Page 156 of The Edge of Darkness

“The two of you have always made a handsome couple, but this union becomes you.” Drastia’s High Lord clasped arms with Niall. “Congratulations, my friend.”

Senna followed on her mate’s heels, letting out a squeal as she pulled me into her embrace. “I am absolutely thrilled to have another Lady among the group. The High Lord meetings get far too monotonous with so many hard-headed males around the table.”

I laughed, hugging her back. “I will be just as grateful to have you there.”

She pulled away, beaming with a smile. “You’re too kind, Auren.”

A pair of gray wings caught my eye next. Remic was approaching, carrying two glasses in his hand. Behind him, Silas and Nivelle followed.

“A special drink, courtesy of your mate,” he said, offering me a glass containing some sort of creamy liquid over ice.

“You mean my husband,” I said, putting emphasis on the very human word.

Next to me, Senna hummed with approval. “Husband. Ooh, I like that.” She spun, locking eyes with Laurent. “Shall I call you ‘husband’ too?”

“Whatever your heart desires, darling,” he answered, earning a satisfied giggle from her.

“What is this?” I asked Remic as I looked down at the drink.

“That”—Niall stepped up to my side—“is the special liqueur I picked up the first time I took you into Calledan’s city center.”

I recalled him purchasing a bottle from a shop and saying it was something that would “steal my heart,” but we hadn’t found time to drink it.

Unless . . .

“You were saving it . . . for a special occasion, weren’t you?”

Niall smiled. “I like to be prepared.”

“Bold,” Senna said, lifting an amused brow.

Niall took the other glass from Remic and clinked it against mine. “Trust me. Try it.”

I lifted it to my lips, catching a whiff of vanilla, something buttery, and a hint of cinnamon. When I sipped, my eyes widened. “Oh my—what is this?”

Niall chuckled. “It’s a cream liqueur that I knew you’d fall in love with, given your affinity for cinnamon sugar toast.”

My next sip was more of a gulp. “It’s divine.” I savored the chilled cream, wondering how many more bottles he had.

He grinned at me over the rim of his glass. “I will say it’s quite potent, so do with that what you will.”

A soft melody of strings began, and I took another large sip as I perused the space around us. Across the glade, Aremis offered his hand to Maeson for a dance. Not too far from them, Breck stood, fully invested in conversation with a few other fae.

Laurent reached around Niall for his mate. “Allow me to take advantage of this moment and spin my own Lady around this enchanted forest.” He took Senna by the hand, grinning from ear to ear as he whisked her away.

Nivelle quietly filled in the space Senna had just vacated, and peered down at my drink.

“Want some?” I asked her.

“Depends on what it is.”

“I can’t explain it. Just try it.”

She took it and sniffed, then tasted. Her eyes widened just as mine had, and she lifted the glass higher, inspecting its contents. “Is there more?”

“Niall, I hope you bought more than one bottle of this,” I said, nodding toward Nivelle who had all but claimed the drink as her own.

“It makes my shoulders feel . . . warm and tingly,” she said as she sipped again.