“Well.” He took a step closer and the air between them grew charged and thick, causing her breathing to be just a smidge faster. “I reckon you’ll have to come and see for yourself. But I can vow to you and your parents that I personally mean you no harm.”
“Personally mean no harm.” Gerard scoffed. “Interesting way of wording it, demon.”
Rumpel shrugged and made to reach for her.
His hand stretched out, coming so close to grazing her dress that her heart beat a rapid, staccato boom in her throat. Just as he made to slide his fingers through her hair, she jerked back. If she’d been a cat she might have hissed.
Her parents screamed and jumped in front of her, shielding Shayera from the liquid amber eyes that suddenly gleamed with curiosity and fascination.
“Get back.” Her mother lifted a finger and shoved it just below Rumpel’s face. “Don’t touch her.”
“Interesting.” The imp smirked. “And why not?”
It wasn’t just her imagination that his keen eyes gleamed even brighter, as if he were putting the pieces of a puzzle together.
“Just stay away from her.” Gerard grunted. “I’ll do as you said.”
Rolling her eyes, Shayera decided it was time her parents understood that as much as she loved them and valued what they’d done for her all their lives, the sacrifices they’d made, ultimately it was her life to live and they could no longer protect her from herself.
“Mother, Father, stop.” She stepped around them, and giving them each an arm tap, she nodded. “It’s time for you to let me go.”
She didn’t look back at Rumpelstiltskin, because the truth was, whether it’d been him or not, she’d have left. It was time for her to go, to fly away from the nest and be her own woman. Notching her chin higher, she watched as her parents’ emotions washed across their faces.
Her father was full of anger, worry, grief; her mother showed worry, fear, and then finally acceptance.
“She’s right, Gerard.” Betty sighed. “We have to let her go.”
“To him!” Gerard spread his arms wide. “Non, I refuse this.”
“Daddy, I love you.” Shayera stepped into his arms and kissed his bristled cheek. His impossibly dark blue, almost-black eyes silently pleaded with her that she not do this. Her smile was soft and sad. “But I have to go.”
It wasn’t that she was a martyr, or even much of an adventure seeker. But more than anything she needed to leave this hamlet, needed to go someplace where no one knew her, knew of her affliction. Where she could just be herself. More than that, if it was in her power to save her father, then why wouldn’t she?
She touched his cheek and he kissed her palm quickly. “My beautiful wild rose,” he whispered and her throat clogged.
Eyes starting to water, she quickly dropped her hand and stepped away. She would not cry in front of the broker. She’d not show him any weakness. It was the only way to survive whatever he might have in store for her. Shayera wasn’t fool enough to believe for one moment that Rumpel’s intentions for her were noble, regardless of his claims. But if the choice was her father or her… she’d make the same decision every time.
The world was better with him in it.
“Let’s go.” She looked straight ahead.
Licking his front teeth and sliding his hands into his jean pockets, he quirked a brow. “After you, my dear.”
Shayera refused to look back at her parents as she walked out of the kitchen and she might have been okay, might have been able to walk away from them without crying, had it not been for Briley hanging on to the stair banister with a forlorn look on his cherubic face.
Briley appeared to be no older than ten, twelve tops, but the truth was he was much, much older. He was from Earth, just as her mother was. And because of the illness in his brain, Danika had frozen his form so that he would remain a perpetual child all the days of his life. Briley had insisted he wanted to stay a kid forever because kids had more fun, and she’d been so grateful to have him growing up.
He was her favorite person in all the world.
“Shay Shay,” he whispered as she brushed her fingers across his forehead. “You’re leaving me.”
Kneeling so that she was eye level with him, she gave him a cheery and very false grin. “It’s okay, Briley, I’ll be back.”
His eyes flickered to the man hovering over her shoulder. It was odd how strangely aware of him she was, but then again she’d never been long in the presence of a male who was not her own kin.
“You better be nice to her,” Briley said, but he wasn’t looking at Shayera.
Rumpel didn’t answer.
Wrapping her arms around Briley’s neck, she planted a swift kiss on his cheek. “I’ll be back, squirt. I promise.”
Lips thinning, he shook his head as a lone tear slid down his cheek. Wiping it with the pad of her thumb, she sniffed as her own eyes swam.
“Let’s go.” Rumpelstiltskin’s voice was like steel wrapped in velvet and made her insides go crazy.
Twirling, she glared at him. “Give me a second. I’m leaving with you; the least you can do is give me time to say my good-byes.”