Page 233 of The Edge of Darkness

“By the way, Sorscha,” I called out to her, “I think you’ll find a rather appetizing surprise of your own upstairs.” I tossed her a smile and a wink. She gasped with delight, porting away, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“What’s the surprise?” Silas asked.

“An entire cake baked just for her, covered in sweet icing and sugar-coated fruit. It’s her favorite.”

He shook his head. “You two and your damn sweets.”

Before I could begin to argue to him that sweets were one of life’s greatest pleasures, the door opened again, and Maeson and Aremis stepped out. Wrynn launched into a fit of giddy fox chatter, prancing around their feet.

Maeson looked stunning. Her pale purple dress clung to her curves, and her long, red hair hung in loose, flowing waves. But despite the beauty she radiated, her eyes held a tinge of sadness.

Aremis held her arm in his, and he too seemed more solemn than usual. All this work in figuring out how to rid himself of the Aether must have been taking a toll on them. I longed to ask what they’d discovered, since we had yet to catch each other up on our comings and goings, but this was neither the time, nor the place for that. This was to be a happy evening.

Hopefully I could ensure that it would be.

“Auren, everything looks so lovely.” Maeson roved her gaze over the table, then slipped her arm from Aremis’s and pulled me into a hug.

I squeezed her back. “Enjoy yourselves tonight. We can worry about the world and all its problems come morning.”

She nodded and gave me a soft smile.

As soon as she let go, Aremis pulled me into an embrace. “Thank you for doing this. It is very much needed.”

“I’m glad you two could make it.”

The doors opened once more, and Roirdan and Nivelle emerged, followed by Remic and Niall, who were each carrying baskets.

Roirdan tugged me into his arms and lifted me off the ground as he hugged me. “So, the little one is the first to host a dinner on the patio.” He chuckled, then turned to address Niall with me still in his arms. “Why haven’t any of us ever thought of doing this?”

Niall grinned, handing his basket of what appeared to be fresh bread to Remic. “Because we’re old and set in our ways.”

“The path of complacency is the quickest to death,” Remic pointed out, placing the bread on the table.

“Charming,” Nivelle muttered.

“Put my mate down before my baser instincts kick in,” Niall warned his commander.

Roirdan finally did as Niall asked and patted my shoulders like he always did. “She’s all yours.”

Niall strolled up to me with a glimmer of mischief in his eyes and took my chin in his gentle fingers, tilting my face up for a kiss. His other arm slid around my waist, pulling my body to his. “Seeing you bring so much life to this place does something to me that I never anticipated.”

“Oh? What does it do to you, High Lord?” I murmured against his lips.

“Something that should only be spoken of in private.”

I blushed and pressed into him. “Tell me after dinner, then.”

“How about I show you after dinner?”

Warmth curled low in my core as his words lingered between us. “Can’t wait.”

We turned back to the others, who had taken to mingling around the table and debating over seats. Roirdan seemed to be adamant that Nivelle was to be seated next to him, not across. He even went as far as pulling out Nivelle’s chair. None of us could help our stares. Aremis raised a steep brow.

“What?” Roirdan asked. “You all are acting like chivalry is dead.”

“It was dead, for you,” Remic stated.

“Bullshit. I’ve always been considerate and respectful toward females.”