Page 238 of Spring Guardians & Songbirds

My little sister had dark secrets—ones that she kept from me. “She can't keep secrets well, you know.”

He smiled a little to himself. “She’s kept mine.”

I sighed. There were things I couldn’t understand, and this was one of them. Perhaps I didn’t have to understand this at all. Friendships did bloom from most inconvenient situations—I was testament to that.

I dug my toenails on top of his foot till he hissed from pain. “Go get me another mooncake.”

Chapter thirty-six

Opto

Snowlin

Not even a second after I’d entered his room, I was thrown over his broad shoulder and dropped on the bed. He’d come this morning from Comnhall with good news, but I’d been too busy managing court in Taren to come and see him earlier no matter what duty I tried to ditch. For two very long days, he’d made friends with the unblessed king, secured the metal shipments and a guarantee that Silas would not get a fraction of it. Just as I knew he would.

He crawled over me, pushing my knees open to settle between them, caging me in till we were chest to chest. His silver eyes turned molten the more he looked at me. I was sure my own resembled his at that moment. Our breaths were synced, and he was so warm against my cold skin. So perfect.

“Hi,” he said, a grin stretching wide in his handsome face. It warmed something in me—something long cold and forgotten.

“Hi.”

He kissed the tip of my nose. “How is my gorgeous girl?”

Happy. Afraid. So afraid. “Hungry.”

“Food is on its way.” There was a knock at the door. “Right on time,” he said, standing to take a tray of food brought by the servants and laying it on the bed. All sorts of aromatic scents wafted from the silver domes covering the plates and my stomach rumbled.

“Come here,” he said, pulling me to sit on his lap. “I need you close to me.”

Once I got comfortable on him, he pulled the silver domes to reveal the food and it took me not a second to dive in it—had he not stopped me. He grabbed my wrist and guided the spoonful of stew to his mouth. But as soon as he’d tried everything, I dug in—eating so fast my jaw was hurting.

Resting his hand gently on my arm, he pulled the next spoonful of food I held back on the plate. “Chew that first, my heart.”

And I did as told, but there was a shake now on my fingers and a feel of wrong crawling on my skin. Like when you dream of being chased but you cannot run, stuck in place.

As if he had sensed it, he kissed my cheek and murmured in my ear, “We cannot outrun the past, but we can set the pace in the present. Nothing can harm you, my love. You are strong, smart and your husband is not to be messed with.”

I tilted my head back to look at him. “Still playing guard?”

“With what is mine to protect? Always.”

His words didn’t stop the uneasiness or the overwhelming trepidation, but it was comforting. And I realised it was all I’d ever needed. I didn’t want to ask how he knew my truths. But his words were like a prayer I needed to fulfil.

Like that, I ate, sometimes at my own pace and at others guided by him. By the end of my meal, I’d established a good in-between and even surprised myself.

He took the tray away and I rolled on my back, sprawling on the bed with a groan. I’d eaten too much. “That damned olive bread.”

He stood up to fill himself a glass of the amber liquor he always drank, drowning a glass all at once before filling it again.

I pushed up, resting on my elbow. “I want a sip.”

His dark brows jerked with amusement. Stepping before me, he grabbed my jaw with a hand and probed my mouth open with his thumb. He took a sip and brought his lips over mine, barely touching, as he spilled the amber liquid from his mouth to mine.

Hells. Seven hells.

I gulped, the burn of the liquor made me wince a little and the man chuckled. Burning hells and heavens.

From the way his silver eyes glazed black, he’d read it in my stare—the desire pouring out of me. And his own mirrored mine. “Do you need me?”