Page 98 of Wings of Destruction

Her presence makes the room overwarm but the harsh cold line of her lips remains. Everything is silent.

A sharp exhale pushes past my lips. Whenever I’m around Morgan, my focus shatters, honing in on her instead.

She stops and leans heavily on the staff, her eyelids fluttering shut. When she opens her eyes again, the tears are subdued.

The sight of her threatens to break my heart. I say nothing, a vein ticking on the side of my neck and my nostrils flaring. It’s a stolen moment, one she’d hate to have anyone witness. My heart thrashes in my chest before it stills. She looks like she’s close to breaking and the rest of the world goes blurry except for her.

Breath tickles the back of my neck, and then a disembodied voice asks, “Wow, you are a lech, aren’t you? Such a creep.”

Astrid’s voice comes out hard, and I freeze at her silent arrival.

If she’d brought a weapon, I’d be dead before I realized my mistake. Drawing back, I slowly turn to face her, Astrid watching my face for changes.

The urge to excuse myself is so oppressive I have to clench my jaw to keep the churning words inside of me.

Astrid looks beyond me. Morgan has resumed her exercising. Neither one of us says a word. Astrid shifts for a better angle, tracing hard eyes over the girl inside the room, her body rigid.

Then her shoulders lift in a small shrug, and she brushes her fingers across my elbow. She’s seen enough.

“Come along, lovesick fool.”

I draw away from the door, leaving Morgan inside to work out her rage. We’re halfway down the hall before Astrid sniffs.

“Did she see you?”

Blast, I hope not. I’d be neck-deep in dragon dung if she did.

“Neither seen nor heard,” I answer in an undertone.

“Do you know what she’d do to you if she knew she was being watched? Especially by you?” Astrid continues conversationally. Her hands slide into her pockets. “Better yet. How will your fiancée feel about you stalking a maid?”

“Pardon?” I grit out.

“I saw the expression on your face, Kieran. Control yourself. Otherwise you are going to be no good for anyone. Least of all poor neglected Evie.”

A stone drops in my gut.

Is that why Astrid came to collect me? Had Evie somehow managed to corner my second in command?

I stare straight ahead and the afterimages of Morgan’s sweaty form linger in my head. “I’m not engaged. And I’m not stalking.”

This late at night, the hallway outside my gym is empty of everyone but us. We are the only people insane enough to be awake this time of night.

Now there’s Morgan.

Astrid and I round the corner to the short stairwell taking us down to the outside pavilion. The edges of my vision go blurry. For a blissful second, it had only been me and Morgan, and a consideration for the future that hadn’t been possible before.

Now I’m caught and considering everything.

“I came to get you because you were supposed to meet me ten minutes ago.” Astrid gives a stiff nod. “You were late, and I worried.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It doesn’t matter. We have more important things to discuss. I’ve heard reports from the palace.”

I startle and she notes the movement. “Your spies hear everything.”

“That’s why they’re spies. The reports state that your father has been there more and more,” she whispers.