Des'Tai: Book Two

197: Tyron

I watched the whole thing through gritted teeth, fighting the overpowering urge to fling every last person in a five hundred yard radius into next week, all just to get them away from her. I'd never felt so on edge in my life, my skin tingled and crawled, my head pounded with a brewing headache, and my heart was beating like a drum inside my chest. There was no part of seeing my Faye under fire that I enjoyed, training or otherwise, especially when there was nothing I could do to stop it, or even help.

I knew she wasn't the wallflower she'd been when we first met, that she didn't need me to rescue her every time there was a touch of trouble, but that didn't mean that I still didn't want to do it. Faye was my Mate, my love, and if I couldn't guard her from the hardships in life, what good was I? Whether she was strong or not was irrelevant. She could be stronger than me and I'd still want to protect her.

I'd nearly thrown Nero over the balcony twice by the time it finished.

Koko's voice just about pierced my angry haze. "Good work. You managed to keep everyone out, directed your Watchers accordingly, and managed to use your Shield as a weapon! You're dismissed for the day, but you're welcome to join us for Dinner at seven!"

Rune, with his arms wrapped around my waist and his chin resting on my left shoulder, made a pfft sound near my ear. "Her Watchers? I'm not Shorty's bitch."

Nero hushed him quickly. "Shh! Remember we're supposed to be here for Faye's training, as far as they're all aware."

"The fuck we're eating here tonight," I blew out on a breath. "I'd throat punch that asshole before I ate with him!"

"Which one?" Rune asked. "The one who apparently fancies your Mate or the one that just dragged her around the garden by a chain?"

I let out a low growl. "Both!"

Faye looked up towards us then, a light smile on her face as she told Nero and Rune to finally let me go. I could have easily thrown them off me the minute they'd grabbed me, but hurting my friends wasn't on my list of things I wanted to do today. 

As their hold loosened, I quickly shrugged them off and climbed over the balcony wall, dropping effortlessly into the garden below.

Four long, quick strides and I was in front of her, my hands on her face as I pulled her gaze up to meet mine. "Are you alright? Does it hurt anywhere?"

My eyes flickered over her face but I couldn't see a single mark, so my hands moved to her shoulders, before gliding down her arms, checking for any injuries myself. "Are you bleeding?"

I heard Nero and Rune drop down from the balcony behind me, but I didn't turn away from my search. Faye released a small chuckle. "Ty, I'm fine, no injuries to report."

My hands moved to her waist. "There were other people in your head. Why? I should be the only one in there."

She blew out another sigh. "You know that happens when my shield goes up, but I'm learning to keep them out -"

"Yeah, including me. I could feel the wall you put up – gave me one bitch of a headache!"

Faye blinked at me. "Wait, it hurt you? But, I've put a blocker up to you before..."

I finished my search, content with what I found. Or in this case, didn't find. "Not like that. Before it was thin, like a veil, but this one was like a steel wall. I felt it like a burning poker in my brain." I rubbed at my temple, still feeling the lingering sting that it had left behind. I thought that her shield didn't affect me...but whatever she'd used inside her head sure did.

"Fuck, Shorty, nice one." Rune moved to my side, bracing one hand onto my shoulder. "Shall we leave her here and go and get a beer? Think we should."

Faye shot him a furious glare. "You'd love to leave me out, wouldn't you? Nice try, Runey, but it's not happening."

Nero stepped up beside Faye, his arm draping over her shoulders. "It's been a long day, so I think we could all do with a little R&R right now. I'm sure a saw a pub near the bridge we were on earlier..."

His emerald green eyes shot to me nervously. Nero didn't want to go anywhere where there was a possibility of another Siren encounter; it was written all over his face. "Bud, they're everywhere." I answered his silent plea aloud.

"I know," He sighed. "Doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Stop acting like a little girl, Nero, fuck," Rune rolled his eyes. "C'mon, let's go see where this pub is. Hopefully they serve food, too."

As Nero and Rune turned to leave, I stood still and caught Faye's gaze with mine. 'Can you hear me now?'

Her hands clasped together in front of her. 'Yes.'

'I can't be around to watch if training is going to be like that. I'll send someone straight throw the walls of this crumbling palace if I am.'

Something similar to disappointed skirted across her face like a passing shadow, gone a second after it had appeared. 'Koko wanted to test my shield with you nearby.'

'I was nearby just now.'

Her brow ticked at me. 'You know what I mean. Near me, not stood on a balcony.'

Reaching out, I tucked my hand behind the back of her neck, angling her face toward me. "I didn't enjoy watching that."

"Really? I couldn't tell."

Before anyone else could interrupt us, I lowered my lips to hers and gave her a lingering kiss. "Shaw's the one we met first today, right?" I asked against her mouth.

Faye nodded as she leant into me. "Mhmm, why?"

"I wouldn't want to punch the wrong guy. Got his eye on you? I'll make sure his beady eyes can't watch anything for a while."

I dabbed her lips a couple more times, enjoying the way the small contact eased both my headache and my burning temper. My fingers wound into hers, our Mating Marks linked and the familiar tingle that came with it ran up through my arm. "I'm proud of you, Katinar."

As we headed up the steps leading back into the palace, Faye's hand squeezed mine. "What for?"

"As much as I hated watching that, I still think you did incredibly well. You apply your shield like it's something you've had all your life. Your confidence using it grows every time I see you wield it. You're strong, love. Stronger than my Fairy Faye ever could have imagined she'd be."

Nero and Rune were waiting in the foyer for us, when Faye tugged me to a halt just out of view, her free hand clasping at my shirt and turning me to face her. "Because of you, Ty. I'm stronger when I have you at my side."

Bringing her hand up to my mouth, I pressed a kiss to the back of it, luxuriating in the smell and feel of her skin against my lips. I closed my eyes and sighed. Fuck I loved this woman; more than I ever thought it was possible to love another person. She had no idea how much stronger she made me. Before her I was a bartender with no aspirations for the future, content to watch bar fights and chase whatever pretty tail passed me by.

Hell, less than ten minutes down the road from her and I'd let a Siren get in my head. No way in hell that would have happened if she'd been there; not because she would have physically stopped me (even though she would have), but because her presence alone makes me tougher, harder and more resilient.

My human made me ten times the elf I used to be.

"You have no idea, Katinar."