hurry to unwrap my portion and pinch off a small amount that I pop into my mouth with a moan.
I can feel Eliph’s eyes on me, watching me hungrily as he eats his own portion. A warm tingle runs over my scalp at his regard, but it doesn’t last long before I realize that the goblin is also staring at me with a tiny smirk as he eats. What exactly that’s about I can only guess. He always watches me eat leftovers like he expects me to get sick. Not that I have even once. I wrinkle my nose at him to tell him exactly what I think of his mockery. After all, I haven’t objected or even turned green at eating the wrapped meat for days.
Asshole.
I lick my fingers and flip him the bird before turning to Eliph and nudging him. The smile he bends on me brightens my mood, and I grin back as I scarf down the remaining bit of my morning portion. Unsurprisingly, he’s already polished his off, but I’m shocked when he suddenly swoops in to plant a chaste kiss on my lips before withdrawing to his designated safe distance for shifting.
I watch him, my fingers hovering over my lips in awe, as his body contorts into his fetch form. Blowing out a breath, he walks over toward me, a slight prance in his step, making me laugh at his sudden playfulness. His tail flags at my amusement, and he does a light trot around me before coming to a stop beside a fallen tree that I can use as a footstool. I slide onto his warm back, my legs closing around his body. This is the first time we’ve started the morning riding, but I understand his urgency and that’s why we are changing it up today. I find I don’t mind it all that much.
Grimsal brushes his hands off as he walks over to our side, strapping his packed winpar sack to his belt as he does so. He gives me a bright look that makes me suspicious as he rests one hand on Eliph’s flank.
“So, since we all have this lovely connection going on, what do you say about riding double? It would be quite a bit cozier up there, and…”
Eliph’s ears flattens, and he promptly snakes his head back, snapping at the offending limb. For about half a second, I consider jerking in surprise until I realize exactly what this is. They’re fucking with each other. Great. I roll my eyes and press my lips together, refusing to laugh, as the goblin yanks his hand out of the way with a mad laugh.
What’s with men of all species and playing dangerous games where they actually try to maim each other? I’m not worried about Eliph. He outsizes the goblin in his fae form, but in his fetch form he has considerable weight and power that could pulverize the smaller male. Not that it will stop him any. It’s obviously all fun and games to that goblin until he really goes too far.
The moment the goblin jerks away, Eliph’s ears snap up, and my mind—and no doubt the goblin’s thanks to having a connection to Eliph through me—fills with amusement as he side-steps elegantly away from Grimsal. His tail flicks in the other male’s direction in a mocking manner at the very end.
Nice try, goblin, but even your inborn death wish is not convincing enough to make me believe that you would risk your life to sit with my mate.
The other male presses a hand to his chest in insult.
“You would really hurt me?”
I think you ought to be more concerned with what my ahandral does to you if you attempt to cozy up to her, he snickers as he prances ahead along the path, leaving the goblin to follow us with his occasional random burst of teleportation smoke.
I grin at my mate’s words—because he’s not wrong. And what do you know… My mate. Huh. I relax in my seat, swaying comfortably on Eliph’s back as he picks up his pace into an easy trot. Moving as I am with him, it’s only minimally jarring until I adjust my seat. A happy laugh escapes me as we whisk through the trees, my heart falling into rhythm with us as I enjoy the sense of oneness that I’ve found. Flowers open as the sun rises higher, and I want to shout with elation at the happiness I feel in this moment.
“Sickeningly sweet,” Grimsal