Vander grinned and released a soft laugh. “You’re such a mystery to me. A walking contradiction.”
“And you aren’t?”
“We’re a mess, you and I.” He pressed his forehead to mine and closed his eyes. “I worry we just opened a door that will never close again.”
I cupped his face, brushing my thumbs over his soft skin. “I don’t want it to close, and I don’t care what the rules say.”
He took my hand and brought my knuckles to his lips. “I don’t particularly care about that rule either, except that Commander Ace would try to assign you another trainer.”
“She wouldtry?” This was Commander Ace we were talking about.
He smiled. “I wouldn’t let her. I’d tell her to mind her own business. I’m not a child and neither are you. Besides, the rule of no romantic relationships with your apprentice is to stop shallow sexual encounters that end badly. The way I feel about you is anything but shallow and technically we haven’t broken that rule anyway.” His fingers trailed down my spine. “We’re just dancing on the line.”
Far from shallow, I thought as I slid my finger under the leather strap of the protection pendant and pulled it out from under his tunic and let it lay on his chest. “You put it back on.”
“I told you I’d always wear it. All it needed was a new strap.”
“I’m sorry Kace was such an asshole.”
“Don’t apologize for him. He’s not yours to apologize for.”
The jealousy in his tone made me smile and I leaned forward, gently kissing his soft lips again. I could kiss him all night and not tire of it.
His hands moved up and down my back. “I gathered that this particular protection knot is special, but what does it mean exactly?”
My cheeks flushed with heat. After the way Kace reacted, I wouldn’t be able to get away with a lie, but it made me nervous to tell him. We’d kissed, I knew his secret, and he knew mine, but I wasn’t sure what that made us. I nibbled on my bottom lip and shook my head.
“You’re not going to tell me?”
I grabbed my mead and shrugged before I took a drink.
“Is it for youraskair?”
I set the mug back on the table and covered my face with my hands.
He took my wrists and guided them down. “Aesira, stop. Tell me, please.”
I sighed. His soft tone, those eyes, I was helpless against him. “In Neverglade a woman gives it to the man who has her heart, so both of their hearts are protected when he’s away from her.” There it was, out there in the open. Fear swirled and swelled with anticipation and yearning as I waited for his reaction.
The corner of his mouth curled while his touch grazed my palm, then he intertwined our fingers. “And what does a man give to a woman if he feels the same?”
My breath stopped. “Um, he gives her a dagger with the same protection knot carved into the pommel, so she can protect his heart while he’s away.”
“I see.” He reached across his hip and pulled his viper dagger and pressed the hilt into my palm. Tears burned at the back of my eyes. “I don’t have one of those special daggers yet, but I will get one. For right now I will give you this. Keep it with you. Wear it on your hip.”
No one here in Nighthaven or at Drakthar knew the meaning of the protection knot he wore. It was a custom in Nevergladeonly. If they saw it, it looked like just another piece of jewelry, but if I wore Vander’s bespoke, very recognizable serpent dagger, everyone would know there was meaning behind it. “This is special to you. It’s yours...”
He smiled, took hold of my chin, and pulled me in for a kiss. “And you think you are not those?”
I touched the blade with VIPER inscribed on it. He’d just called me his. Not just his apprentice...his. His heart. He pulled the dagger currently on my belt and nodded to the empty sheath.
I swallowed down the emotion clogging my throat. I was going to blame the mead for the threatening tears. “You’re quite demanding sometimes.”
“You like it.”
I chuckled and placed the golden viper dagger into the sheath on my hip. “What was it that made you change your mind?” It was only days before that he’d tried to squash these feelings between us.
“I realized I had a choice tonight.”
