Page 75 of Sent To A Fantasy World and Now All the Men Want Me 7

Onyx appeared to enjoy it. Not that his expression gave much away. The proof was in the pudding, as they said. Well, in the few crumbs left on his plate. He’d been the first to finish his slice on top of that.

I smiled.

A sleepy huff sounded from the floor before Oreo nudged my foot. The adorable Fenrir pup had shifted over to rest his head on my shoe and placed his paw on Maddox’s boot, holding both of us.

“Little guy is all tuckered out,” I said and stood to gather everyone’s plate. “I should put him to bed.”

“Where do you think you’re fluttering off to, little bird?” Onyx stood from his chair and regarded me. “The night is still young. Unless you’re no longer interested in being a fly on the wall?”

I grinned, excitement building. “I’ll be the quietest fly ever.”

Rowan snorted. “There’s not a quiet thing about you. Not even when you sleep.” He gently took Oreo from my arms and handed him to Lake. The puppy huffed but didn’t open his eyes. Rowan grabbed my hand. “Say goodnight to the others, little treasure. The shadows await.”

A question was on the tip of my tongue… right before he started leading us toward the window. We were going to fly—well, sort of. He could use the shadows to make it seem like we were flying. The rain had stopped, though the night remained overcast, providing very little moonlight. Which worked perfectly for him.

Rowan positioned me on his back and glanced at Onyx over his shoulder. “We’ll meet you on the balcony.”

Onyx smiled. “One day, you won’t need to travel with him this way. You’ll be able to simply think of where you wish to go and take him there.”

“I don’t mind it,” Rowan said, gripping my thigh with one hand and resting the other on the window frame as he eased us up onto the sill. “Besides, don’t you know? Little birds love to fly.”

And then he leapt from the window.

***

The evening air was cool on my skin, holding moisture from the earlier rainstorm. As Rowan scaled the building, part of me feared we’d fall to our deaths. Because, although the dining parlor had been on the first floor, Onyx’s room was near the top of the castle. And Rowan just kept climbing higher and higher, the ground getting farther away.

“Hold on tight,” he said, exhilaration in his voice. “You’re not gonna like this next part.”

“Oh god.” I squeezed him tighter, clinging on for dear life. But I didn’t close my eyes like I used to. While scary being that high up in the air, it was also beautiful—the lush landscape of grassy fields, groves of trees, and glistening ponds, all with a backdrop of rolling hills and distant mountains.

But did I still make an ungodly screech as Rowan leapt from one window ledge to another?

Yes.

One thousand percent yes.

“Gods, I love you, little treasure,” Rowan said, the laugh in his voice rivaled only by the affection.

“Love you too,” I rasped, fighting for my life. That fight being whether my heart was going to stop out of sheer terror or not. “I also love, you know, not dying. So please don’t slip and fall.”

He laughed. “Don’t worry. We’re nearly there.”

My nose picked up on Onyx before my sight did. A trace of woodsmoke and cedar wafted in the air, growing stronger as Rowan climbed toward a balcony. Reaching the edge of it, he pulled us up and over, then grabbed my waist once my feet hit the floor, as though knowing I’d stumble.

Which I did.

“About time you arrived,” Onyx said, standing near the set of doors with one hand resting behind his back and the other holding a goblet. “Though, I must admit, your climbing skills are impressive, combining your shadow talents with genuine athleticism. Very well suited for your line of work.”

Rowan beamed at the compliment, only slightly out of breath. “Glad you approve, my lord.”

Looking between them, my heart swelled. Clearly, they had spent time together over the past several days, but it was the first time I’d seen them bonding with my own eyes.

“What’s the plan for this evening?” I asked, stepping toward Onyx but grabbing Rowan’s hand as I did. Wanting to be near them both. “Are we making a Bob army?”

“What is this ‘we’ you speak of?” Onyx peered at me with a skyward brow and eyes that glistened with a devious delight. “If memory serves me well, you vowed to be but a fly on the wall during the lesson. Seems I was right in my earlier assessment. You’ll instead be buzzing around.”

“Guilty as charged.” I grinned and grabbed his forearm with my free hand. “My punishment should be a night chained to a demon lord’s bed.”