Much as I was having fun, I was looking forward to kicking off my boots and settling on my makeshift bed. My calves were killing me from the amount of jogging we’d done after our earlier ‘test,’ which had been a horrid experience that I hoped to never repeat.
“I see bad sexual decisions being made,” Khalida commented.
I glanced around. Kisses were being stolen. Butts were being stroked. Couples were disappearing into shadows or buildings.
“Several people are going to wake up smelling of regret.” Khalida pursed her lips, placing her now-empty tankard beneath her chair. “You know, there are a few men here who would—”
“You really don’t need to occupy yourself with finding me someone,” I told her with a soft sigh.
“You need a regular bedtime treat. It’s a great way to burn off stress, and you have to be enduring plenty of that. There’s only so much that nights at the tavern or library can do.”
My little tumble with Talon had done wonders for my stress levels, but only temporarily. While having a regular arrangement might help, I didn’t trust any of the candidates to not kill me. I found a number of officiates attractive, but I shied away from doing anything about it. “I’m okay. Really.”
“Or, like Jelani, you only want someone in particular.”
Well, yes. It just didn’t seem right to sleep with someone when a part of me would wish they were someone else.Iwouldn’t like it if the situation were reversed. And I wasn’t holding out hope that anything more might happen between me and Talon.
“I’m right, aren’t I?” Excitement lit up her eyes. “Who is it?”
“Nobody,” I denied before taking a casual sip of my cider, going for nonchalant.
Ignoring my answer, she joined her hands and hummed thoughtfully. “Let me guess.” She started listing names—some officiates, some candidates.
I shook my head each time, even when she tossed out Talon’s name. But something in my expression made her gaze narrow and sharpen.
“Aha. It’s Talon.”
Knowing that to emphatically deny it would only make her more convinced she was right, I instead said, “He’s beautiful in a very savage way—I’ll give him that. But I don’t have my eye on him.”
She let out apfftsound. “You’re a good liar, Anara, but there’s no fooling the Master of Deceit.”
Shaking my head at her persistence, I looked away, not wanting to admit that she was right. I wished she wasn’t. Wished he didn’t intrigue me. Wished I didn’t crave more of what had occurred in his tent.
How veryawareI wasof him grated on me, as did the way that I couldn’t stop my gaze from seeking him out. It was so dark here that the bonfire and lanterns all but glowed. Still, despite the poor lighting, I’d spotted him easily. I had also done an exceptionally good job of not looking his way again. Which had proven hard, since he was leaning against the barracks across from me, which put him in my direct line of sight.
“You want him,” persisted Khalida. “Admit it.”
I inwardly snorted.Not likely.
“He looks at you a lot, you know. Minos told him to keep a close eye on you, sure, but still.”
I sighed. “Let it go.”
“Never.”
“Why?”
“Like I said before, you need some additional stress relief. He likely wouldn’t ever cross sexual lines with a candidate. But soon, you’ll be an officiate. Then what are you going to do?”
“Sag in relief.”
She rolled her eyes. “About Talon.”
Absolutely nothing. “Are you forgetting that he doesn’t do exclusive arrangements? No woman other than Eva will get that from him.”
Khalida fell quiet for a long moment, and then her shoulders sagged. “Why did you have to go and make a good point?” she griped.
A short chuckle bubbled up, but my amusement died as an itch raced across my scalp. It kept happening as my cells continued trying to bond with theichor.
