Page 25 of Blood & Roses

I followed, both annoyed and a little grateful at the horse for interrupting us.

WhatdidI want? A little fun would be nice. Release, perhaps.

But more than that…I wasn’t sure. I liked Rowan. I found him handsome, with his athletic build and dark hair and forest green eyes. Fine, very handsome. And he was warm and caring and enjoyed vexing me.

I thought perhaps I could let myself enjoy him. Just a little. A night of carefree fun before a mission that could end up with us both dead.

Our plan to murder the queen was risky at best, downright insane at worst. I wasn’t thrilled with it, and it left quite a bit to chance, but it had a certain elegance to it, and I prayed to Lirael and all the gods that we could pull it off.

Rowan boarded the horse in the stable of the small inn we’d stopped at. This town was far better off than Fairwinds, the people less hungry-looking and desperate, and it occurred to me how much easier the full-blooded elves had it under the protection of the kingdoms.

“Keep your hood up,” Rowan warned, lifting my hood and tucking it around my face to cover my ears. “There aren’t a lot of part-elves here, and the people aren’t as tolerant of us as your people at the border.”

“You grew up here, though,” I pointed out, following him as he pushed his way inside the inn, which was warm and joyous and far nicer than the boarding house in Fairwinds.

“Which is how I know,” Rowan said darkly, taking my hand as we went to procure a room.

The room had two beds.

I stood looking dumbly between them as Rowan went back down to order dinner, not wanting to eat in the tavern lest someone notice our mixed heritage.

Two beds.

Rowan pushed open the door with his shoulder, two bowls of something in his hands, a loaf of bread balanced between the bowls.

“They said it’s chicken soup, but I—” He cut himself off, frowning at me. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I said quickly, moving to take the bread from him. There was a little side table between the two beds, so I placed the loaf there and sat on one bed, holding out my hands for the bowl.

“Nothing,” Rowan said flatly, handing me the soup, chunks of vegetables and meat floating in a clear broth.

I took a sip and scrunched my nose in distaste. “Not chicken,” I said, grimacing.

Rowan took a sip and shrugged, downing the meal. “Food is food,” he argued, draining the bowl and tearing off a chunk of bread from the loaf.

He left his bowl on the little table and went to the adjoining bathing room. The sound of running water told me he was drawing a bath, another luxury we hadn’t found in Fairwinds.

I ate the horrible soup, accepting that I’d need the strength the food offered, and contemplating what in all the hells I was thinking.

Of course, there were two beds. I’d demanded as much the other night, after all.

But then we’d shared. And I’d enjoyed the comfort of it. And then the ride today, Rowan’s arms around me, his breathy laugh in my ear…

I jumped when Rowan said, “Isolde,” only a few inches from my ear. He laughed, catching the bowl before it tumbled to the ground, a move which resulted in his arms coming around me. “Careful.”

He righted the bowl on the table, then put his hands on my shoulder and turned me to face him, sitting across from me on the edge of the bed. “What’s wrong? Why are you so jumpy?”

“I…” I swallowed, unsure what to say. He was looking at me steadily, appraisingly, his scarred brow quirked a little in question.

I decided it was time to stop thinking as I closed the distance between us and pressed my lips to his.

Rowan stiffened in surprise for only a second before drawing me to him, one arm coming around my waist and the other cuppingmy neck as he groaned against my mouth, sending shivers of desire pulsing through me.

His lips were soft, a faint dusting of stubble scratching me as he brushed the seam of my lips in a silent request. I opened, and his tongue swept over mine, a pulse of pleasure darting through me at the taste of him as he deepened the kiss.

Gods, he was fire and warmth, and he lit me up from the inside, like I hadn’t realized how cold and empty I’d been until the flames of his desire came tearing through me.

“Isolde,” he murmured, a prayer and a request and a groan. “Wait.”