Page 64 of Only Flames Remain

“Can you blame me?” I asked. “There is no one else to take care of her with my mother gone. She did a disservice to us both by having Vireth children as a human. She was only there for a fraction of her life. Voirel needed her. I know she couldn’t have foreseen the stasis, but…I merely wish things were different.”

“Me too, old friend.” There was warmth in Ren’s gaze.

I sat back in the chair, resting my head against it and closing my eyes. “Will you be staying at Stormgaard long enough to join us for dinner?”

“Us?” His voice lacked surprise.

I peeled my eyes open only enough to gaze at him with a smile playing at my lips. “Yes, us. She is not my servant in Stormgaard. As you know, I have no need of that here.”

“And that is the only reason why,” Ren said, his tone implying he absolutely didn’t believe a word of it. “I will stay for tonight, only because your shithead little brother already left and I’ve no desire to travel by ship.”

“What are you doing here, anyway?” I asked beneath closed eyelids. All I could see in the darkness was amber and ocean blue irises.

“Checking on you.”

I sat up straight in the chair. “You’re that worried about me, that you would travel all the way to Stormgaard?”

Ren held my gaze with his own before I broke it, glancing away.

“You’ve been under a lot of stress of late. Without Azhar here in Stormgaard, I worry what will become of you when left to your own devices,” he said tightly.

“My devices will be just fine, thank you.” I took another swig of the amber liquid, finishing off the glass. The burn in my stomach was from both the blood and the alcohol, singing in my veins. “Will you do me the honor of escorting me to dinner, then?”

Rensford huffed a laugh, standing. He reached out a hand to help me up from the chair. “If you don’t watch out, you’ll be as deep in your cups as Valerian in no time.”

I took his hand, allowing him to pull me to stand before giving him a rough, playful shove. “I’ll be just fine, Father. But thank you for your concern.” I placed a hand against his broad shoulder and squeezed. “Last one to the dining hall has record duty for the next month,” I said, placing the glass down on the table beside the chair.

“Deal!” Ren called, already off running toward the door.

By the time we both made it down to the north wing dining hall we were panting and out of breath. We had wrestled our way here more than ran, and my cheeks were flushed with blood as I surged through the doorway first, ungracefully and narrowly avoiding slamming into the long dining table.

“Hah! I win!” I called, slapping Rensford on the back as he entered behind me, his expression drawn.

“Dammit, Blackwater. You are too fast for your own good.” Ren bent double, his hands on his knees to catch his breath.

My chest was rising and falling with rapid, heaving inhalations. My attention was so wholly focused on filling my lungs once more that I hadn’t noticed we weren’t alone. Voirel stood at the sideboard, a blush-colored dress adorning her petite frame that brought out the apples of her cheeks.

Right behind her stood Aveline.

Her dress was a deep midnight blue, dipping low to showcase her bare decolletage. Her breasts were pushed up against the bust, spilling over just enough to have sweat trickling down my back. The sleeves were draped across her arms, billowing outwards in a delicate, sheer fabric before coming back together once more at the wrists.

Her hair was half pinned behind her head, raven-colored ringlets spilling over her bare shoulders. She was magnificent.

As if I weren’t already having trouble catching my breath, it was now stuck in my throat as I met her gaze, mouth dropped open.

“Rensford!” Voirel broke the moment of tension as she scurried forth, gripping Rensford in one of her all-encompassing hugs. He ran a hand down her golden strawberry-colored hair lovingly. He was as much a big brother to her as I was. “I’m so glad you are here.”

She tugged Rensford over to Aveline while I stood at the side of the long dining table, motionless.

“This is Aveline, Sorin’s new…” She mused for a long moment before letting it drop entirely, unable to decide what, exactly, to call Aveline that wouldn’t be disrespectful. “And Aveline this is Rensford Albright, commander of King Mavros’s army, and Sorin’s oldest friend.”

“It’s lovely to meet you, Lady Aveline,” Rensford crooned, dipping low to kiss her hand charmingly.

Bastard.

I had entirely forgotten my own manners and any sense of propriety at all, it seemed.

“And you as well, Commander Rensford. Though I am no lady.”