Page 204 of Spring Guardians & Songbirds

“Can’t sleep?” he asked, leaning on the ledge of the balcony.

My eyes raked over his half naked frame and I swear my mouth watered. Walking to him, I traced the thin faded scars he had gotten in Hanai and his muscles twitched in reaction to my touch. “No. You?”

“Not when you aren’t.” Lifting me at the waist, he put me on the balcony ledge, separating my knees so he could fit himself between. Softly, he petted my hair then my face before both his palms began kneading my thighs. “How are you so beautiful?”

Putting my legs around his hips, I linked my ankles together and pulled him flush against me. “Heavens owed it to me. It was the least they could do after everything.”

He chuckled, running his knuckles over my cheek. “And I owe them a thank you. It helps that you’re pleasant to my eye. Compensation for the hardship on my ears.”

“Ah, a real charmer you are, husband. Thank the gods for that bargain with my father or you would have lived a life of solitude.”

His gaze went dark. “I would have.”

“Kilian?”

“Hm?” With a finger he tipped my chin up to look at him. The moment he saw through my distress, a deep frown pulled between his dark brows.

Touching the silver band on his ring finger, I said, “I need you to end it. Our…marriage. It is only a piece of paper. It won’t mean anything more or less, you know.”

The Olympian night darkened as did his expression. “Tell me why.”

“Now that Eren and Thora are here, my people will feel safer. The council might ask that I resume my arrangement with Lazarus. A true Olympian union. One that would be blessed.” I’d never marry anyone. Never again. I don’t think I could. But it was time he and I broke the ties stringing us together little by little before they tangled even more along the lie we’d enshrouded ourselves in.

His hands left me. “No.”

“I was not asking.”

“If he thinks I will hand him what’s mine on a platter, he is wrong. Severely so.” He backed away and then he was gone, fading out of sight.

I dropped my face in my hands. Hells, why was this so hard for?

“Come back,” I whispered into the emptiness.

Like a prayer, he faded back and strode to me, lifting me up again and I immediately locked my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist.

“Forgive me,” he whispered as he nuzzled his face on my neck. “I shouldn't have left angry. Forgive me for getting angry.”

“Will you do as I said?”

“I didn't say that.”

That made me laugh and me laughing seemed to make him laugh too.

Why did I enjoy these small moments of domesticity between us? The simple embrace, the soft laughs, the small touches. With him I felt starved. I craved them more. And he seemed to always know what I yearned for because he gave them to me regardless.

How had I not remembered him?

“Love?” He eyed my gloved hands. “Why are you wearing them to bed?”

Immediately, my fingers curled to fists. “I don’t want them to see.”

“They deserve to know of your pains and aches, my heart, enough hiding from those that care.”

“They will worry.”

He peeled a glove off and kissed my fingertips. “As they should. They will figure it out one day as I did. Believe me, the part where you have to guess and doubt and fear is worse than being told the truth.”

“Spouting all sorts of philosophies now, Adriatian?” But he was right.