Tamani looked at her for a long time, and though she tried, Laurel couldn’t look away. The side of his mouth tugged up into a half grin and he pulled the strange armor over his head, shedding it along with his intimidating air. “Sorry about the getup,” he said, stowing the armor behind a tree. “We’re on high alert today.” He straightened and smiled hesitantly. “I’m glad you came back. I wasn’t sure you would.” Under the armor, he was dressed all in dark green—a tight shirt with three-quarter-length sleeves and the same style of baggy pants he’d been wearing last time. “And you came alone.” It wasn’t a question.

“How’d you know?”

Tamani laughed, his eyes sparkling. “What kind of sentry would I be if I didn’t know how many people invaded my turf?”

“A sentry?”

“That’s right.” He was leading her down the path now, toward the clearing they’d talked in last time.

“What do you guard?” she asked.

He turned with a grin and touched the tip of her nose. “Something very, very special.”

Laurel tried to catch her breath and only just succeeded. “I came to…um…to apologize,” she stammered.

“For what?” Tamani asked, not slowing his pace.

Is he teasing, or did it really not bother him? “I overreacted last time,” she said, falling into step beside him. “I was already freaked out about everything that was happening, and the things you told me just put me over the edge. But I shouldn’t have blown up at you like that. So I’m sorry.”

They walked a few more steps. “And…?” Tamani prompted.

“And what?” Laurel asked, her chest growing tight as his green eyes studied her.

“And everything I said was true, and now you’re here to learn more.” He stopped abruptly. “That is why you’re here, right?” He leaned against a tree and looked at her playfully.

She nodded, unable to speak. She’d never felt so awkward. Why was he so utterly tongue-tying? She couldn’t think or talk around him. He, on the other hand, seemed perfectly comfortable with her.

Tamani sank gracefully to the ground, and Laurel realized they’d reached the clearing. He gestured to a spot a few feet away. “Have a seat.” He grinned lopsidedly and patted the grass beside him. “Of course, you can sit by me if you prefer.”

Laurel cleared her throat and sat down across from him.

“I’m not that lucky yet?” He laced his fingers behind his head. “There’s still time.

So,” he said as she settled in, “your petals wilted.”

Laurel nodded. “Last night.”

“Relieved?”

“Mostly.”

“And you’re here to find out more about being a faerie, right?”

Laurel was embarrassed at being so transparent, but he was right and there was nothing to do but admit it.

“I don’t know that I really have a lot to tell you—you’ve survived for twelve years on your own; you don’t need me to warn you not to eat salt.”

“I’ve been doing some research,” Laurel said.

Tamani snickered. “This should be good.”

“What?”

“It’s just that humans never get it right.”

“I’ve noticed.” After a moment’s hesitation she asked, “You don’t have any wings hidden under that shirt somewhere, do you?”

“You want to check?” His hand went to the bottom of his shirt.

“That’s okay,” Laurel said quickly.

Tamani turned serious now. “There are no wings, Laurel. Not on anyone. Some blossoms resemble wings, the way some flowers resemble butterflies—your blossom was pretty wingish, actually. But they’re just flowers—as you’ve discovered.”

“Why are the stories so wrong?”

“I suppose humans are just good at misinterpreting what they see.”

“I’ve never read anything about faeries being plants. And trust me, I looked,”

she said.

“Humans like to tell stories about other humans, but ones with wings or hooves or magic wands. Not about plants. Not about something they aren’t and could never hope to be.” He shrugged. “And humans look so much like us, I guess it’s a reasonable assumption.”

“But still. They’re really off. I don’t have wings. And I certainly don’t have magic.”

“Don’t you?” Tamani said with a grin.

Laurel’s eyes widened. “Do I?”

“Of course.”

“Really?!”

Tamani laughed at Laurel’s excitement.

“So there’s magic? Real magic? It’s not just all scientific like David says?”

Tamani rolled his eyes. “David again?”

Laurel bristled. “He’s my friend. My best friend.”

“Not your boyfriend?”

“No. I mean…no.”

Tamani stared at her for several seconds. “So the position’s open?”

Laurel rolled her eyes. “We are so not having this conversation.”

He stared pointedly at her for a few seconds, but she refused to meet his eyes.

He looked at her so possessively, as if she were a lover he had already won and he was just waiting for her to realize it.

“Tell me about the magic,” she said, changing the subject. “Can you fly?”