you over my shoulder and carry you into the forest where we can test it for ourselves.”
Oh my god.
He was still massaging my neck, something that felt so good I thought I might melt into a puddle on the floor. Not to mention the bit about him carrying me outside. I knew firsthand that he wouldn’t hesitate to throw me over his shoulder. But would he really take things further than that?
My heart pounded against my ears.
I had a feeling that he most certainly would.
“Or,” he said, dropping his hand away. Cool air whispered against my neck in its place. “You could be trying to distract me from the fact you knew about the changeling humans before you asked about them in class. Have you been talking to the older students?”
My brain was fuzzy, and my body begged for more of his touch. But I couldn’t let him see how much he’d gotten to me, or the fact that I’d actually been considering letting him carry me outside...
“I guess you caught me,” I said in a faux-abashed voice. “I got curious, so I asked around.”
“Hmm, well I can’t blame you, but I’d appreciate it if you didn’t try to show me up in class like that.” His eyes dropped to my chest where my nipples had hardened and were clearly poking through my shirt. That was how much an effect his little massage had on me. “Though, I have to say, it seems we’ve both enjoyed our after-class chat. Be sure to let me know when you want to take that little trip into the forest.”
With a wink, he turned back to rifle through some notes on his desk, and it took a very long time for my face to cool down. Was that just another joke? A tease? A way to throw me off my game?
Or had he meant it?
And why did I desperately want to find out?
When I strode into the library after dinner, Kael was glowering out the window, as per usual. I dropped my study books onto the table and crossed my arms over my chest, conjuring up a strength and confidence I’d never known I had until now.
“I want to ramp our training up a notch,” I said. Voice firm. Eyes clear. I wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “I want to know more about that plant, and I want to practice ways to fight the Redcaps. No more reading, Kael. I’m ready to learn how to fight.”
I expected him to argue. He’d been dead set against physically training me so far, and I didn’t expect that to change anytime soon. But when he turned from the window, his eyes held a hint of defeat.
“I know about Bree,” he said.
My mouth opened, but no sound came out. This couldn’t be happening. I hadn’t told a soul about her visit, and I didn’t know what I would do if he insisted on tracking her down. He might think she was a threat, but she wasn’t. Bree was a lot of things, but she wasn’t a killer. She wasn’t anything close to that.
“Sit,” Kael said. Even though I wanted to stand tall, I obeyed, practically falling into the chair.
He strode closer to me and braced his palms on the wood surface, leaning so close that his breath whispered across my cheek. “I assume she’s spoken to you because you look like you’re about to vomit.”
Swallowing hard, I tore my gaze away. I wanted to look anywhere else than into his glittering eyes. Those eyes that always felt as if they could see through every barrier I tried to put up between us.
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to send Hunters out to kill her,” he said, still leaning close. “I won’t tell the Head Instructor either. Or Finn, Rourke, or Liam, though I believe you’d find them more understanding than you think.”
“What?” Heart in my throat, I glanced back at him. Nothing in his eyes suggested that this was all some sort of trick or a joke. In fact, Kael never joked. He was far too matter-of-fact for that. A trickster, he was not. So, when he said something, I felt as though I should believe it.
“You heard me.” He pushed away from the table and stalked back toward the window, glaring through the thick panes. “Your friend is going through a torturous time right now, but there’s no evidence to suggest she’s fallen prey to the beast. As long as she keeps the blood off