Free Grogoch [Bedtime Stories 2] by Joyee Flynn Page A

happened better than I can.” Kelvin shrugged. He was not one for medicine and most of the healing practices confused him.
“Finbar, is it okay with you if I pop right over to the castle?” I asked him as I turned to him and moved into his arms. “You and Kelvin can follow with haste and bring Thumper and what we’ve saved for them. Travis can watch the farm.”
“You don’t want to go by yourself to have fun at the castle?” he replied after searching my eyes. I didn’t take offense. I knew he was worried he wouldn’t be enough to please me but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
“I’m yours now and I’m faithful,” I said gently, reaching up and cupping his cheek. “That doesn’t mean I don’t want you with me at the castle and we might have some fun together. But that’s not why I want you to come. I want to introduce you to court and the noble king as my mate.”
“You’ve mated!” Kelvin gasped. “You’re his! Why not mine?” I glanced over my shoulder at him, shocked that this was his reaction.
“You never even remotely insinuated that you wanted me permanently, Kelvin,” I replied, not hiding the shock I was feeling. “Besides, Finbar saw me completely after only a few days. He’s the one for me.”
“Oh, okay,” he mumbled, staring down at his feet. I couldn’t get over his reaction. I stepped away from Finbar, not wanting to see my old friend upset. When he still wouldn’t look at me I placed my hands on his chest.
“I never thought you would have this reaction, Kelvin. Talk to me, please. I cannot stand to see you distraught. You never said you wanted me as yours.”
“I don’t know if I did or not,” he admitted as he covered my hands with his large ones. “I would have wanted the chance to see if more was there but you were always so closed off to the idea. But you knew I wanted more, Cuidi. How often did I beg you to stay longer, to stay with me?”
“I thought because you wanted more sex,” I answered, blushing now. “I didn’t know you meant stay to see if there was real feeling between us. You never said that.”
“Would you have said yes if I had?” he asked, staring into my eyes.
“I was about to ask the same thing,” Finbar said from behind me, sounding crushed. “Was I the consolation prize or am I standing in your way?”
Oh boy, this was quite a pickle. I decided to answer them both by focusing on Kelvin’s question. “I don’t know what I would have said if you had asked me for more. I honestly think that if we were meant for more it would have already happened before I met Finbar. But I love him, Kelvin. He’s the one for me and I think that says it all.”
“I understand,” he said with a weak smile, patting my hands. I turned to Finbar who looked hesitant still.
“I wouldn’t have committed myself to you forever, giving up my immortality, if you were a consolation prize, baby. I love you and we belong together.”
“I’m glad you feel that way.” He pulled me into his arms and gave me a smoldering kiss that practically made me forget my name. “Go to the castle and we’ll meet you there as soon as we can.” I nodded and stepped away, ready to pop over there. “Oh, and I love you too, Cuidi.”
I smiled at him before disappearing. He understood the depths of my feelings now and we were in a good place. What Kelvin had said was a shock but I think when he thought about it more he’d realize that I was right. We’d never tried for more between us but if we had been meant to be, it would have happened.
I popped into the throne room, not thinking I should waste time by going through the motions of the gates. The king was standing off to the side of the room, staring out the window.
“Who are you?” he asked suspiciously, eyeing me over.
“Kelvin came to find me,” I answered with a smile. “You know me, your highness.”
“Cuidi?” His eyes went wide as he eyed me over. “I know everyone can see you differently, but normally