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I shook my head, then shuffled my feet on the barren turf for a moment.
Well, I suppose I should start stretching.
I checked my harness, sword, and daggers, then started warming up.
I was stretching my arms out behind my back—an excellent stretch for my arms and shoulders—when the door creaked open again.
“Good morning, Charon,” I called as I released the stretch. “I wanted to thank you for the translations and the binder. I learned a lot from…” All thoughts in my brain died when I turned around and saw not Charon, but Noctus standing in the doorway.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chloe
He was wearing his black, utility clothing, and although I didn’t see any weapons on him, he was probably carrying several. His blond hair was damp—he must have just showered—and his hand was still set on the half open door.
We stared at each other for a moment, but it felt like a day.
“Good morning,” Noctus finally said.
“Hey,” I said. “Hi. I mean, good morning.”
I gulped, then took a step toward him—which must have been what Noctus was waiting for.
He was across the arena in the blink of an eye, his arms closing around me.
I had just enough time to grin up at him like an idiot before he leaned over, pressing a searing kiss against my lips.
Given that I wasn’t worried about the diseases I would share from effectively licking the pavement, like I had been for our first kiss, I relaxed into this one faster, linking my hands behind his neck and resting my arms on his shoulders for extra stability as I was starting to feel lightheaded in my giddiness.
The kiss was consuming, killing every thought in my overactive brain and making my toes curl in my boots.
Even though our bond hadn’t been renewed, I swear I heard wild magic humming, and deep inside of me, something finally relaxed.
I was with Noctus. Finally.
In all my planning and hope, there had always been a part of me that was terrified that this day would never come. But we were here, together, and the sense of loss I’d been nursing all summer long was gone…because of what I had deemed the “impossible-never-going-to-happen plan” of the elves going public.
I felt such a hurricane of emotions—absolute, perfect delight, sheer relief, and a morose sense of thankfulness for what the elves of Calor Villa were going to give up to make this happen.
To my embarrassment, tears started dripping from my eyes, burning a searing trail down my cheeks.
Noctus pulled back long enough to fix his arms around me. “Amalourne, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I said—crying harder. “I’m just so happy! My family is safe. And I get to be with you when I didn’t know if that would ever happen, but what about everyone in Calor Villa? I just—” I couldn’t speak anymore I was crying too hard.
Noctus picked me up—literally sweeping me off my feet—then sat down where we stood on the grassy field, tipping me against his chest before settling me in place on his legs.
I was still crying after all of that, but at least I wasn’t sobbing and snotting all over his shirt as I rested my cheek on his chest. “Why am I crying?” I asked, bewildered.
“Relief, likely,” Noctus said. “You also probably haven’t had a chance to process everything that happened last night.”
I shut my eyes—which were starting to feel swollen. “That sounds right,” I agreed. I hesitated, then made myself ask the question that I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear the answer to. “Noctus…are you sure about this?”
“About us?” Noctus asked.
“No—well, yes, in a way—but I meant are you sure about revealing yourself to supernaturals? About all the elves revealing themselves?” I scrubbed at my face, trying to wipe the tears which I could feel were turning my face red and splotchy.
“Ah.” Noctus bent one of his legs, angling it so it supported my back. “Then please allow me to assure you it was not a decision made under duress. It wasn’t even fully my decision. My people made it clear they felt we could—and should—reveal ourselves. They will not resent you for this, and you can still walk away if you want.”
