“There’s something I want you to consider,” Vesryn said, one boot through the portal. “You won’t like it, but if today was any sign, the benefits would outweigh your distaste.” The prince idly scavenged the front of his bare uniform for a thread that wasn’t there. “We’ll need an edge since it’s just the two of us now.”
“And that would be…?” Resignation pooled in Jassyn’s stomach. The quiet rain droned, pattering in the growing puddles. He already knew the answer before Vesryn spoke.
“I think we should bond.”
CHAPTER 44
SERENNA
The Aerie’s sitting room door slammed open. Serenna jerked upright from lounging across a couch, eyes whipping to the entryway. Lykor stalked into the chambers.
With an irritated huff, she readjusted on the sofa, cradling a glowing mushroom. Already thoroughly bored with the evening, she stared out the windows, watching the sun flee from the sky.
A week had passed since the Lunar Solstice. Disappointment from the prince’s absence had waned like the twin crescents rising over the mountains.I’ll try to get my tether off again. Maybe Vesryn was busy in Kyansari.
Serenna ground her teeth. That circular thought offered no comfort. With Lykor readying the wraith to leave, time was the more pressing issue rather than her bruised feelings.
Upon hearing Lykor shed his cloak and seeming to settle in for the evening, Serenna’s quizzical gaze cut back to him. He tossed the snow-covered furs onto a chair. Snatching his gauntlet from the table—where Aesar had left it that morning—he shoved it onto his claw.
“Is your dramatic entrance necessary?” Serenna griped, secretly relieved that he hadn’t portaled directly into the sitting room. “Take off your shoes if you insist on stomping all over the place.”
Predictably, Lykor responded with a sizzling glare. He strode through the room, unexpectedly dropping to the other end of her couch. Serenna squawked, barely yanking her legs to her chest before he crushed her feet.
“What are you doing?” she snapped, swiveling to sit up.
Lykor grunted. “I’m sitting in my spot.” His gauntlet creaked as he unlaced his boots, the leather glossy like a crow’s plumage.
“You couldn’t have picked, I don’t know, one of the other four couches?” Serenna scoffed when he ignored her. Leaning back into the sofa, she idly traced the mushroom’s glowing gills.
A rustle of wings gliding down the spiral stairs announced Aiko’s arrival. Landing on Lykor, the vulpintera curled around his neck with a contented purr, rubbing her head under his chin. From her perch on Lykor’s shoulders, Aiko fastened her beady gaze on Serenna.
I didn’t want to pet you anyway, you vile bat.Serenna had settled onto the same sofa as Aiko earlier, earning a hiss before the vulpintera had retreated to Lykor’s bedroom. She pinched her lips at the pair of them, tossing the luminescent fungus to an end table with the others.
Fenn had been supplying caches of mushrooms before departing in the evenings. The delivery had turned into a game of sorts—even after Serenna insisted that she didn’t need them. Since giving him a talent, she’d gained some measure of enhanced wraithsight. The stars trickling in through the windows provided sufficient light.
To humor Fenn, Serenna had begun asking for more obscure colors. She smirked at the cluster he’d collected today. One wasnearlyviolet. Fenn had claimedhiswraith eyes could see morehues than hers and argued it was the color she’d requested, refusing to hear otherwise.
Serenna turned her attention back to Lykor. “Why are you here?”
Lykor rolled his shoulders, reclining back into the couch. “I live here.”
“And what?” She hardly ever saw Lykor in the evenings. Usually Aesar spent his time with Kal. But Serenna didn’t voice her observation. “You’re blessing me with your presence tonight?” She sniffed. “I’d rather be alone.”
Lykor’s lip curled, the tips of his fangs capturing the final shards of sunlight. Serenna considered throwing a mushroom at his head, annoyed with him for being as irritating as he was attractive.At least he looks different enough from Vesryn. I couldn’t live with him if he looked like the prince and…Serenna let the reflection die.That’s terrible for me to think of considering what happened to him.
Lykor scratched Aiko behind her fluffy ears, drawing out a purr. Her eyes glittered in Serenna’s direction. Like she'd defendherroost if Serenna so much as dreamed of staking a claim on Lykor.
On the same end table as Serenna’s mushrooms, Lykor’s attention hooked on the Heart of Stars she’d been listening to earlier. His gaze flicked back to study the shimmering fungus. Serenna didn’t need to be untethered to sense him reaching conclusions about where her collection had come from.
“Fenn’s making progress with his ability,” Lykor commented.Conversationally.
“You’re chatty this evening.” Serenna’s voice dripped with false sweetness. “Shall I make tea while you tell me about your day?”
“Aesar was out today,” Lykor muttered.Elaborating.
As easy as it would’ve been for Serenna to despise her captor, something inside of her still softened.Fenn hadmentioned that Aesar and Lykor were attempting to divide their time.I can’t imagine sharing my life with another like they do.
Serenna decided against being snide, carrying on with Lykor’s previous comment. “Fenn is…”How do I describe him?She grabbed a mushroom, twirling it by the stem. “Fenn has made a habit of using force foreverything.”
