Page 12 of Invidia

“Have you always liked sitting in dark places?”

Tallulah laughed, and I fought down a tremor of desire as she inadvertently rubbed against me. “Yes, actually. I have a very restless mind, and when I’m squished up somewhere and I can’t see anything… I don’t know. I can’t explain it. Maybe it’s just the lack of stimulus. It gives my head a break. Um, I’m sorry for climbing all over you. I didn’t even realize I was doing it—”

“Don’t apologize.” My arms tightened around her reflexively. “You like confined places. This is confined. Did something happen at breakfast?”

“No. Not really?” Her laugh was a little more uncertain this time. “I don’t know why I’m like this. Sometimes there’s no tangible reason.”

“That’s okay. There doesn’t need to be.”

Tallulah’s scent sweetened instantly, a soft smile lighting up her face as she peered up at me in the dark. She was so beautiful, it was almost painful to look at her.

“Won’t the others be looking for you?” I asked, trying and failing to remember the other Hunters’ names.

“It’ll be fine. We don’t, like, report on our movements or anything to each other.”

“Perhaps you should?” I suggested mildly. “You’re in a foreign land, after all. It would be best practice to have some kind of security measures in place to keep yourselves safe.”

Frankly, I was disappointed that the king hadn’t suggested such a thing himself, though, I suspected he was so eager to keep the Hunters here that he’d give them as much leeway as they desired to do whatever they wished.

“It’s probably not the worst idea,” Tallulah agreed thoughtfully. “Though I think we’re all very conscious of not… being in each other’s business while we adjust to life here.”

The expression was a human one, but I got the gist. It was interesting that they felt the need to be reserved even with each other, given that they were all experiencing this strange change in circumstances together. Then again, perhaps they were all mingling with shamefully undesirable Shades too, and didn’t want the others to know.

“Words are easy, but for what it’s worth, you’re always safe with me, Tallulah. Even out here. Especially out here.”

I wished I understood the look on her face and the nuances of her scent—though it was so muddled today that I had no idea what to make of it. Oddly, there was something not unlike what her desire had smelled like. I wish I knew her well enough to ascertain what the other notes were.

“I know. I don’t know how I know, but I believe that. You do have a very calming… aura or something. I can’t explain it. I feel safe in your presence, for sure.”

It was the highest compliment I’d ever received.

“Why did you say especially in here?” Tallulah asked after a moment’s silence. I suspected that the chatter was also one of her techniques to find a sense of calm, and while I wasn’t naturally verbose, I could indulge for her sake.

“This is my domain. I patrol the in-between.”

“Alone?”

“Not entirely. But mostly, yes.”

“Wow. That sounds… You must be really good at your job.”

“I am.” It wasn’t arrogance, it was honesty. I didn’t always get it right, but that I could even stand to be in here for as long as I was… Well, that was its own kind of achievement.

For some reason, it was that which had Tallulah’s scent sweetening. And then sweetening a little more. Rather than lying still and relaxed, she was suddenly squirming slightly in my hold, though she seemed to be trying to get closer rather than to get away.

I inhaled deeply, selfishly, wanting to commit Tallulah’s scent to memory. I couldn’t let myself believe that it meant anything beyond a desire for a physical release, but if Tallulah asked for it, I would give her as many of those as she desired.

“I guess there’s no point trying to be discreet about it since my scent is probably giving it away,” Tallulah said with an awkward laugh. “But don’t feel like you have to do anything. I can just ignore it. Or you can take me back if it’s bothering you—”

“It’s not bothering me,” I interrupted, appalled that she would even consider that. “Did you want to… explore again?”

I wanted to get under that pretty purple dress more than I’d ever wanted anything in my life, but I wanted Tallulah to set the pace.

“Is that something you’d like to do with me again? Explore?” she asked slowly. Cautiously, even.

I blinked at the question. Was that not obvious?

“More than anything.”