pretend he was doing this just to help her, that wouldn’t be true. He wanted to be alone with her and it had nothing to do with Court.
“You shouldn’t be seen with me too often.” She needed to hold the King’s interest and she couldn’t do that if she were on Verden’s arm all the time at Court.
She nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
But she was here in the garden with him, ready to cross the veil. A few moments of being caught in their dance had him wanting to steal more time with Taryn—away from the prying eyes and greedy gossip of Court. He wanted her to himself.
“Shall we go?” If he lingered any longer he might change his mind and decide the risk of this game wasn’t worth the reward.
She hesitated. “Are you sure I won’t get found out?”
“I will do nothing to jeopardize your chances.” That was almost a lie. They were outside the castle in the dark about to sneak away; getting caught would be disastrous. “I cross the veil all the time. No one will suspect we are together.”
Taryn let out a breath, the tension in her shoulders easing. “I really need to speak with my mother.”
Verden looked at her. He knew the old doorways across the veil, but they didn’t act like the main doorway. “That could be a problem.”
“You said you could take me across, that there were hidden doorways.”
“Yes. But they are the old routes, the ones forgotten at the edges of Annwyn. The ones not destroyed by humans.”
“You can’t take me to Charleston?”
“No. But I can take you to the forgotten wilds of the mortal world.” The places he sometimes visited when he wanted to get away from the politics and enjoy the untouched beauty of the mortal world where there were no fairies to police and no rules to enforce.
“Damn it.” She crossed her arms and looked back at the castle. Was she regretting stepping outside to meet him? She spun back to face him, her features half masked by shadows. “Then what is the point?”
Ah, she wasn’t here to be with him. He wasn’t used to rejection; he was the one usually turning down advances, but it didn’t put him off. He liked to hunt, and Taryn was something unique. “We get time alone without being watched. Plus…” He reached into his pocket and produced the cards. “I can teach you to play.”
Her lips parted, and her gaze darted between the cards and his face as if torn. “And what do you expect in return? Nothing is free here.”
“The pleasure of your company.” That was the truth, and tonight he could determine just how far he was willing to play or if this was a distraction from the current chaos and nothing more.
She laughed. “I am not that naïve. You could have any woman here. One with standing and power.”
“I could.” However, they were boring and they sought only to elevate themselves. Taryn was different, and not just because she was a new face at Court. She was here to save her parents and he admired that. He touched her cheek and a shiver ran through his blood. “But then I wouldn’t be standing here with you.”
“What do you want, Verden?”
She used his name, not his title. It had been a long time since anyone had done that and not meant it as an insult.
You, even though it goes against my better judgment. Was he helping her or indulging himself? Maybe both. But he still had to think of Annwyn. “I don’t know.”
For the first time in a long time, he had no plan, no game in play. He took orders from the King and did what he needed to execute them, but that was all he did. Taryn made him want more. He wanted to feel the edge of risk and the rush of desire—and he didn’t want to hide it.
She considered him for a moment. “That I believe.” Then she held out her hand.
Verden hesitated even though he wanted to feel her hand in his again. “You should know there is a bet.”
“About me?”
He nodded. “Whose bed will you fall into first.”
“If you think I will give in so you can win the
“You shouldn’t be seen with me too often.” She needed to hold the King’s interest and she couldn’t do that if she were on Verden’s arm all the time at Court.
She nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
But she was here in the garden with him, ready to cross the veil. A few moments of being caught in their dance had him wanting to steal more time with Taryn—away from the prying eyes and greedy gossip of Court. He wanted her to himself.
“Shall we go?” If he lingered any longer he might change his mind and decide the risk of this game wasn’t worth the reward.
She hesitated. “Are you sure I won’t get found out?”
“I will do nothing to jeopardize your chances.” That was almost a lie. They were outside the castle in the dark about to sneak away; getting caught would be disastrous. “I cross the veil all the time. No one will suspect we are together.”
Taryn let out a breath, the tension in her shoulders easing. “I really need to speak with my mother.”
Verden looked at her. He knew the old doorways across the veil, but they didn’t act like the main doorway. “That could be a problem.”
“You said you could take me across, that there were hidden doorways.”
“Yes. But they are the old routes, the ones forgotten at the edges of Annwyn. The ones not destroyed by humans.”
“You can’t take me to Charleston?”
“No. But I can take you to the forgotten wilds of the mortal world.” The places he sometimes visited when he wanted to get away from the politics and enjoy the untouched beauty of the mortal world where there were no fairies to police and no rules to enforce.
“Damn it.” She crossed her arms and looked back at the castle. Was she regretting stepping outside to meet him? She spun back to face him, her features half masked by shadows. “Then what is the point?”
Ah, she wasn’t here to be with him. He wasn’t used to rejection; he was the one usually turning down advances, but it didn’t put him off. He liked to hunt, and Taryn was something unique. “We get time alone without being watched. Plus…” He reached into his pocket and produced the cards. “I can teach you to play.”
Her lips parted, and her gaze darted between the cards and his face as if torn. “And what do you expect in return? Nothing is free here.”
“The pleasure of your company.” That was the truth, and tonight he could determine just how far he was willing to play or if this was a distraction from the current chaos and nothing more.
She laughed. “I am not that naïve. You could have any woman here. One with standing and power.”
“I could.” However, they were boring and they sought only to elevate themselves. Taryn was different, and not just because she was a new face at Court. She was here to save her parents and he admired that. He touched her cheek and a shiver ran through his blood. “But then I wouldn’t be standing here with you.”
“What do you want, Verden?”
She used his name, not his title. It had been a long time since anyone had done that and not meant it as an insult.
You, even though it goes against my better judgment. Was he helping her or indulging himself? Maybe both. But he still had to think of Annwyn. “I don’t know.”
For the first time in a long time, he had no plan, no game in play. He took orders from the King and did what he needed to execute them, but that was all he did. Taryn made him want more. He wanted to feel the edge of risk and the rush of desire—and he didn’t want to hide it.
She considered him for a moment. “That I believe.” Then she held out her hand.
Verden hesitated even though he wanted to feel her hand in his again. “You should know there is a bet.”
“About me?”
He nodded. “Whose bed will you fall into first.”
“If you think I will give in so you can win the
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