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She shook her head. “No, I don’t mind it.” She removed her hand from Heath’s arm, strolling up to the stone balustrade in front of her. Her balance was a little off thanks to the voluminous coverings she was wearing, but she managed to avoid visibly stumbling.
She leaned on the stone, reaching a hand out into the darkness. Snow had just begun to fall, soft and silent. The light of the flames inside caught the odd flake, making it glint.
“It’s magical,” she said, as a small flake of snow fell into her outstretched hand.
A disapproving huff from behind her made her turn. There weren’t many others out in the cold, and she hadn’t realized anyone was standing so close. The middle-aged woman, resplendently dressed, was looking between Heath and Merletta with a scandalized expression. When Merletta looked at her, she turned a shoulder, striding back into the warmth on the arm of a man her own age.
“What was that about?” Merletta asked anxiously. She cast a quick glance around—for the moment, they were alone on the terrace. “Did I do something not human enough?”
“Not at all,” Heath assured her. “She’s just one of the more pompous ladies in the court, eager to find offense.” Merletta must have still looked confused, because Heath added wryly, “The word magical is a little controversial around here.”
“Oh,” said Merletta, finally catching up.
She turned back to the railing, dismissing the incident from her mind. If the woman was so foolish as to be offended so easily, she wasn’t someone whose respect Merletta wanted.
“I’m sorry August was so nervous about the dragons,” she commented. “I would have liked to have seen the rest of the ceremony. And I was hoping to greet Reka, as well. He won’t warm to me again if he thinks I have no manners.”
There was silence for a moment, then Heath spoke, his voice coming from some distance behind her. “He won’t think that. It’s probably for the best—he’s casual with just us, but it’s a bit different for him when he’s with others from his colony.”
Merletta nodded absently, accepting this.
“Actually…” Heath hesitated. “It’s worth being cautious of the other dragons, Merletta. They’re not all like Reka, you know. They’re not as safe.”
Merletta frowned, glancing over her shoulder. “Are you worried about their offense? Everyone else seems to be. Do you think they might attack the city?”
“No,” said Heath quickly. “I don’t think they’ll do that. I just meant that they’re…well, more complicated than Reka.”
Merletta let out a scoff as she turned back to face the snowy gardens. “He seems plenty complicated to me.”
The sudden warmth beside her told her that Heath had approached. He placed one hand on the railing, standing just behind her. Merletta waited for him to speak again, but he remained silent. When she turned to look at him, she found herself suddenly all but pressed against him. She stilled, their gazes locking, and Heath slowly leaned his other hand on the balustrade on her other side.
She was inside the circle of his arms, now, her heart racing at double time. Had she been saying it was cold a moment before? It was hard to remember the sensation—heat was now rushing up her bare arms, everywhere Heath’s arms brushed against them.
“What do you think of my world?” he asked, his voice soft and low.
Merletta was finding it hard to marshal her thoughts. “I think it’s beautiful,” she whispered. “And like nothing I could have imagined.”
Heath raised one hand to reclaim a tendril of hair which had come loose from Merletta’s knot.
“I am fond of it,” he said, his voice warm against her ear as he tucked the hair into place. “But it was always missing something for me. Now it’s the most beautiful place in existence, no doubt about it.”
Merletta swallowed. Her emotions felt tangled up, but her desire to be near Heath was unwavering. She tilted her head up, her eyes searching his face.
“Do you really like having me here?”
“Of course I do!” he breathed, the sincerity in his eyes undeniable.
“Better than being on Vazula together?” Merletta pressed.
Heath hesitated. “I loved our haven there,” he said. “I loved feeling like we had our own world, existing outside either of the worlds we came from.” His expression turned a little rueful. “But I’m honest enough to admit my selfishness.”
Merletta frowned, confused. “Selfishness?” Heath was the least selfish person she knew.
Heath’s hand once again left the stone, this time rising to touch one finger lightly to her cheek.
“I like having you all to myself,” he explained.
Merletta tried to laugh, but she was still a little breathless. “That room is full of people,” she reminded him.
