Page 79 of The Fury She Holds
“Tal, wait.” Faron reached for her arm and slid his hand down to hers. The satisfying chill that spread across her skin distracted her momentarily.
She turned to him and could see the concern in his features. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to storm the palace,” she teased. The lines on Faron’s face softened.
“What if I could prove to you that it’s not him?”
“Aside from finding who is responsible, I don’t see how you could.” She wanted to believe him, wanted to believe that the king didn’t invite mages into their land, but the evidence suggested otherwise. Either the king was corrupt, or he was completely oblivious to what happened right under his nose and wasn’t suited for the role. “I trust you,” she said. “But until you can prove it’s not him, he’s the first person I’ll blame for anything mage related.”
Faron nodded. “Understood.”
She sighed, wishing they had a little bit longer to explore what had happened between them before Egan interrupted. “Sounds like our evenings are about to get exciting.”
Faron stepped into her and forced her back into the wall. “I thought things had already started to get exciting.” He leaned down and brushed her lips with his.
She let him tease her a moment more. When he didn’t deepen the kiss, she put her hands on his chest and pushed him away playfully. “You’ve been coming here for weeks, andnowyou’re ready to make a move?”
He walked backwards toward his exit to the street above. With both hands up in surrender, he said, “What can I say? I’ve had a taste. Now I want more.” With a bow and a wink, he headed off and left Tal to her responsibilities.
21
Talwyn blinked in surprise when Faron stood in her doorway early the next morning. He had a mischievous gleam in his eyes while he waited for her to finish sheathing her knives in the holsters strapped across her back and on her thighs. “I think you may be a little overly prepared.”
“Did you forget that we’re in the slums? I piss off every criminal at least once a day, and the mages are still hunting me down.” She sheathed the last dagger inside her boot and pulled the leg of her trousers down over it.
“You’re safe as long as I’m with you.”
His playful tone caught her attention, and she chuckled. “Wasn’t I the one that saved you at the incinerator?” She stepped into his space. He propped one arm along the doorway and leaned over her. His proximity made her face flush, and she couldn’t stop the easy smile that pulled at her lips.
He leaned dangerously close to her. “I seem to remember a certain someone needing to be pulled out of the river,” he whispered.
Talwyn’s heartbeat pounded in her chest. She didn’t dare breathe.
“I have a surprise.” He pulled back.
Tal couldn’t help her disappointment, but she could see the mischief in his gaze. He motioned for her to leave first and followed close behind. She peeked at him over her shoulder. She bit her lip, trying to compose herself, but his tongue glided over his own lips, and her fury roared southward. She clamped her teeth shut and worked to rein it back in.
The small exchanges continued as he led her to the bakery, saying they needed food before he brought her to their destination. “You’ve been delivering baskets every day. Did you forget to pack?”
“That food was for everyone else. I want to have a taste from this amazing baker Egan keeps talking about.”
Tal secretly wondered if he made the excuse to support the business owner. When they arrived, Evania squealed at the sight of the swordsman who had first come to her rescue. Despite being without his maroon suit, she recognized him instantly. Faron hugged the siblings and pulled a trinket for each of them out of his pocket. When they ran off, he greeted the baker and his wife. By the exchange between them, Tal guessed the noble had visited the children before. She suspected Faron’s penchant for gift giving extended to the family.
Shortly after, the two of them stood on either side of a display while Tal sampled a roll. She locked eyes with Faron when she bit into it. She noticed the tick in his jaw, how the corner of his lips lifted. He took a deep breath. “Now, now,” he breathed, his voice hoarse, “behavior like that is going to get you in trouble.”
Tal chuckled and stepped around the display until she stood in front of him. She opened her mouth to say something that surely would have gotten her into the kind of trouble he referred towhen footsteps behind her signaled a newcomer. Faron tensed and stared over her shoulder.
“Your Majesty,” Daire commanded from behind Tal. She turned to catch him straightening from a bow. “The council requests your presence and has sent me to escort you back to the palace.”
Talwyn stared at Daire in confusion. She laughed. Daire must have been mocking Faron. But his face remained the mask of a captain, and he refused to meet her gaze. She turned back to Faron who clenched his jaw and pursed his lips. His whole body went rigid. Tal gaped between the two men.
“What?” she breathed.
When Faron didn’t respond, the knight persisted, “I really must insist, Your Majesty.”
“Majesty?” she asked Faron, her voice rising an octave. He closed his eyes and sighed without relieving the tension in his body. “Majesty?” she said, louder now.
“Tal—” Defeat coated Faron’s voice.
She laughed incredulously, turned to Daire who still refused to acknowledge her, then to Faron who reached for her. “No.” She pulled back and tossed the bread on the ground. She darted out of the bakery past a wide-eyed Eddard. Faron yelled at Daire to give him a minute then called after her.
