Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 235897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1179(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 786(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 235897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1179(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 786(@300wpm)
“It’s not always me,” I whisper to Xaden, brushing my hand against his as we continue down the wide spiral staircase, approaching the second floor.
Xaden scoffs, then laces his fingers with mine and brings the back of my hand to his perfectly sculpted mouth. “It is,” he replies just as quietly, punctuating the remark with a kiss.
My pulse jumps just like it does every time he puts his lips on my skin, which hasn’t happened much in the last couple of weeks.
“You know, that whole slay-them-in-darkness thing was badass”—Ridoc lifts his finger—“but I totally had him.”
“You didn’t.” Xaden strokes his thumb over mine, and Garrick’s shoulders shake with a quiet laugh as we descend the final flight of steps to the main entrance.
“I was about to have him,” Ridoc argues, shaking that finger.
“You weren’t,” Xaden assures him.
“How could you possibly know that?” Ridoc drops his hand.
Garrick and Xaden exchange a look of sheer exasperation, and I fight a smile.
“Because you were on one side of the room,” Garrick says, “but your blade was on the other.”
“A problem I was in the middle of solving.” Ridoc shrugs, reaching the ground floor with Rhi.
Xaden pauses, tugging my hand in wordless request that I stay with him, which I do.
“We should check on the others.” Rhi glances up at me. “You headed to the great hall?”
I nod, and nerves jumble in my stomach.
“You’re ready. You’ve got this,” she says with a flash of a smile. “Want us to walk you over?”
“No. Go check on the squad,” I reply, and Garrick stills a step beneath us. “I’ll find you afterward.”
“We’ll be waiting,” Ridoc promises over his shoulder as he heads to the left with Rhi, disappearing around the corner.
“Everything all right?” Garrick turns our way and studies Xaden’s eyes.
“It will be if you give us five minutes alone,” Xaden answers.
Concern knits Garrick’s brow as he glances at me, but he quickly smooths his expression when I nod.
“For fuck’s sake. You trust her to babysit me at night, don’t you?” Xaden narrows his eyes on his best friend.
“Don’t act like I’m the reason you need to be supervised,” Garrick fires back.
Shadows creep across the step at our feet.
“It’s fine,” I quickly assure Garrick, keeping my hand entwined with Xaden’s much larger one. “I’m fine. He’s fine. All fine.”
Garrick glances between us, then pivots and moves down the steps. “I’ll be close by,” he warns, turning the corner to the right, toward the sparring gym.
“Damn it.” Xaden pulls his hand from mine, then leans back against the wall, his swords clinking against the masonry. His jacket falls open as he rests his head on the stone window frame. “I never realized how much I like alone time until I didn’t have any.” His throat works and his hands clench at his sides.
“I’m sorry.” I cross the foot of space between us, stepping between his feet and lifting my hand to the side of his neck, right over the magically inked lines of his mark.
“Don’t be. He has every right to worry about leaving me alone with you.” He covers my hand with his own and lowers his head, slowly opening those eyes I can never get enough of.
“I trust you.” Not a trace of red to be seen.
“You shouldn’t.” He wraps his arm around my waist and tugs me against his body. The contact instantly heats my skin and makes my stomach flip in the best possible way. “I’m pretty fucking sure the only reason he and Bodhi aren’t sleeping at the foot of our bed is that they know I would have killed them for it before, let alone now.”
Not that we’re doing anything in that bed besides sleeping. I might trust him, but he sure as Dunne doesn’t trust himself, at least not enough to let go of control in any form.
“In the spirit of transparency, I should tell you they’d like me to reconsider our sleeping arrangements.” I splay my other hand over his warm chest.
His eyes flare, and his arm tightens around me. “Maybe you should.”
“That’s not happening. I told Imogen to get fucked.”
A smile ghosts his mouth. “I’m sure you did.”
“They’ll stop hovering as soon as you’re cured.” My gaze skims the carved line of his jaw, then along the rise of his cheekbones to the locks of his black hair that have fallen over his forehead. He’s still him. Still mine.
His muscles tense beneath my fingers. “You ready to meet with the Senarium?”
“Yes.” I nod. “And don’t change the subject. I will find a way to cure you.” I put every ounce of my determination into the words and lift my eyebrows at him. “Let me in.” It isn’t a request. To my surprise, he lowers his shields, and the shimmering onyx bond between us solidifies. “You wielded your signet today. Behind the wards.”