elves

Hello, beautiful readers, and welcome to another Tuesday Teaser. Today’s post is from the second book in the Realm of Honor fantasy romance series, Only for a Knight. It’s the story of Elyne and Derron, the two Fae characters from the first book. I love this story. It’s very action-packed.

Elyne picked up her skirts and fell in step beside him. “Shouldn’t I be armed as well?” She steered the conversation as far from the two of them as possible. She didn’t want to acknowledge the need and desire Derron had managed to stir inside her. All she wanted to do was ignore it.

“You? Armed? Why?”

“All of you are armed,” she said. “You have a sword and a dagger. And I have no magic.”

“Fear not, dear prin—Elyne. I promise to keep thee safe.”

She snarled at him. Mocking me again. “Are you denying me a weapon?”

“Can you shoot a bow?” he asked, giving her a sideways glance. Even though he tried to keep his face passive, she could see the underlying smirk.

“Nay.”

“Wield a sword?”

“Nay.”

Derron chuckled. “Then, pray tell, what sort of weapon do you wish for?”

She’d never laid her hands on a weapon before but it seemed silly to be traipsing through the Woodlands Forest with nothing but her wits. She would feel much better if she had something within reach. Mayhap some sort of blade she could keep on her person. Something that could replace the fact she had no magic. She may as well be running around naked.

She looked over Derron, noticed the sheath tied to his thigh and knew that’s what she wanted.

“A dagger.” Aye, that would make her feel better to have one. “I know how to use that.”

“A dagger?” He splayed his fingers. “You have any ideas on where to get one? I don’t see Thuluke’s Weapons Shoppe here.”

Her gaze landed once again on his dagger. He put a possessive hand on it. “You want mine. Of course you do.”

“You could spare the dagger.”

“I could, couldn’t I?” Smiling, Derron unsheathed his dagger and handed it to her. “I expect you to take good care of that. It was a gift from my father.”

“It will be safe with me.” She ran her finger along the pearl hilt, admiring the iridescent colors dancing along it.

“Have any idea how to use it?”

Elyne blinked. “Not exactly.”

Grinning, he stepped behind her, wrapped his long fingers around her thin wrist. “Allow me to demonstrate.”

Derron’s body pressed against her back, molding to her easily. With her wrist in his hand, the delicious warm skin pressing hers, it was difficult for her to concentrate on his words.

“Thrust like this.” He pulled her arm back and then pushed it forward. “Aim for the heart. If you miss that, then the neck.” Heated breath cascaded over her nape. His woodsy scent filled her nose.

“Why?” she asked.

“Best way to kill a man, princess. How does it feel?”

Splendid. Though she was certain he meant the dagger in her hand. “It feels like a dagger.”

He chuckled and released her. “You’ll need this too.” He untied the sheath from his thigh. “But a lady, nay a princess, shouldn’t keep that in plain sight.”

“Why not?”

“She is more lethal with a hidden weapon.”

A mischievous light twinkled in his eyes, making her heart do a quick ka-thunk in her chest. Derron knelt at her feet, his gaze still on hers. When his hand went up her skirt and rested on her calf, she nearly came undone. Slowly, he slid his hand along her leg, pushing up her skirt to reveal an expanse of creamy white skin. Her heart throbbed, pounding wildly in her chest and ears. Her breath caught in her throat.

Elyne watched as he tied the sheath to her thigh in the same manner. She’d swear she could still feel the warmth of his skin on it as he secured it in place.

“There. The dagger?” He held his hand up for it.

She placed the pearl hilt in his palm and he deftly slid it into the sheath. All the while keeping his hands in constant contact with her leg.

“That should do it.” Derron rose to his full height.

He had two inches on her, his hair brushing his forehead as he gave her a wicked smile. He knew what he was doing and he liked doing it. She liked him doing it. Why did he touch her so intimately when they’d been at odds for so long? He’d gone to the court to have their betrothal broken and now this?

“Feel better, princess?”

“I—”

But that was as far as she got when an arrow went zooming between them and buried in the ancient oak beside her head.