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After what felt like hours, Edrich propped himself up on one muscled arm.
“Fine,” I preempted him when he sucked in a breath to speak. “You can walk me back to my rooms.”
“Maybe just a few more minutes,” he responded, leaning in for another kiss.
Eventually, though, I knew he was right. There might be a panic if they thought I was missing, so I reluctantly let him walk me down the two hallways, giggling and evading sentries as we went.
By the time we got to the door, I had finally braved myself to speak.
“Come with me,” I breathed. This may be my only chance to sleep in his arms. “Just to sleep,” I clarified, willing myself not to blush fuschia, again.
I heard him swallow before he held my gaze for a long moment, his cerulean eyes barely visible in the fading moonlight of the hallway windows. He opened his mouth, a begrudging refusal plain in his eyes, and I cut him off.
“You’re leaving tomorrow, Edrich. I’m not ready to say goodbye… not yet.”
“All right,” he finally said.
This time, there was no awkwardness at all to sharing a room, a bed, a small pocket of space that only we existed in.
He rolled onto his back, holding out an arm for me, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world to press myself against his side, placing my head on his chest. His arm curved around me, never once struggling to find its place around my wings.
My mind raced.
Was it too much to hope that he might stay now? For that matter, was it too much to ask? He had a family, a band of mercenaries he was sworn to.Wouldn’t it be selfish to ask him to walk away from his life for mine?
Something the prince said earlier came back to me.
Fate,he had mentioned.
I had never believed in it, really, and I still wasn’t sure I did. But if the universe was willing to give me the gift of one beautiful night with the boy I had loved all my life, I wasn’t about to turn it down.
48
Edrich
It was nearly impossible to force myself to leave Lina before the sun came up. The sound of her soft breathing beckoned me back to bed, but I didn’t want to risk Queen Cassia’s disapproval by being discovered in her room—again.
Besides, Lina may not care about her reputation right now, but I didn’t want to be responsible for her starting a scandal before she even settled in.
I spent a little extra time cleaning up and changing in my rooms, waiting for as long as I could before going back to her. We had spent years without this, whateverthiswas, but somehow it was impossible to imagine another moment without her in my arms.
Taking deep breaths, I continued to pace the floors of my suite, going over every possibility for what could happen next. My family would be well taken care of. They would be happy for me.For us,I amended.
A wave of doubt washed over me when I wondered if this was even something that Lina would want.
She was just barely starting her life here.Would she really want me to stay and…
I shook my head. After last night, I had to believe it’s what she wanted, but she had also said pretty plainly that it was my last night here—had said it without a shadow of a doubt to her tone.
Either way, I wouldn't know until I talked to her. A glance at the clock had me cursing time for moving so slowly before my mind went back home.
Atesh would be understanding, if a little disappointed. But, weren’t we both trying to leave that life behind? Didn’t we both want to stop after the last mission?
Wringing my hands, I couldn’t stop wondering how any of this was possible, or realizing how much of a fool I was for nearly not coming with her.
When a knock at the door sounded, I nearly ran to open it, surprising a servant with a breakfast tray. Thanking him, I moved the tray to the table, deciding to wait only a few more minutes before the rest of the palace was awake.
My stomach was a twisted vine of nerves as I thought about what I would say to Lina, how she would react.
