Page 51 of Noble Charms

Aria had not come in weeks. Not since the last time with Ellor. He took himself in hand and thought of it—of that library. His first time wasn’t good, but it was memorable.

Aria, pushed up against the shelves. Muffling his voice with the back of his hand. Spreading his legs despite his mind screaming that it was improper, and dangerous, and that they risked expulsion should they be caught fucking like this. It was frantic. Painful. And hot.

The memory of his first boyfriend—Onyx, the orcish painter—asked, “Can I come in you raw?” But it sounded different.

This voice, in Aria’s mind, was deeper. He was smooth and soft and familiar.

Aria shuddered as he spent. And minutes later, as he washed his hands, he told the reflection in the mirror that he’d thought of Onyx; of his past; of nothing, and no one, else. But his soul kept him awake, staring at the ceiling, knowing Noble slept one floor above.

Romy placed the present in Aria’s lap, and her pretty round face beamed with a proud grin. “You can go ahead and open it. Don’t worry. It's not that embarrassing.”

“Not that embarrassing,” Aria mumbled, now staring at the box like it may split into a monster with a great many teeth and try to swallow him whole. “Romy, you didn’t need to get me a gift.”

“It’s your birthday,” she said. “Of course I did. Go on. No one’s even watching. Don’t be shy.”

The park was bustling in the afternoon, despite the rapid drop in temperature. Autumn was well on its way to Winterend—which meant Aria’s birthday. He tried to forget about it, especially this year. He’d had a hard time with his thirty-first year, and had concerns about going into thirty-two.

Granted, his life had become less challenging recently, as he’d come to settle into Noble’s home. They had a routine that developed over the last two weeks—Noble read The Bard Bride aloud, and they would either go to an event together, or they would split for the night to date. And the next day, Noble would talk about the terrible sex he had, and Aria would laugh, and promise that it’d get better one day. The routine started to feel like home the same way the townhouse did.

But despite all that he and Noble did to get Aria out there, in front of his audience—he’d still yet to book a gig. We’ll get you something soon, I swear it, Noble promised, pulling Aria into a hug that chased away all his fears of moving back to Argosin or turning to work as an adame.

Aria pulled off the wrapping from Romy’s gift and was presented with a pretty pink box made of velvet. “Wow. What is it?” He pulled off the lid and blinked.

“It’s a love potion.” Romy clapped, bouncing in her seat. “I know how sad you’ve been since Duke Prick and⁠—"

“I’m not sad about Ellor,” Aria said, sighing in exasperation. Everyone insisted he was heartbroken despite him saying—and acting—otherwise. “I told you.”

“Right, right,” she said, flagging a hand through the air. “Anyway, with the potion—you put it on like cologne. Spritz it here, here, and here.” She pointed to her neck, between her breasts, and against her wrist. “Nowhere else. Too much and it won’t work.”

Aria lifted the pink crystal-shaped perfume bottle and leaned in to sniff. It smelled good—peonies and bergamot. “What happens after I do that?”

“You do that, and your one true love will find you, no matter where you are, and kiss you the way you deserve.” Romy tilted her head back and forth and giggled. “Okay, it’s perhaps mostly bogus—but maybe not. You can never be sure when buying from those vendors near the pier. I got it because it smelled great.”

Aria said, “It does. Thank you so much, Romy. You’re an angel.”

“And hey—maybe it will work. It’s your birthday, and you deserve that midnight kiss.”

Aria rolled his eyes. “That’s a pointless and outdated tradition.”

“I’m not one to defend the history of elves,” said Romy, tucking her hair behind her pointed ear as if it helped make her point. “But I think getting kissed at midnight after your birthday is an adorable thing we do! Orcs do something similar, right?”

Aria knew, of course—he’d been with his orcish boyfriend for two full years. “They press their hearts together.” Naked, Onyx had insisted, but Aria had since learned that wasn’t necessarily a requirement. “And humans blow out candles.” He tried to recall if horn-bearers had something like this, and came up blank. He’d have to ask Morgan.

“The point is that this potion will help you get that kiss.” And then she winked.

Aria giggled, feeling flush. “I don’t think it’s likely this year.”

“I mean, there’s always Noble…"

Aria said, “I doubt he knows our tradition. And besides—we’re friends, Romy. I’ve told you, he doesn’t like men the way that I do.” And, no matter how Aria’s soul quivered in his presence, Noble did not share in any of his amorous thoughts. Aria had actually done a fine job in moving on. “He’s not really my type. I think I’m done with the nobility for now.”

She frowned, skeptical. “He could still kiss you, though. You don’t have to be kinsme—or his adame—to kiss.”

Aria chuckled. “I’m not looking to kiss anyone right now. I’ve just got to get back on my own two feet. Find some new work, figure out where I’ll be long-term. Then, maybe, I’ll consider it. With someone who isn’t Lord Yves St. Clair.”

“Hmm. That’s fine, but I’m going to hug you now.” She jumped up from the bench and crashed into Aria, a warm tangle of hair and her rosy perfume and bubbly laughter. She squeezed Aria tight and settled back down at his side. “What do you plan to do with your night?” Since he wouldn’t be kissing anyone, Romy said with her gray-blue gaze.

“Noble got an invite to something called a bread party? He said we could skip it, since it’s my birthday. He suggested dinner at Rev.”