long being alone, after watching him and loving him in the only way she knew how, she was finally in his arms and all she wanted was the kiss sheâd dreamed of in secrecy. He wasnât giving her that, so she broke the rules. She said, âIâm not human, but I used to be a very long time ago.â
And then she decided to try out this modern-girl thing: she kissed him thoroughly before he could answer.
C HAPTER 8
After their kiss, Jayce had asked her to explain what she meant, but she couldnât, not really. âI need to get permission to say any more,â sheâd told him. Jayce went back to town, and Rika set out to find Sionnach, realizing that this would be the first time she went to her Alpha with a request. It rankled, and she pondered what sheâd do if Sionnach said no.
Do I want this enough to challenge him?
She wasnât sure. All she could say for certain was that while she wasnât sure of the rules for courtship in this modern world, she was pretty sure that lying wasnât a good plan. So she needed to seek Sionnachâs permission.
She found the fox faery nestled in the shadows of a rocky edge that formed the side of what would become a water hole in the wet season. He wouldnât be visible if she hadnât wound her way through the canyon and through a narrow opening. He didnât quite flinch at her appearance, but he didnât offer her a smile either. All he said was âPrincess.â
Rika smothered a sigh. He didnât often sink into melancholy moodsâor if he did, she hadnât seen many of themâso she was at a momentary loss. Carefully, she skirted the cacti that flourished here and walked over to stand awkwardly in front of him. âWhy do you call me that?â
He shrugged. âYou werenât the queen of winter or summer, but you couldâve been. You arenât the Alpha, but you could be . . . so, princess.â
She sat down next to him on the ground. âI never wanted to be a queen or Alpha. I just wanted to be loved.â
Sionnach stared at her for long enough that she squirmed. They had discussed her past enough that he shouldnât be surprised by her words. Maybe it was his mood, or maybe it was because heâd almost kissed her. Either way, she felt uncharacteristically vulnerable.
âShy?â
âYou like the mortal,â Sionnach said.
âYes.â
âThatâs why youâre here.â He looked away from her to stare out at the desert.
Rika frowned. Sionnach had all but shoved Jayce into her arms, yet now he was looking at her like she was wrong to have done exactly what he seemed to want. Cautiously, she said, âI wonât tell him what I am if you forbid it.â
The fox faery nodded, but he didnât look at her. âDo you remember when we met?â
She smiled. âYou were dancing in the moonlight like you didnât know anyone was around.â
âI knew you were there.â He glanced at her. âI knew you were there every time before that too. I thought maybe if I waited youâd come out of your prison and join me. I wanted you to love the desert like I do. I wanted you to be happy here.â
âI am. Now.â
âBecause of the mortal?â
Rika nodded.
âIf I say no, will you challenge me?â Sionnach asked. His voice was more cautious than sheâd ever heard.
âYouâre my friend.â
âIs that a no?â
Rika still didnât have an answer to that question. Sheâd thought about it, but she had no desire to be in power. That wasnât her goal. All she wanted was happiness. She settled on saying, âI donât want to fight you.â
âYouâd win.â Sionnach flashed her one of his mischievous smiles. âWe both know that.â
âYouâd leave the desert if you werenât Alpha,â she half said, half asked.
Sionnach shrugged, neither agreeing with