Bite Of Winter (Fae's Captive #3)(27)

“I’m sorry, Taylor.” I wrap my arm around her shoulders. “But that’s the way unicorns are.”

“You could have warned me!” Her blue eyes flash.

“I did. Remember? I told you unicorns were foul-mouthed creatures, no good beasts. As you say, ‘just the worst.’”

She grumbles. “Maybe.”

I reach over and load her plate with bread, butter, fruit, and slices of rich meat. “I shouldn’t have let it go on as long as I did.” The feral wanted to gouge my eyes out, but I have to let Taylor learn this world on her own terms. Did I want to strangle the unicorn with my bare hands? Yes. Would Taylor have forgiven me for it? Maybe.

“Shouldn’t have let it go on, huh?” She smacks my arm. “You think?”

The feral roars to life, and I sit still for a moment.

“Sorry.” She grimaces. “Didn’t mean to do that.” She blows a stray strand of hair from her face. “And I probably wouldn’t have believed you about the unicorns if I hadn’t seen it for myself.” Her grimace deepens. “And boy did I see it.”

Beth snickers. “All the new changelings are like that. Think the unicorns are noble and magical and amazing.” She devours a piece of bread, then cants her head to the side. “Then again, the new changelings are always children. You don’t have that excuse.”

“Whatever.” Taylor grabs another piece of bread. Then she drops it with a gasp, horror in her eyes. “Oh, god, Leander. What if your feral fae is a unicorn?”

The tickle starts in my throat and explodes through me. I laugh. No, I howl. Beth joins in, her laughter verging on a cackle.

“I’m sorry.” I try to settle myself, because Taylor doesn’t seem quite as amused. “But I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

“Oh, but you don’t know for certain, do you?” A smile finally emerges as she takes a drink of water. “You could be a unicorn in there. A nasty, freaky unicorn.”

“I suppose that’s possible, but—”

“I guess we’ll just see who has the last laugh on that subject.”

“Taylor, I meant no offense.”

“Oh, none taken,” she says too quickly, then juts her little chin out, the picture of pique. Does she have any idea what that does to me? How badly I want to throw her over my shoulder and take her to one of the rooms upstairs?

“Come on.” Beth swipes half the loaf of bread. “You know that was hilarious.”

Taylor huffs a bit, but I can see she’s suppressing a smile.

“Just think. If he is a unicorn, you can ride him on both ends.” Beth grins and pops a grape into her mouth.

“Stop.” Taylor’s smile breaks through, the color high in her cheeks.

I take her hand and kiss it. She grumbles a little more but leans against me.

Cenet and Para, their faces tight, walk in and sit across from us.

“You two are killing the vibe,” Beth says through a mouthful of food.

“You really intend to cross the border tonight?” Cenet ignores Beth and focuses on Para.

“Yes.” She doesn’t look at him. “We’ve been over this.”

Cenet stands and stalks out. Para sighs and follows.

They aren’t mated, or at least I can’t see the bond, but there’s obviously something between them.

“Leander.” Gareth jerks his chin toward the hall.

I add a few more pieces of fruit and some vegetables to Taylor’s plate, then rise and follow Gareth out the door.

He closes it behind us. “Crossing the border could be dangerous.”

“You have news of trouble?”

“Not exactly.” He glances at the door and pulls me toward the rear of the inn near the kitchen, pots and pans clanging in the background.

“What is it?” What could possibly harm her in the winter realm? The king beyond the mountain wouldn’t dare send an assassin to High Mountain while I was there. I would kill any such interloper with nothing more than a thought.

Gareth scrubs the weeks-old beard along his cheek. “It’s you. Remember when we talked about the danger your feral poses once you cross?”

I stare up at the thatch ceiling. “Not this again.”

He doggedly continues, “When you cross the border, your powers will be at full force.”

“I know.” I clap him on the shoulder. “That’s a good thing.”

“Generally speaking, yes, but—”

I sigh. I shouldn’t fault Gareth for his practicality and carefulness, and I don’t … mostly.

“The feral.” He crosses his arms over his chest. “Look, you’ll cross that border and become the winter wind. Your feral will have more power than it’s ever known. You don’t think that will present a risk to Taylor?”

“I would never harm her.” I try to keep the ire from my tone. I fail.

“I know you wouldn’t.” He meets my eyes. “I know you better than anyone else. And I know you’d never force her or hurt her. But the feral fae isn’t something you can control. I didn’t even know they could be controlled until I saw how Delantis handled hers.”

I wave his concerns away. “I can handle myself and my feral.”