Prince of Wolves - Tasha Black Page 0,22

be easy prey in Faerie.

“I’m going to put wards around your apartment,” he went on. “It’s not fool-proof, but it will help.”

She let him continue to muse, even as she disappeared into her own thoughts.

Varik hadn’t spoken to her at all about last night. It had seemed so magical, but neither of them were wearing vines on their hands this morning. There was no bond.

She had spent the whole day trying not to overthink things and just have fun.

But it was hard not to accept that things had just turned a corner.

Varik was obviously very proud of his work and his reputation. Yet he had just gone to battle for her, even if it was only with pixies.

And it sounded like he was very much prepared to go to war with much worse things - all to buy her time in this realm.

Whatever his feelings were about last night, Varik was showing her with his actions how important she was to him.

Now it was up to her to decide how she felt. Because it was clear they couldn’t fight the forces of Faerie forever. No matter how tough Varik was, there were only two of them against the practically limitless resources of the Winter Court.

If they managed to find a way to stay in the mortal realm, they might have some sort of life together, if he was willing to give up everything.

In Faerie they would be separated permanently.

Magic or no, Ashe’s parents would go right back to using her as a pawn for their political agenda. They would never allow her to be with the bounty hunter.

Choosing to go back now would mean turning her back on a new life, where she could be normal and have freedom.

Choosing to stay might doom them both.

“Everything okay, Ashe?” Varik asked.

She nodded, afraid that if she spoke, he would hear the despair in her voice.

“I will do whatever it takes to keep you here,” he assured her. “We made a bargain. And I never go back on my word.”

A bargain…

She wondered suddenly if that was all it meant to him.

Was he just keeping his word and buying her a little time, and having a bit of fun with her while he was at it?

He was pulling into the little parking lot before she had enough time to really think it over.

They raced up to the apartment, and she watched as Varik and Ronan investigated the front door.

Seeming satisfied, Varik opened the front door, motioning for her to stay where she was as he and the pup slipped inside.

She looked down at the little yard as she waited.

Everything looked so peaceful. It seemed exceptionally odd that anything untoward could be happening.

A moment later Varik came back for her.

“Coast is clear,” he said. “For now, at least.”

She nodded.

“Would you fix us more pie and coffee while I put up wards?” he asked. “Pixie bites can leave you light-headed if you don’t fortify afterward.”

She felt a flash of gratitude.

Sure, he had asked her to go get busy in the kitchen while he did important work securing her perimeter - such as it was.

But he had also offered her the dignity of a task in the face of the magical work he was about to do - work she could not help with.

“Of course,” she said.

He brushed his lips across her forehead and then headed to the door, pulling threads of magic from his fingertips.

She got coffee started with Ronan at her heels.

“Were you hoping for a treat?” she asked him.

He sat down and smiled at her, his non-floppy ear swiveled toward her.

She grabbed last night’s dinner from the fridge, then pulled out a few nice chunks of chicken and put them on a plate for him.

The pup wagged his tail and pounced on his meal.

The sight of his pure bliss was enough to renew her optimism.

We can figure this out, somehow. I’m not going back.

There has to be a way.

Varik hummed softly as he set the wards across her door.

She glanced back at him to see the magic glimmer like spiderwebs in the morning dew, labyrinths of spells all crafted to protect her.

But was he protecting her out of love, or just securing his quarry?

13

Ashe

A few hours later, Ashe was baking and feeling lonely.

Varik had insisted that he and Ronan needed to go outside and scout. He’d told her that if something big got close enough to activate the wards on the apartment it was already too late. Which didn’t do much to ease her