I lower my wineglass. “You’ve sailed withpirates?”
His eyes flick to meet mine, and the dancing flames reflect in his dark irises. “Do you find that hard to believe?”
I tip my head. “Somewhat.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re a historian. An academic.” I gesture to him—his crisp vest and gleaming cuff links, the ones he’s started wearing again since I found the lost one in the hall. “It’s hard to imagine you sailing with rogues and drinking grog.”
He gives me a smile, his fangs peeking through. “Had you known me in my younger years, you would not be so surprised.”
“Hmm.” I lift my wineglass to my lips, just starting to feel a slight buzz. Then I set it aside and scoot closer to Severin. “You were a rogue yourself, then?”
His eyes sparkle with humor. I like seeing him this way—leaning back on one hand, dark hair tousled, sipping a glass of wine. It took him a few hours, but by the time I’d finished dicing and stirring and preparing our meal, he’d settled in, and now he appears right at home.
“You could say that.”
I scoot closer. “Is that how you learned to wield a sword? Aboard a pirate ship?”
A laugh rumbles in his chest. “It’s how I started. But it’s taken decades to learn.” His gaze slides to me. “You have many questions tonight.”
Now it’s my turn to shrug. “I want to know more about you. Everything about you.”
“That could take a very long time.”
His words remind me of the decision I’m on the precipice of making—the decision that might grant me more time, here on this earth, with Severin, with my magic, with Isis.
I lean in to press a kiss to his cheek. His stubble is rough against my lips. As I lean back, I whisper, “We have time.”
A muscle jumps along his jaw. Is he thinking about it too? Wondering what decision I’ll make?
I reach for my hunk of bread and peel another bite off. “Your turn.”
Severin arches a brow. “My turn what?”
“To ask me a question. Or do you think you know everything there is to know about me?”
He swirls the wine in his glass and gives a small shake of his head. “I’m certain I could live another three hundred years and still not know all there is to know about you.”
“Well...” I cross my legs and lean back on my hands. “You’d better get started.”
Severin takes a spoonful of soup, appearing in no rush. After dabbing his lips with a napkin, he says, “Tell me about your friends.”
“My friends?”
“They seem important to you.”
I nod. “They are. We’ve been together since our first year at the academy.” A small smile finds its way onto my lips as I tell Severin about Alina, Lyra, and Poppy—and all the struggles and triumphs we’ve had over the past three and a half years together.
“And what of next year?” he asks, setting his bowl aside. He ate every bite and wiped it clean with the last piece of bread. “Will you be going separate ways?”
His question brings a hint of sadness to my heart. “I suppose so. I’ll hopefully get the fellowship with the Arcanum Collective, Alina and Raelan will return to the castle, Lyra’s probably going to join Cairn at the conservatory, and Poppy...” A small smile touches my mouth. “I think she’s going to move to Faunwood to be with Aric, though she hasn’t realized it yet.”
“You’ll not be so far from one another, then.”
I shake my head. “No. But it’ll still be different without them.” Meeting Severin’s eyes, I say, “Now it’s my turn.”
He nods and lifts his wineglass, only to find it empty.Sitting forward to grab the bottle from the rug between us, he says, “Go ahead.”
