachel can respond, the world sinks away beneath her feet. Overcome with sickening vertigo, she squeezes her eyes shut. She resists the urge to scream as her weightless body is shredded apart in the void, the unseen pressure that comes along with glissering ebbs and flows around her, inside her. A flip is succeeded by a tilt, and then gravity takes hold. She releases a gasp as her feet touch down on solid ground. Her hold on Ziggy loosens and the Fae light moves out of her arms.
She opens her eyes and finds herself staring at Orion, standing in front of a birch gate nearly identical to the one on her side of the forest. It’s larger, though, and there are colorful gemstones imbedded into the twisted branches. Instead of a mushroom circle, stones surround the green space in front of the Harrowsgate.
There are several armed Fae soldiers standing far enough away from them to give them privacy, but close enough to attack if something goes awry.
It’s like Nova knew what would happen and planned ahead.
Ziggy flies around Orion, before moving through the Harrowsgate.
“The terms are simple, Orion.” Nova holds her upright, blue flame once again enveloping his free arm. “Leave this realm and I’ll send her to you.
“It’s never that simple with you,” Orion retorts.
Rachel feels him shrug behind her. “Oh, but it is,” Nova says. “But if you have the silly notion to return, and if I should find out, Rachel here will atone for your sins. And you know I will make her pay threefold.” The hand around her neck loosens enough for a fingertip to trace her necklace, before moving to the soft skin located right beneath her décolletage. “The Ronamy Stone protects her mind from me, but her body ...” Nova buries his face into her braid, his nose touching her cheek. He makes a sound in the back of his throat as he inhales deeply. A shudder runs down Rachel’s spine, but she remains perfectly still at his supposed threat. “I will break her in ways you never thought possible,” Nova’s whisper is almost gleeful.
Orion bares his teeth like a feral beast, the flames returning to his hands.
In a display of power, Nova runs his tongue up her cheek. This time, Rachel flinches and recoils as he licks her. She’s not actually scared, though. For some reason, she doesn’t fear Nova the way she knows she should. He’s, as Mrs. Crenshaw would say, more bark than bite.
“I haven’t had a virgin for so long—”
Threat or no, Rachel can’t help herself from bursting out in laughter, which catches both brothers off-guard. Nova jerks away from her
