My Book Boyfriend: Kerrick

For those of you who don't know, MBB is a weekly meme hosted by Missie over at the Unread Reader--if you're interested in making your own MBB post, check out the intro post here! 


This week I find myself with a little crush on Kerrick of Alga, from Maria V. Snyder's Touch of Power.
I'll admit, at first, I was a little iffy about Kerrick as a love interest, but after a while, he won me over!

• is a prince
• over 6 feet tall
• has shoulder-length light brown hair with blond streaks
• is a forest mage--and one of the perks is having eyes that changes color with the seasons as well as knowing just about everything that goes on in a forest
• he's the leader of the group that rescues/subsequently-kidnaps Avry
• he's a good leader, who values control and keeping his cool
• is 26 years old (which is kinda old for a YA male lead, but Avry's 20 so it's not that bad)

"I know. Do you really think I'd put her in danger?"
"Not on purpose, but things happen that are beyond even your control."
Kerrick gave him a tight smile. "You mean I'm not omnipotent?"
"You're not even semipotent."
"Is that even a word?" Kerrick asked.
"He probably meant you're impotent," I offered. 


He sniffed them in suspicion. "What's this?"
I guess it would take more than my word for them to trust me. "Rosemary." nor glimmer of recognition. "It's to make your stew taste better. Don't you know the basic herbs and spices?"
"no. I took this job in self-defense. Quain burns everything. Belen thinks jerky is all we need to survive. Flea's idea of a good meal is something that hasn't been in a garbage can first. And Kerrick poisoned us--"
"Not on purpose," Kerrick said. "The meat looked done."


When I woke, ,I thought I had overcome the pull and stayed in the afterlife. Whiteness billowed over me in soft waves. My body was cushioned and cocooned in warmth. I stretched my legs and then tried to raise my arms, but my left arm wouldn't budge. Rolling over, I encountered a number of very unpleasant realities.
I was alive. I was in a room. I was naked except for a bloodstained bandage wrapped tight around my stomach. Kerrick lay beside me. And his hand trapped mine.
Kill. Me. Now.


"Just be yourself. No. wait," I said in mock panic. "Don't be yourself. Be like Belen. A sweet, lovable type." I grinned. 
"And what do you consider Belen?" he asked.
"A good friend. Why?"
"I don't want to be your friend, Avry." Kerrick stroked my cheek, then leaned in and kissed me.
It was a wonderfully sweet kiss at first. But he soon let me know sweet and lovable wasn't his style at all. Intense and passionate would be a more accurate description. As desire swept over me, I didn't want to be his friend, either. 


"Avry," Kerrick said. 
I stopped. He stepped behind me. I felt his warmth on my bare back and I resisted the urge to lean against him.
"Tohon isn't mistaken." Kerrick traced one of the scars along my shoulder blade. "I would be...upset if he succeeded in luring you away."