“You need to rest,” she told him.
He nodded and released her to make his way to his room. She waited until he was out of sight before she took a deep breath and smiled. Dorcha’s compliment was the first she had gotten in decades. It felt good.
So very good.
Chapter Four
The person Rordan couldn’t take his mind off of wasn’t Dorcha, but rather his sister, Fianna. Rordan walked the long stretch of beach in the morning sun, letting the waves roll over his bare feet. He should be contemplating the fact that Dorcha had approached him the previous evening, yet his mind remained on Fianna.
The female drew his attention like none before her. He wasn’t sure if it was because she ignored him or if it was something more. The few times her gaze had landed on him made him feel as if he had been scorched—and he didn’t think that was a particularly bad thing.
Fianna didn’t just intrigue him. She fascinated him, captivated him. Enthralled him to the point that he couldn’t focus on anything else. And he knew he had to find out more about her, talk to her. The more he kept his distance, the more this…interest…would grow until it engulfed him.
“Fek me,” Rordan murmured as he halted and turned to face the water.
He glanced to the side and saw a mortal couple with a dog. They laughed as the animal rushed into the waves after a ball, then bounded back to them with tail wagging. It triggered a memory from his childhood and his dog. He frowned, wondering why the memory had suddenly come to him. He hadn’t thought about his past—specifically his childhood—in, well…ages. Some things were better left undisturbed.
Rordan turned his head to the other side, hoping that no longer seeing the dog would make the memories go away. He spotted another figure, this one approaching him. He recognized Ruarc. The Fae smiled as he drew closer but stopped short of standing next to Rordan so his shoes wouldn’t get wet.
“Why do I get the feeling you were looking for me?” Rordan asked.
Ruarc chuckled and stuck his hands into his pants’ pockets. “Because I was.”
“Why?”
“You know why. Dorcha wants an answer.”
Rordan ran his hand over the top of his hair. “I didn’t take him for the pushy type.”
“He usually isn’t.”
Now that certainly got Rordan’s attention. “Why now?”
Ruarc twisted his lips and said in a voice filled with concern, “I don’t know.”
Rordan turned to face the Fae. “What do you think about all of it?”
“You don’t appear the type to trust easily, and we barely know each other. That means you’re asking my opinion to see if I’ll say something that will either agree with your assessment or not.”
Rordan didn’t hide his smile. He liked Ruarc.
Ruarc grinned and shook his head. “I’d do the same in your shoes. Like I told you last night, I don’t know Dorcha or Fianna well. You saw for yourself that his sister keeps away from others. It hasn’t been easy getting a read on them.”
“That isn’t typically something you hear just any Fae say.”
Ruarc’s silver gaze slid away to look at the ocean. “Sometimes our paths lead us to things we want. Other times, the things we think we want lead us down paths we wish we never would’ve traveled upon.”
“You seem to have done all right.”
“Looks can be deceiving.” Ruarc returned his gaze to Rordan. “Suffice it to say that I wasn’t always just a Fae who procured places for other Fae to live.”
Rordan nodded slowly. “I think you’re much more than that even now.”
Ruarc looked at the couple with the dog. “The one thing about humans is that their life spans are so short. They don’t usually realize they’ve fekked it all up until it’s too late. Hopefully, they’ll learn their lesson in the next life, but it’s a toss-up. For the Fae, we live such long lives that we know where it’s all been buggered and we can fix it.”
“The operative word there is can,” Rordan interjected.
Ruarc chuckled and glanced his way. “Exactly. You have no reason to trust me, but you asked me a question so I’ll answer. Last night was only my second meeting. I think Dorcha was a bit put off that I hadn’t returned sooner. He truly believes in the message he’s sending.”
Rordan wanted to ask Ruarc if he thought the message was about bringing the Fae together as Dorcha made it sound from the last two gatherings, but he thought better of it, at least for the time being. Ruarc was opening up, and only time would tell if Rordan could trust him.
“From the look of surprise I saw on Fianna’s face,” Ruarc continued, “I don’t think Dorcha usually goes out to greet the guests. But that’s just my take on it.”
“And what Dorcha said to you?” Rordan asked.
“You mean to us?” Ruarc corrected, a black brow raised. “I don’t know. The house is obviously vast enough to accommodate a large number of people. And I can’t say for certain that he hasn’t invited anyone to stay with him before, but it does seem…odd.”
Rordan crossed his arms over his chest. “Like maybe he wants to keep an eye on us?”
“Or he’s that interested in us joining his organization.”
Rordan grunted. “I suppose that could go either way. What are you going to do?”
“I have a house here.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
Ruarc’s lips split in a smile as he laughed. “I have a feeling if I don’t agree, things might not go so well for me. Dorcha brings in good business, and I’ve got several other locations he’s going to visit. It would be in my best interest to accept his offer. What about you?”
Rordan thought about Fianna then quickly shoved her aside. His mission was to get inside this new organization. He couldn’t do that by keeping his distance, no matter how much the thought of joining them made him sick to his stomach. Dorcha’s offer made his mission easier, and that didn’t happen often. He’d be a fool to let this pass.
“I’m going to accept.”
Ruarc’s eyes widened in surprise. “I wasn’t expecting that.”
“Me, either.”
Ruarc’s surprise shifted to wariness. “Then why do it?”
“Because Dorcha intrigues me. Why else would I go to a second meeting?”
“I suppose.” Ruarc drew in a deep breath, his shoulders lifting. “I’m headed there in a few hours.” Ruarc started to turn away then paused and met Rordan’s gaze once more. “Watch yourself.”
Rordan bowed his head. “I always do.”
The Light Fae nodded, then retraced his steps to disappear over the doon. Rordan’s gaze remained on the spot for a long time, thinking over his exchange with Ruarc. The more he talked to the Fae, the more he liked him. Rordan hadn’t felt such a kinship with anyone but the Reapers since he had joined their ranks. He was surprised by his reaction to Ruarc.
Then again, there was also Rordan’s attraction to Fianna. He would have to deal with that immediately because the last thing he needed was such a distraction.