My eyebrows lifted.
“Kuro is slowly warming up to Az’s Phoenix,” Ajax said with a slight smirk.
“You’re enjoying this,” the Commander muttered.
“A little,” Ajax admitted as Kuro’s wings flexed and unflexed.
“He doesn’t seem as mad at you now,” I noted, recalling the only other time I’d seen Kuro—he’d been on Shade’s shoulder, not Ajax’s, and he’d snubbed Ajax by refusing to look at him. “Did you, um, make up?”
I wasn’t quite sure what term applied here. Kuro was Ajax’s familiar, but when Ajax had become the Hell Fae Warden, he’d left his owl behind in the Midnight Fae Realm. And from what little Ajax had said, his animal hadn’t been pleased. But he looked content now.
Or rather, he looked a little miffed.
Only at Az, not Ajax.
“I’m not sure,” Ajax said, replying to my question aboutmaking up. “He showed up to help me get ready. Pretty sure this is for you.” He held out a bag I hadn’t realized he’d been holding,mainly because I’d been too busy ogling the tight fit of the suit and not his hands.
I accepted the small bag, my brow furrowing. “What’s this?”
He shrugged. “I think it’s a gift from Aflora and her mates. Shade probably sent Kuro to give it to me.”
“Which means his job is done and he can go,” Az said, his attention on the owl.
Kuro hissed in response.
Az growled.
And the two locked eyes.
My lips twitched. “I think I rather like your familiar, Ajax.”
He returned my smile with one of his own. “Me, too.”
Az’s irises turned black, his head cocking in a birdlike way. Kuro responded with another ruffling of his feathers, his posture stiff.
I fought a laugh and focused on the bag, pulling out a small box. My brow furrowed as my curiosity piqued. “The royals sent me jewelry?”
Ajax’s expression matched my own. “I guess.” He grazed his finger over the box. “Open it.”
I didn’t. Instead, I asked, “Did you just test it for a spell?”
“Not exactly.” He paused. “I was feeling for magic.”
“Did you sense anything?”
“I wouldn’t let you open it if I did,” he replied.
Fair enough, I thought, lifting the lid. A pair of earrings and a matching necklace glittered back at me, the pendants on both circular in nature.
“An interesting choice,” I mused out loud, wondering if the orb-like symbol meant something. “Is it supposed to resemble the Source?” Because it kind of reminded me of the Hell Fae Source, only the gems were more golden than blinding white.
“I have no idea,” Ajax said, sounding somewhat perplexed. “But it’s pretty.”
“Yeah,” I agreed, taking the necklace out first. “Can you help put this around my neck?”
“An excuse to touch you while you’re in this dress?” he countered, taking the glittering item from my fingertips. “Yes, please.” That last part was a low murmur as he swept my long hair over my shoulder to better access my neck.
His warmth bled into my skin as he slowly clasped the strand against my nape, his gaze on my throat and the gem hanging just above my breasts.
