Shutting the door slightly, she spins around, looking at me with her delicate eyebrows almost raised to her hairline and her mouth hanging open. Nodding her head in the direction of the door, and fanning herself as if she’s overheated, she mouths, “He’s beautiful.”
My face breaks out in a huge grin. I only know one beautiful person who would be looking for me. “Ambrose Ballard, get your ass in here!” I yell, clapping my hands together in excitement.
Mallory jumps out of the way just in time before the door crashes open, and I’m greeted with the sight of my favorite person.
And what a fucking devastating sight it is.
His brown hair falls in thick waves to his shoulders, and his arctic-blue eyes lock on mine, magnetic and unrelenting. His bronze skin has lightened a little from being away from home, something I couldn’t see in the dark the other night. But it’s the easy smile that reaches his eyes that really does me in.
It’s only been a little over a day since I last saw him, but it was rushed and forbidden. I didn’t get to really bask in it.
He reaches me in a few short strides, lifting me off the ground like I weigh nothing, and spins me around. “Nori,” he whispers in my ear. “You’re really here.”
As if I would have changed my mind and not come.
I burrow my nose in his neck, inhaling his familiar scent of salt and soap, like he just stepped off the beach. It just feels right to be wrapped up in his embrace, like it was made just for me.I don’t want to let go, but the choice is taken from me when he cuts the hug entirely too short and gently lowers me to the floor.
It doesn’t go unnoticed that he doesn’t remove his hands from around my waist. He can keep them there all day if he wants. Fuck the assessment. I’d give up everything for this man. He just doesn’t know it.
And I’ll be taking that secret to my grave.
Tilting my head back, I look up into his glacial stare, ironically full of nothing but warmth. People say blue eyes can be cold and distant, but all I see when I look at his are kept promises, infinite loyalty, and everything worth breathing for.
I run my hands over his arms, so happy he’s here, but also kind of not believing he’s real either. Besides our quick meeting the other night, we haven’t seen each other for a little over a year. With him at the academy and me finishing up my primary studies, it wasn’t possible. Especially since leaving the grounds of Kintoira without approval is grounds for dismissal or worse, and it’s almost impossible to get approval. A soldier doesn’t have a life outside of these stone walls.
The minute they set foot into the academy, their freedom is forfeit.
“I was wondering if I would see you before Asylamation begins,” I say, keeping my tone light. But I certainly don’t feel light inside. I feel weighed down with uncertainties and nerves. I need him to ground me and give me that edge of motivation before I put quill to parchment. Sometimes I think I depend on him too much.
His lips move into that reassuring smile I always come to expect from him. It’s one of the things I love about him. He’s always so patient and tolerant with me. I never feel less than or a hindrance.
Something foreign in my home life.
Except for him.
He drops one of his hands from my waist and brings it up to my face, rubbing his thumb along my jaw. Goose bumps break out along my arms. This is new territory, and I’m not sure what the hell I’m supposed to be doing with my hands right now. They’re just kind of hanging awkwardly at my sides because I’m afraid of reading this wrong and messing it all up.
“I’ve been trying to find where they stationed you all morning. Makon wasn’t so forthcoming with the information, though, being the usual bastard he is,” he says in annoyance. “He made me really work for it. I’ve been knocking on doors all morning.”
Makon, the surly guide from last night. Figures he’d make things difficult for me even when not around. His demeanor didn’t exactly scream helpful. Although the thought of Ambrose knocking on doors all morning to find me does bring me more than a small amount of happiness.
His eyes dart to a movement behind me, dropping his hand from my face.
I snap my fingers together. Shit, I forgot all about Mallory being here. He just kind of stole my entire focus the moment he walked through the door.
“Ambrose, meet Mallory,” I say as he reaches over my shoulder to shake her hand. “Mallory, this is Ambrose. A friend of mine.”
The word friend tastes like lead on my tongue.
He clears his throat, moving his entire focus back down to me. “Best friend, actually,” he corrects.
The lead tastes slightly more bearable.
“Well, as nice as it was to meet you, and trust me, it was nice,” she says, her eyes twinkling with mischief, “we’d better get going or they’re going to start the test without us.” Grabbing her set of quills from her bed, she heads toward the door. “I’ll just wait for you out here, Nori. We can walk down together when you two are finished.”
I nod in her direction, giving an encouraging smile that I’ll be right out before she silently shuts the door. She’s definitely doing me a solid by giving us a little privacy to say our goodbyes. Who knows when we’ll see each other again, let alone actually be alone together, and as mentioned, I hate goodbyes.
I always have.
