“Your Witch Queen act won’t work on me. I’ve seen you giggle while reading romance books. Or, to use your term, saucy books,” he quips, then pulls me closer into his side. He stops us, turning me into him. He pushes a piece of my hair behind my ear, and the touch makes me shiver. He leans in, whispering with a throaty growl. “I can assure you that when I have you like those romance books you read, giggling will be the furthest thing from your mind.” My skin tingles and my thighs clench together with need. An image of his face between my thighs, hot breath tingling across my skin, crosses my mind unbidden. My toes curl and my mouth goes dry. I lean into him, desperate for more of his touch, for a kiss, but he turns us back to the path with a smug look of satisfaction. “What’s your favorite place in Arberly?” he asks, changing the subject, though I can tell it’s his own kind of challenge. He wants to see if he can rattle me. I won’t let him win, won’t let him see he got to me with his deep voice and insinuating remarks, so I swallow down my lust and answer the question.

“Easy, all the bakeries.”

Thorne barks out a laugh. “You and your chocolate cake addiction,” he murmurs. “Anywhere else?” I consider his words, wondering what to tell him. The honest truth is that I don’t have a favorite place in the city, and it spills from my lips like it always has with him.

“I don’t spend a lot of time in Arberly, to be honest. I keep my distance. I don’t want to scare my people, and it’s better that way.”

“I disagree,” he says immediately and resolutely, and I’m shocked by his bluntness. “Your people have more than just respect for you, Laurel. They admire you. Just look at the way the children reacted to you when we visited the school. They weren’t afraid—they were curious.” I lower my eyes, unsure what to make of his statements, but he stops us and again raises my chin to meet his eyes. When I shy away from the truth, he forces me to see, insists I keep looking. Not even Nemesia had the sheer force of will to do that. He continues his speech, eyes locked on mine. “I’ve been in the taverns and shops. Have heard the people speak of you, heard their praises for the programs you’ve implemented in Thayaria. I think they would welcome your presence more often. Just look at how successful the Solstice dinner was.” My throat tightens with emotion for an instant, but I push it away.

“I’ll consider it,” is all I say, but he simply nods and continues our walk.