He grins and then walks towards the other end of the counter where a man has taken a seat. A stony face looks my way, theman lifting his new drink in salutation. I dip my chin and then move my gaze back over the dancing crowd.
I find Nox as he pairs up with a familiar head of dark golden blonde hair. Haylee takes his hand, her smile wide as together they follow the choreography with everyone else. I rub my finger over Alexi’s bracelet while I watch them, trying to force down the odd feeling in my chest. As if she can feel my gaze on her, Haylee’s gray eyes connect with mine, and I think her lips give the smallest twitch. Though the moment only lasts a few seconds at most, I feel my stomach sink when she leans in towards Nox, their bodies nearly chest to chest before he spins her. The men and women shift again in their dance, Nox partnering with an older woman and Haylee with a different man, a brilliant smile once more painted on her face.
I shiver, shaking my head before looking down at my hands. My magic hums warmly inside me, but for the first time in weeks, I can also feel the prodding of something icier. I blow out a frustrated breath.
The song ends, both lines bowing to each other before they disperse and the band starts a different tune. Elora is the first to make her way to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “Are you alright?” she asks, leaning into my body.
“Of course! That dance looked like fun!”
Elora reaches for her drink, downing the last few dregs before holding it up in a signal to Evren. “It was. I’ll teach you the moves so you can join us next time.”
Nox abruptly tugs me up from my chair, spinning around until he’s sitting in it and I’m standing between his legs. I wrap an arm around his shoulders, running my hand through his hair and tugging his head back gently to look up at me. “Who would have thought that princes were taught tavern dances in addition to waltzes?”
He shrugs, his hands sliding in a distracting line up and down my sides. “I’m a man ofmanytalents, as you are well aware.”
Though warmth builds in my core at his words, I tap my finger on my chin, feigning ignorance. “I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about. You might have to show me later.”
Heat sparks in his eyes as he brings me even closer. “How should I demonstrate for you, Sunshine? With my fingers? My tongue?” His voice is a gravelly rumble as he nips at my ear, making me gasp at the sensation. “Or how about with my c—”
“Hey! Daxel.”
My head whips around to the man standing behind us, the same one that had lifted his glass in my direction earlier. Nox’s demeanor shifts instantly, his face settling into a bored expression. I turn around and sit on his thigh, staring up at a tall man with short blond hair—his light gray eyes narrowed in our direction. His appearance is disheveled, the red tunic he wears is wrinkled and partially unbuttoned down his chest.
“Arin, it’s good to see you,” Nox replies coolly, his tone one of indifference. His hand wraps possessively around my hip, and the man, Arin, glances briefly at it before his lips curl into a malicious sneer.
“Bullshit. You’ve been hiding since you’ve been back. Though I suppose the rumors why are true enough.” He turns his gaze to me, something dark swirling in it that makes my magic creep up my torso. Nox’s fingers tighten on my hip as shadows seep towards us from the corners of the room. The band continues playing, but those closest to us halt their dancing.
“Ah, Arin. Glad to see you’re still making terrible decisions,” Cass says as he moves in close from the dance floor and rests his hand on Arin’s shoulder.
Arin shakes himself free, stumbling as he does. “Shut the hell up, Cassius. This is between Nox and I.”
“And whatexactlyis between us?” Nox asks.
“I want a rematch,” he growls, the light above glowing directly on him and showcasing better how red his eyes are.A rematch?“While you’ve been gallivanting around the kingdom—doing gods know what—I’ve been training. Getting stronger. Stronger than evenyou,and I want a rematch.”
“No, Arin. I’m not going to fight you again, and I’mcertainlynot going to talk about it here. You’re drunk—”
“Did you not hear what I said?” he interrupts, his face growing more flushed. “Or are you too afraid now that you mightlose?”
“Gods above, let it go,” Cass says with exasperation, taking a step so that he is between Arin and Elora. Arin shoves at his shoulder hard, but Cass hardly seems to register it, as his body barely moves.
Nox tenses beneath me as he sits up straighter. “Enough, Arin. Go home.” Tension crackles in the air from the rise of everyone’s magic. Arin’s hands begin to glow a dark green, and another flash of black writhes on the floor towards his feet.
“Arin, what are you doing?” Haylee shouts as she pushes through the crowd and comes to stand in front of him. “Are you drunk?” Arin shakes his head but wobbles from the movement. She huffs out a breath and pushes him roughly towards the exit, completely unafraid of the magic still glowing from his hand—unbothered by the death glare he’s giving Nox. Haylee tosses a small wave and a sympathetic look over her shoulder at us before shoving Arin out of the tavern.
“What was that all about?” I ask, turning to look at Nox.
He sighs, kissing my temple and drawing me closer as his magic settles. “Arin has always had some weird grudge against me. I’ve never quite figured out why, only that he tries to antagonize me any opportunity he gets. Before I left for the Mortal Kingdom, he challenged me to fight in front of Dilan.”
“And you won,” I surmise, watching Nox’s lips twitch.
“Uh, he didn’t just win, Blondie. He kicked Arin’s asseasily, even without the use of his magic,” Cass claims, elbowing Nox in his arm.
“You did?” I ask, my gaze shooting back to Nox’s.
He lifts a single brow, a smirk slow to grow. “You don’t have to sound so surprised.” And then, leaning in closer, he whispers, “Do you not find my body to be that of a warrior’s?”
I melt from the seduction in his voice, the pure desire in his gaze when he draws back. “Maybe I need you to show me again.”
