Page 36 of Lady Knight and the Thief

While each of Torren’s digits were indeed adorned with rings of various sizes and shapes, Cypress did not see one that matched the description he’d provided.

“Is it truly you, Torren?” Someone called from the rear of the group, and Cypress immediately noted the shift in Torren’s stance, how some of the tension lining his shoulders dropped.

“Aye, Ellisar, and I have brought a new friend,” Torren said, motioning to Cypress behind him.

The next few moments were a flurry of activity.

Blades were sheathed, arrows sliding back into quivers, while sentinels slowly disappeared back into the wilderness, and others returned to camp.

Guards who were only moments ago pointing weapons at Cypress were now helping her off her horse and pressing a waterskin into her hands.

“Welcome home, Prince,” was muttered more times than Cypress could count as she and Torren were led into the camp.

Cypress held the strands of the willow tree out of her face as she followed the sentinel’s lead through the thicket. As soon as she stepped foot beyond the veritable wall of willow trees, Cypress immediately recognized the feel of the space she’d entered. The Fair Folk camp had been erected within the bounds of the largest Faerie circle she had ever seen, let alone fathomed.

Willow trees were prone to growing in dense groups, Cypress knew. But, she’d never seen them grow in a perfect, dense circle like this.

“You could have warned me that your people were going to be hostile,” Cypress remarked when she was walking side by side with Torren.

“I wouldn’t call thathostile, necessarily."

“Weapons were pointed at me, Thief,” Cypress drawled, crossing her arms over her chest.

Torren scoffed. “Lass, we met at a joust.”

Cypress was loath to admit he had a point. “Still, you could have warned me.”

“Oh, relax, for a night, Lass. You’re safe within the circle, as you have been in all the others. Let's see you befunlike I seem to remember being promised.”

“I never promised to be fun,” Cypress grumbled, rolling her eyes at him.

Torren had kept his word in that regard. Cypress had remained safe during their travels.

“No, but you’ll relax anyway,” Torren said with a grin.

“I think I’d rather be horrible, actually. Can I do that?”

Torren pulled up short with his hand around her bicep, pressing in on her space. The difference in their height made it so she couldn’t look directly into his eye when they were this close without canting her head back.

Cypress took a half step backward, only to have her spine hit a tree trunk, Torren’s knee between her thighs.

“You’re in my territory now, Lass. We made it here because ofme, so now, it’s your turn to sit back andstop being a bratwhile I get caught up on what I’ve missed since we’ve been gallivanting across the fucking known lands.”

Cypress had her foot hooked behind his knee before Torren could take another breath. She shoved himhard,and then the heir to Faerie was sprawled on his back in the midst of his people. Again, arrows, spears, and daggers alike were pointed toward Cypress. She paid them no heed.

“If youevergrab me like that again, I will kill you where you stand,” she growled, leaning down into his space.

Torren bared his teeth at her from his place in the dirt, but said nothing. Slowly, he stood and brushed himself off.

When he looked at Cypress again, all signs of hostility were gone from his face. The storm grey eyes never left hers when Torren ordered his men, “Put your weapons away.”

“Have I made myself clear?” Cypress asked, fists bunched at her side.

“Crystal, in fact,” Torren muttered, and tucked his hands into his pockets.

“Fantastic. Go do whatever it is you need to do. I’ll be… around,” Cypress said, wiggling her fingers in the general direction of the middle of camp.

“Stay out of trouble?” Torren said, though Cypress did not miss the barest hint of a question in the command.