Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 134898 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 540(@250wpm)___ 450(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134898 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 540(@250wpm)___ 450(@300wpm)
“Of course.”
“Did you mean what you said? About me being your mate? Even after everything that’s happened?”
His expression gets a little cagey as he sets me down. “Hmm?”
“You called me your mate.” I flick a finger in the direction Naiah left. “In front of her.”
“I wanted her to help you and to not ask questions.”
“So I’m not your mate.”
“Do you want to be?”
“I want to know how you feel.”
We eye each other.
“I mean…I don’t hate the idea,” he muses.
“You’re killing me with flattery here,” I say dryly. “Please, stop. A woman can only take so many compliments at once.”
Raptor chuckles and drags me in close again, swallowing me into his embrace once more. “Fine, you want the truth? I’m obsessed with you, Gwenna. I want to attack anyone who even thinks of looking at you twice. I want to hug the shit out of you every time I see you. I want to flip your skirts up and lick your cunt until you squeal my name in that perfect way you do. I want to smile at you first thing every morning and be wrapped in your arms every night. I want you to be the most amazing artificer ever because I want your success. I don’t care if you’re a mancer or a maid or an artificer. I just want to be near you, breathing in the same air and hoping for a smile. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is. So aye, you’re my mate…but you don’t have to be. If it’s not what you want, I’ll back off.”
I stare up at him.
His ears twitch, his expression uncomfortable. “What?”
“I’m just wondering how long it’s going to take you to pick me up again so I can kiss you for saying that, or if I’m going to have to stay down here by your kneecaps.”
Raptor laughs, lifting me up and settling my backside in the crook of his arm. I hold on to his closer horn and then lean in to kiss the side of his muzzle. “You sweet, ridiculous male. Of course I want to be your mate. I just didn’t know how you felt after everything. The last time you called me your mate, I blurted out Hemmen’s name.”
“Hearing that was not my favorite, aye.” His ears twitch again, and I realize he’s embarrassed. “But nothing’s changed. Not for me. Not ever. I just didn’t want you to feel pressured—”
I put a hand over his mouth to stop his words and kiss his cheek again. “Let’s go home so I can show you just how I feel about the situation.”
“Sounds good to me.”
“You can set me down now.”
“Nah, I like carrying you. You’re practically pocket-sized.” He starts heading down the street, me still in his arms.
I snort, because we both know I am not even close to pocket-sized. More like barrel-sized, but I’ll take the flattery. “What happens to us now?”
“We wait for Rooster to decide how he wants to proceed. Or we wait for Naiah to produce a potion. Or we wait for the killer to show themselves. Or for Master Jay to file that we’re disqualified. Basically…we wait.”
I don’t know if I like that. We wait for someone else to make a move? “I feel like we should do something more.”
“Aye, we probably should. But unfortunately, we’re not the ones in charge.”
Forty-Four
Gwenna
Despite being snuggled in Raptor’s arms at night, I’m still having trouble sleeping. My dreams are filled with more of the senseless babble of the dead, and Hemmen’s accusing gaze. Of wandering the Everbelow as hands reach out to grab me and try to pull me into the shadows. I wake up before everyone else in the morning and head to the kitchen. Marta is behind on her cooking. It looks as if she left last night without preparing anything for today. It seems such a small thing to do, and I’ve spent so much time in kitchens growing up, that I automatically start making the dough for the day’s bread. It’ll need to proof for a few hours, and she can probably use the help.
Besides, it’s not like I’m going to be an artificer anytime soon. I fight back a sigh of frustration and slap the dough a little harder just to work the emotions out of my system. It feels good to do something I know I can manage, so I ready the dough, then start to chop vegetables and soak barley. Raptor really loves a barley soup, and I want to make something comforting. Maybe I’ll ask to be the nestmaid at another residence. Maybe I’ll ask to be Hawk’s nestmaid.
Maybe I’ll just toss my pride out the window. I snort at that.
Marta comes into the house at dawn, surprised to see me in the kitchen. She pulls her shawl off her shoulders and hangs it on a hook by the door. “Oh. What are you doing up?”