Forged by Magic (Falling for Fables, #1)(29)

And so I’d helped myself to Rivelin’s herbal tea bags, choosing a chamomile and lavender mix, and then settled into the armchair in the living room while Skoll curled up on the rug beside me. The second I’d tucked my feet beneath me, the front door flung wide open and the elf charged in like he was itching for a fight.

And he smelled like a fates-damned dragon.

Skoll lifted his head and sniffed. Could he smell it, too? He probably could.

All my senses went on high alert, but I schooled my features into an easy smile.

Rivelin narrowed his gaze at me as he kicked the door shut. “What are you doing?”

“Having a cup of tea,” I said sweetly. “Would you like one?”

“Tea.”

“Yes, tea…”

“You’re still here. Drinking tea.”

I blinked, taken aback. “If you wanted me to leave, you should have said so. I just thought you wanted some space after the weapons closet incident. Since that’s, you know, what you said.”

“The weapons closet incident,” he repeated.

Slowly, I put down my mug and unwound myself from the armchair. “I think I’ve missed something.”

“You had access to all those swords,” he said with a frown. “I assumed you’d take one, or even a few so you could sell them for coin, and then you’d be on your way out of Wyndale.”

“And why would I do that?”

“To find somewhere else to stay until you can leave this island to sail for the Glass Peaks. If you took the swords and sold them, you wouldn’t have to stay here and help me with the Games. You had an easy way out. I assumed you’d take it.”

“I see,” I said quietly. “And did you want me to take it?”

A tense silence hung between us as I waited for his reply. My breathing went shallow, not that I cared if he’d hoped to find his house empty when he returned home. If he wanted me to leave, so be it. It was a shame I’d miss out on the Games, but I had options. I would still find out the village’s secrets. I would still track down the source of that scent. And Isveig would free me. That was the only thing that mattered.

Still, my sweaty palms and thundering heart made the wait for his answer almost unbearable.

“I need your help. With the Games,” he eventually said.

“So you don’t want me to leave?”

“Not particularly.” He eyed the nightclothes I wore and the mug on the table, almost like he was seeing them both for the first time. “You look like you’re settling in for the night.”

“It’s late, and I’m tired. Is that a problem?”

“The first event kicks off in the morning.” He frowned and rubbed his jaw. “The boat’s only half done. I’ll need to—”

“Fully done. I finished it while you were out doing…whatever it was you were doing.” Sitting in a dragon’s nest, probably.

“You…” He narrowed his eyes. “You’re telling me you finished building the boat by yourself?”

“And it’s a good thing I did. I doubt your neighbors would be thrilled with noisy pounding all night.”

Something flashed in his eyes. “If it came from inside the house, I doubt they’d hear.”

“Well, yes, but I don’t think you want to build a boat inside your living room.”

The corners of his lips twitched, and then he motioned at my tea before I could ask him what, exactly, was so funny. “I didn’t take you for a tea drinker.”

“And I didn’t take you as someone who would have fifteen different kinds of tea in his cupboard.” Speaking of, it was probably starting to get cold, and I hated cold tea, much like I hated most cold things. I grabbed my mug and took a sip. It was no longer piping hot, but it would do.

“And I didn’t take you for someone who would pass up stealing my swords.”

I lifted a brow. “I’d say I didn’t take you for someone who would have a secret stash of swords, but that pretty much fits. They are a lot more…artistic than I would have expected, though.”

“It seems we’ve both made snap judgements.”

“Never judge a book by its cover.”

“I don’t know if I’d go that far,” he said. “If a book has an intriguing cover, I’m much more interested in opening those pages and finding out exactly what awaits me inside.”

There was something in his voice. It was almost as if it had dropped an octave. And his tone had shifted into something that reminded me of a velvety caress. Flushing, I took a quick sip of my tea to mask my reaction, along with the fact that I’d just noticed how he’d rolled up his sleeves to reveal his powerful forearms. Why in fate’s name was I looking at that?

He took a step toward me, and my body tensed. I still had my tea mug to my lips, and the liquid flew down my throat. I choked, sputtering up all over my shirt and making an absolute fates-damned idiot out of myself.

The lukewarm liquid dripped down my chin, leaving a trail of pain in its wake. I brushed it aside with my shirt and lifted my gaze to find Rivelin practically grinning.

“Everything all right, Daella?” My name rolled off his tongue like a decadent piece of chocolate.

“I think I’m done with my tea for the night.”