AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Through the whirl of my thoughts, it occurs to me that there’s one way both of us can know exactly what we mean to each other.
My voice comes out quiet. “Use your gift on me.”
Casimir blinks. “What?”
“Use your gift. See what you could do that would make me happiest right now.”
It wouldn’t make me happy for him to lie. I’d rather he let me down easy if that’s what he needs to do.
The courtesan knits his brow for just a second before his stance relaxes. His eyes go a bit distant, and a quiver of magic passes through my nerves.
All at once, he’s tossing the chocolate box onto the table and wrapping his arms around me in the warmest of embraces.
“Oh, Kindness,” Casimir murmurs with a catch in his throat, his head lowered so his cheek rests against my temple. “Do you really not already know how much I adore you?”
I choke up a little too. “I mean, you seem to think a lot abouteveryone’shappiness—I didn’t realize I mattered that much more. I’m sorry I acted like I didn’t care. I was trying not to make a fool of myself.”
Casimir makes a rough noise and strokes his fingers over my hair. “My fault. I was worried about overwhelming you, and instead— I’ve been falling for you since the first day we met. You’re woven into me now. I get an ache in the pit of my stomach when we’re apart and a glow around my heart when you’re nearby.”
He glances up, still holding me close, toward where Alek is ambling over to join us. “Not that I would try to claim you all for myself if you’re finding joy other places as well.”
I glance over at the scholar, my cheeks heating with a flutter of my nerves.
To my relief, Alek’s crooked smile is all fond amusement. “She doesn’t believe me when I tell her she’s going to become the next Signy.” He trails his fingers down the back of my arm. “I’m not sure how much more proof she needs.”
“I’d rather not have to face off against an entire imperial army any time soon,” I protest.
Casimir just chuckles. He ducks his head to seek out my lips.
As the courtesan’s kiss floods me with tingling warmth, Alek slips his arm around my waist from behind and presses his mouth to the side of my neck. My heart skips a beat.
It is overwhelming, being caught up between these two men, but only in the best possible way. I can barely believethismoment is actually happening while I’m in the middle of it.
Casimir draws back just an inch, his breath still caressing my lips when he speaks. “I’m not taking patrons now—not that kind. I wanted to be sure of where I stood with you first.”
I hesitate. “I saw you with that woman in the dining hall...”
He gives his head an emphatic shake. “She hired me to play music at a party she’s hosting. Nothing more intimate than that.”
“Oh.” I let out a shaky laugh and lean into Alek, looping my arm around his to show him how much I welcome his embrace too. “But—I mean, it’s your calling; it’s what you always meant to do…”
I can’t ask him to give something that important up, even if the thought of him caressing another woman—or man—makes my gut twist.
“I don’t know how I’ll handle things in the future,” Casimir says. “But for right now… I don’t think it’d be good for me to muddy the waters.”
I guess I can accept that. If he starts to seem miserable trying to hem himself in, I’ll have to speak up, however painful it might be for me.
It can’t be more painful than thinking I barely meant anything more than the women who pay him for his affections.
I lift my head toward Alek to aim a peck at his jaw. I wouldn’t have found out any of this if the scholar hadn’t pushed me. “Thank you.”
Alek’s arm tightens around me. His voice comes out a bit rough. “I think you’ve spent too long thinking you were barely worth anything at all, Ivy.” A wry note creeps in. “Now I’ll have some help convincing you otherwise.”
I’d like to linger here and find out how they’d continue their convincing, but my awareness of the impending class niggles at me. With a regretful sigh, I ease away from both of the men.
“If I’m not ready for class in time, Stavros will probably come for all our heads.”
“We’ll see you again soon.” Casimir gives my shoulder a quick squeeze, his eyes shining with so much affection it wraps around me like another embrace. “Stay safe, and know our thoughts are with you.”
