Light caught on Steed’s careful smile as he moved closer then disappeared as he came closer still.
They had spoken since their disagreement in the courtyard, though not about anything other than the fey attack and their castle duties. They’d had to heal after the battle and the poison, and they’d had no chance to be alone.
A strange sensation tingled through Thea’s fingers. They were alone now.
Steed came to rest a breath before her, so close that she had to curl her hands into fists to keep from reaching out. It was dark there, but her eyes had adjusted. She could see the way he looked down at her. She remembered what she’d said to him, that she was not what he wanted, that she was not enough. She’d been taunting him, intending to put him through the wringer until the ideas had gone from his head. She’d not meant to leave the words the way she had.
Her throat went dry, but it was far too late to take it back. Steed had been simmering for a week. From the looks of things, he had every intention of setting her to rights.
He leaned in closer, his expression solemn. He took one of her hands in his, leaving her other to clutch lamely at her dagger. “You think that I am not certain.” His voice was low, and in the nearness of the alcove, it seemed to rumble through her like a vow. Steed’s gaze cut into hers, holding her very, very still. “But more than anything else, I am certain… of you.”
Thea swallowed hard, willing her voice not to tremble, her smile not to betray the way the words cut to her heart. “And just how do you intend to keep me happy? By being reliably steady and patient, the way you’ve always been with your stock?”
His smile tipped up at the edge. He murmured, “And keeping treats in my pocket if I need to.”
Thea laughed, and he let her, watching the way it transformed her face. She didn’t think she would ever get tired watching him waiting for her smile or of how his attention could focus solely on her.
“Is that agreeable to you?” he asked.
Thea’s smile fell, and she promised, “I can’t imagine anything more agreeable.”
He leaned down, the two of them entirely alone in the shadow of the alcove, and pressed his lips to hers.
Thank you for reading. Please look for book six in the Frey Saga: Feather and Bone
Also by Melissa Wright
THE FREY SAGA
Frey
Pieces of Eight
Molly (a short story)
Rise of the Seven
Venom and Steel
Shadow and Stone
Feather and Bone
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DESCENDANTS SERIES
Bound by Prophecy
Shifting Fate
Reign of Shadows
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SHATTERED REALMS
King of Ash and Bone
Queen of Iron and Blood
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HAVENWOOD FALLS
Toil and Trouble
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BAD MEDICINE
Blood & Brute & Ginger Root
Visit the author on the web at
www.melissa-wright.com
About the Author
Melissa is the author of twelve YA and fantasy novels, and countless to-do lists. She is currently working on the next book, but when not writing can be spotted collecting the things she loves at Goodreads and Pinterest. Contact her through the web at www.melissa-wright.com
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The Frey Saga Book V Page 16