I roll my eyes.
Fern exchanges a glance with Bloom at her side. “Are you offering, pretty boy?”
Jax shrugs and flashes them his easy smile. “Always. But before I offer you a dance lesson, I must offer my services to my General.”
The look he gives me across the table makes my insides twist in the weirdest way. I level him with a glare.
Jax is not deterred by it, though. “Care to join me for a dance?”
“No,” I snap. “Thanks.”
My rejection only makes him chuckle. “Suit yourself, General.” He turns to Fern and Bloom. “Ladies, which one goes first?”
Bloom shakes her head, stuffing her mouth with freshly baked bread lathered with butter. Through her full mouth, she mutters, “Not me. I’m like an elephant on ice on the dance floor.”
Fern, though, takes Jax’s hand with no arguing. “Let’s see if what they say about Emerian men on the dance floor is true.”
With her hand in his, Jax rises to his feet. “And what is it that they say?”
I don’t hear Fern’s answer as they walk away towards the dancing group.
I bristle, eyeing them both, at the way Jax holds her hand in his while the other lands on Fern’s back.
When Jax leans forward and whispers something into Fern’s ear that makes her throw her head back and bark a laugh, I grip my fork hard enough my knuckles turn white.
If he seduces one of my Ezkai…the spirits of the gods won’t be able to save his ass.
Of course, it doesn’t go unnoticed by my mentor. Kazh eyes the fork and looks up at me with an arched eyebrow. Immediately, I relax and focus my attention to my damn plate.
Thankfully, whatever opinions Kazh has about me and Jax, she chooses to keep to herself.
I glance at Kazh. She’s pushing the food around her plate. Huh. Maybe she’s not in the mood today.
When she notices me gawking at her plate, she puts the fork down and says, “Once you’re out there, galivanting in the woods with yourcharmingBlood Sentineal, do me a favor and don’t lose your damn head.”
I scoff. “Please. I’m the Ezkai General. You know I can hold my own when I need to.”
She grunts. After a loaded, silent pause, she adds, “I know you’re capable, shithead. I wouldn’t have agreed to mentor you when you came to me begging for my help, holding my old engagement ring in your hands.”
I smile at the memory. “Did you really? I thought you hated the sight of me back then and I had to earn your respect and affection with my kick-ass Decarios performance at the trials.”
Kazh snorts. “Last time I mentored a Decarios was three hundred years ago. Believe me, I wouldn’t have taken this challenge if I knew the potential was hidden this deep.”
I blink at that. “Three hundred years ago? Damn, Kazh. How old are you?”
She takes a sip of her plum blossom wine. “Too old, if you ask me.”
Her answer cracks me up. “Explains why you’re so grumpy all of the time. If my bones were that old, I’d be beating everyone with a cane, too.”
Usually, my smart remarks win me a snort, or a whip with her cane. This time around, though, Kazh offers me a half smile.
Damn. Two in less than a week.
Old age must be softening my mentor up or something.
“I’m grateful for you, Kazh,” I say quietly. The music bounces off the walls, laughter and chatter dancing all around us. “If you wouldn’t have taken a chance on me that day, I wouldn’t be where I am.” My throat is suddenly thick, the backs of my eyes burning. I clear my throat. “The woman I am today, in large part, is because of you.”
Kazh’s gaze softens for a briefest moment. It’s warm like a mother’s embrace. I blink the tears away that threaten to erupt.
