“Can’t you spend the night in their bed?” I jerked my thumb towards the wall.
Still wearing that self-satisfied grin, Bastian dashed that hope. “I never stay after the fun ends, and Róise and Asad wouldn’t let me even if I wanted to. They enjoy inviting a third into their bed occasionally, but they’ve always been clear about wanting nothing else. The two of them have been a pack of two for over a decade now. They have very set boundaries, and I can respect that.”
“You never stay?” I frowned. “So you just . . . what? Say ‘thanks for the fuck’ and take off?”
Bastian opened his eyes enough for a sliver of green to peek through. “All the orgasms I provide are thanks enough. Sharing a bed with someone for more than sex gives the idea that you want more. Intimacy. Trust. Things that lead to long-term relationships.” He closed his eyes again. “I have no interest in that.”
“And yet here you are,” I drawled, “sharing a bed . . . with me.”
“You don’t count,” he answered easily.
I wasn’t expecting the sharp pain to hit me at his casual words. “I suppose not.” My throat tightened, and I swallowed to clear it. “Not exactly up to your standards in terms of beauty.”
Again, those green eyes slanted open. “Rynn, my darling, you have bright chestnut hair, startling eyes, a flawless complexion, and a slender build that hints at your flexibility while also showcasing some lovely curves. You are beautiful.” He wrinkled his nose. “But you called my abs weird. I could never sleep with someone who doesn’t appreciate the perfection that is me. Therefore, you are firmly in friend territory, and I have no problem sharing a bed with friends. Even ones that get themselves off to me fucking someone else.”
I stared at him for several long seconds before a laugh escaped me. “You are ridiculous.” I shook my head and settled back onto my side of the bed. “And your abs are strange. I think it’s because one side is slightly larger than the other?”
“It’s going to be really awkward when I have to explain to Cade that you drowned in a lake on your way to Narchis territory,” he said mildly.
“You’re occasionally clever.” I leaned over and brushed the glyph on the side of the wall. Instantly, the Fae lanterns went out, but a small amount of light filtered in through the window, courtesy of the full moon. “I’m sure you’ll think of something.
“Perhaps we can come up with some stories tomorrow,” Bastian said in a sleepy tone. “I like to have several options to pull from.”
“Promise to keep your shirt on and we have a deal.” I yawned.
“I’ll consider it.” His breathing evened out after a few moments, and I thought he’d drifted off to sleep. “Night, Princess.”
For once, the nickname didn’t instantly irritate me.
“Night, Bas.”
Chapter Nine
Rynn
“We could have made it farther.” I looked around the tavern of the Hidden Glen outpost, where we’d be staying for the evening. Bastian had surprised me by guiding us here instead of continuing to an outpost closer to the border. We still had another day of travel after this, but we could have at least gotten closer to the Narchis stronghold.
“They have better food here,” Bastian said simply before striding towards the bar, greeting people along the way.
It was early enough that the tavern was barely a quarter full. Most Velesians were still at the market or out in the wilds to stretch their legs before darkness fell. I’d never been to this particular outpost, but I knew at least the basic rundown of every Velesian outpost and most of the Moroi ones.
Hidden Glen was just far enough off the main road that it wasn’t a normal place to stay for those traveling. It got its name for the glen located a short hike away that was supposed to be pretty, although no further details had been provided around that. I knew it had a permanent population of two hundred Velesians with roughly six packs.
Like Ravensfell, the residents here were mostly farmers. Overall, they were a self-sufficient outpost with little to no drama, so I didn’t know as much about them as some of the more tumultuous outposts.
I chewed on my bottom lip and shuffled from foot to foot where I’d stopped just inside the door. Bastian had taken a seat at a table, where several locals were already enjoying an early dinner. The food did smell amazing, and as a Velesian, I was basically always hungry. Our bodies burned through calories, especially after shifting.
Sitting at that table meant engaging in small talk though, which was something I was both terrible at and hated with a passion. I glanced at the tall, red-haired man behind the bar. Maybe I could ask him to bring me some food upstairs . . .
Just as I stepped forward, Bastian dashed that hope. “Rynn!” He waved at me. “Come on. I got you some food.”
Damn it. I couldn’t stop myself from grimacing, but I quickly replaced it with a polite, happy smile as I walked over to join Bastian and the locals.
A pretty blonde woman with greyish-blue eyes grinned at me. “You look about as happy as I did on my wedding day.”
I paused next to Bastian, not really knowing how to respond to that. He snorted and practically yanked me down on to the bench next to him, quickly putting a glass of wine and plate full of roasted meat and potatoes in front of me.
“As I recall,” Bastian drawled, “your wedding day actually worked out quite well for you, Vela.”
