Saving the Fae (Daughter of Light #3) - Leia Stone Page 0,29

an elf a long time ago.”

Elf fae were long gone, even before the dark war, sadly. They had some trouble reproducing and slowly died out. I ducked my head and stepped inside.

“Whoa,” I breathed.

The entire inside of the tree had been hollowed out. It was about the size of my small bedroom growing up. But on the far wall was a tiny kitchen with a stove just big enough for a loaf of bread or a small pan. The floor was filled with pine needles, but they had been recently brushed into a pile to reveal hard-packed earth. No bed to be seen, but there was a small hand-carved dining table for two with built-in chairs. All carved out of the tree and unmovable. Four windows were carved in an oval shape with a foggy thin moonstone glass that let the natural moonlight in. The ceiling was carved high up, about fifteen feet above our heads. It was… stunning.

“I was in here, cleaning it up today. I thought it might be cool to live here,” he said with a shy grin. “That’s stupid. It’s so small.”

“It’s amazing!” I told him, walking over to the kitchen. “You could put a fridge right here and put in some electrical.”

Liam nodded. “I was also thinking of carving another door and adding an attached bathroom.”

His dream, living in Faerie in this tree, staying near me, it made my heart flutter, and warmth pushed outward into my limbs.

“What about your brothers?” I asked.

He shrugged. “They are so used to me being in and out. I’m only a few yards away. They could come get me if they needed me.”

That was true, and his second eldest brother would be thirteen soon.

Shaking out the blanket, he laid it down on the freshly-swept, packed earth and patted the spot beside him.

I walked over slowly, watching him as he pulled out soft cheeses, dried fruits, and a glass bottle of water. I sat cross-legged before him, pushing my dress down between my legs so that I didn’t flash him while he set the items gingerly onto the plate. His hands shook a little when he set a dried fig on my plate.

Was he nervous?

Finally, he sighed, deep and longing, and his shoulders slumped.

“What’s wrong?” I was having a nice time. Wasn’t he? This romantic place he’d found, the picnic, the flowers with roots all attached, it was perfect.

When he looked up at me, there were tears brimming in his eyes. “I… took your family.” His voice was hollow.

I took your family. What an accurate thing to say. Not, I took your mom. No. Because my mom was my entire family. But I didn’t feel the anger or grief that I had before. My mom made her bed, and she had to lie in it. She tried to kill an innocent child… I couldn’t judge Liam’s choice to defend his brother’s life any longer.

“You became my family.” I reached out and brushed the tear from his cheek.

He looked even more pained at my response.

“It’s true,” I told him. “You’re my family now. Soulmates, remember?”

The fates, the gods, whoever created us, made the blue light to lead us to our perfect partner. Liam was fiercely loyal, loving, kind, and strong. My mother, had she gotten over her prejudice, would have loved him. I truly knew that in my very being.

“Liam, look at me.” His head had dropped back down, and now he tilted it up to meet my eyes, so much anguish there. “I’ve forgiven you. I think it’s time to forgive yourself because I’m ready to move on.”

His jaw clenched as if the mere mention of forgiving himself was painful, but then he nodded. “You’re right. You’re always right.” He reached out and traced a circle on my thigh absentmindedly.

Warmth and wetness bloomed between my legs as need clenched deep in my gut. We were too far apart. Physically, emotionally, spiritually, I needed him closer. I needed us back the way we were because nothing felt right without him by my side.

I burst from where I sat, onto my knees, and knocked him backward, pressing my lips to his. The breath went out of him in a rush as shock colored his face, and then he was kissing me right back. This kiss wasn’t sweet. It wasn’t delicate. It was hard, fevered, and completely all-consuming.

I kissed him like his lips gave me life while his tongue stroked mine with a passionate rush. When I stuck my hand under the belt