Freed (Imprisoned by the Fae 3)

Ah, well. It’s better than Dusk. Or Veron. Or even that horrible little redcap, who only saw dollar signs every time he looked at me.

Yeah. I’m much better off sticking inside right now.

About a week after he made his final claim on me, I wake up to see Rys watching me sleep.

Will I ever get used to that? He does it a lot and I’m always a little startled at first before I invite him to cuddle with me some more. For as long as I’ve known him, he’s always been the early to bed, early to rise type. He gets up with the sun, though he usually lays in bed with me unless he has someone to meet with or another task to perform for Oberon.

We haven’t been called back to his palace yet, though Rys assures me it’s only a matter of time. Especially since, I discover, one of the reasons Rys has been so busy lately is because he’s in talks with Helix to permanently rejoin the Summer King’s guards instead of just being another fae soldier.

But that’s not all he’s been doing. And after Rys drops the bomb on me about what else has been driving him these last few days, I’m stunned.

“I understand if you don’t want to come with me. It’s still not that safe, and even though I’ve arranged the portal to open inside of his home, I won’t push you to do something if you don’t want to.”

“I… let me think about this for a second.”

“Take your time, Leannán.”

My head feels like it’s full of cotton. It’s fuzzy. I can’t focus.

What the hell?

Two words echo in my mind.

Lord Veron.

“Why would you go see him?” And why would he want me to go, too?

I know he’s not trying to get rid of me. All of my insecurities were put to rest when Rys claimed me. He’s my mate but, more importantly, I’m his. Maybe not his ffrindau, but the only difference is that he can’t acknowledge that I’m the other half of his soul. We both know it’s true, though, and that’s good enough for me.

“He’s a loose thread that I’d very much like to see snipped. That’s all. I just want to make sure that the noble doesn’t get it in his head again that he can ever touch you.”

My flinch is completely involuntary. “Ew. Not on your life.”

“Or his.”

“What?”

“Nothing, Leannán. So. Would you like to come with me?”

I think of the way Rys said ‘or his’ like that. “Hang on… are you going to get all sword happy with Veron?”

He gives me a grin that I know better than to believe. “I’ll behave. Promise.”

Rys can’t lie, but we totally have a different definition of what it means to behave. I was reminded of that last night when he went down on me until I was begging him to touch me anywhere else but my poor, over-sensitized clit. Those three orgasms were amazing, but sometimes a chick needs her Seelie mate to be a little less civilized.

But this isn’t about sex right now. This is about facing my fear and proving that I’m right to trust Rys.

So I think about it. Really think about what he’s asking me.

Veron’s been the big, bad bogeyman chasing after me for almost as long as I’ve been in Faerie. Rys wants to take care of this loose end? There’s no way I can stop him if he’s got his mind set on this meet and, well, maybe this is the closure I need.

Besides, as much as I hate Veron, he’s different from Dusk. I don’t think he deserves to lose his head.

“Okay. I’ll go.”

I just hope I don’t regret it.

We leave later that afternoon.