Page 93 of The Edge of Darkness

Niall greeted us on the patio and summoned food for the lot of us. Everyone except Roirdan, who said he had other business to take care of and quickly disappeared.

Nivelle seemed relieved he had gone, because she stayed to eat a bowl of vegetable stew. She sat across from me in a plush leather chair that nearly engulfed her, quietly slurping the broth from her bowl, while I scarfed down my second serving, which contained pieces of tender, salty meat.

I leaned forward over the table that separated us and tore at the loaf of garlic-buttered bread before I finally broke the silence. “Did you enjoy training?”

She lowered her bowl and glared at me from underneath her brow.

“What? I’m just asking. It looked as though you were . . . quite enthralled.”

“I was focused,” she corrected.

“Mmm.”

She set her bowl down with a thud. “You don’t actually enjoy his style of training, do you?”

I shrugged, stuffing another piece of bread in my mouth to hide my grin. “He’s never acted that way with me before.”

She scoffed, but it didn’t hide the blush that crept over her cheeks. “I’ll be in my chambers,” she said as she stood and strode toward the stairs.

Across the room, Aremis and Silas halted their conversation, both of them giving me a look that said, What did you do?

I rolled my eyes and finished off the bread in front of me.

The food had been satisfying, but there was something else I was needing. Time with Niall. He had told me to meet him in his chamber when I was finished, and that he would be there shortly.

I dusted off my hands. “I’ll see the two of you later,” I called out to Aremis and Silas. “Until then, stay out of trouble.”

Aremis swung a hand up to his heart and bowed his head. “As you command.”

Silas smiled at me, and I returned it, then I ported.

Niall’s bedchamber was as good as “ours” now, since I’d been sleeping here instead of my private chambers. It was always cozy, with its dim light and crackling fire.

The tub was waiting for me to indulge myself in its warm waters, and since Niall wasn’t here yet, I wasted no time. I kicked off my boots and stripped, then lowered myself into the sunken tub and washed off the sweat from earlier. Once I was finished, I found a new set of clothes waiting for me in his armoire. I dressed, and slipped under the covers, sighing as my body relaxed into the silken sheets. I was just about to doze off when I felt him manifest in the room. Shadows appeared first, then he stepped through them, and his eyes went right to mine.

“About time,” I said, smiling.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Fallon, Morah, and I were discussing what is to be done about Ramil. But I don’t want to talk about politics and rulers and all that right now.” He shrugged off his shirt and climbed into bed alongside me. “I just want to enjoy some time with you.”

I turned to face him, instantly mesmerized by the golden glow that flared to life in his eyes.

He tilted my chin up with his finger and planted a loving kiss on my lips. “How was training?”

“The porting went great. It just took me a while to figure out how to maneuver different body weights around. But Silas and Aremis were both very patient with me.”

“How is Silas, by the way?”

“Don’t you mean, ‘is he behaving?’”

He grinned. “I mean, how is he getting along with everyone? How is he getting along with you?”

“Fine, it seems. We made some progress today—him and I. I think Aremis likes him.”

“Mmm.”

“You should try and get to know him for yourself. He would appreciate the effort.”

Niall didn’t answer, he simply focused on twirling a lock of my hair around his finger.