Kerym muttered to himself as he took the glass Pellie offered him and downed it in one go, but his chest silenced when Pellie stepped closer, somehow sensing what he was thinking, what he needed.
With warmth traveling through his veins, Kerymwound an arm around Pellie’s waist, and as he tucked her against his body, his irritation faded with every second her green eyes fell into his.
“You’re so pretty,” Kerym rasped when she smiled at him, and despite all the shit that had happened the past few days, he grinned when Pellie swatted at him.
“One glass and you’re drunk,” she teased as she made to step away.
But Kerym only stepped with her, making her eyes widen, and his lips hiked even higher.
They’d danced around whatever this was long enough.
She’d flirted with him ever since he stepped onto Loche’s ship after Rioner kept them prisoners, and at first, he hadn’t been certain why, but he’d quickly realized she was sensitive to others’ emotions, to how they acted, and mirrored that.
Not like he was… and not like Thissian had been.
Not even like that blonde Fae female empath.
But somehow this witchunderstoodhow others worked, and then she became what they needed.
Mishah had always been Kerym’s opposite—the calm to his crazy, the steadiness to his restlessness—and he’d loved that. She’d also brought out that sense of peace within him—had been there when all he did was stroll around the world, trying to find purpose.
But Pellie? She gave Kerym more than he could throw back.
She teased him and challenged him and didn’t crack when he hurt.
And he didn’t know why, but there was something about her… a sense of home not even Mishah had brought out in him. It was as if he didn’t need to walk realm after realm—ask question after question—trying to understand why he’d awoken to this world.
“Kerym,” Pellie said, her voice lowering as the sounds around them heightened. Ardow had brought the bottle to the table where Amalise still sat, the two of them beginning a hushed conversation, while Raine appeared to be trying to work up the guts to talk to Frelina.
Shifting Pellie so that her back was against the counter while he faced out toward the sitting room, Kerym stepped between her legs, savoring the sharp intake of breath that betrayed that she was not as unaffected as she pretended when she threw her copper hair back.
“Yes, Pellie?” he responded as his eyes drew to her lips.
Could he kiss her?
It was the only thing he wanted right now.
Her body melted against his, her soft curves molding with his muscles, and he’d never cared about people watching anyway.
Raine could honestly learn a fucking thing or two.
So could that blonde human with the bandaged chest whose eyes touched his for a moment before moving back to the cup in her hand. Kerym hadn’t missed how she tiptoed around the smitten guard who was Loche’s right-hand man.
He fought his muscles’ coiling.
Hadn’t they learned life was too fucking short?
Even now? Even with the Oakgards’ Fae breathing down their necks with their armada of ships? Even with everything that happened to Elessia and Merrick? Gods… Idiots, all of them.
Pellie giggled, and damned if that sound didn’t strike right into his chest.
Looking down at her again, he raised his brows when she continued laughing.
“You… you just looked so angry but also so excited. It seemed very confusing.” Pellie placed her hand on his chest, giving him a nudge.
As if that featherlight touch could make him step away.
“Oh, I am very excited,” Kerym said in a voice that came out rougher than he meant, his gaze dragging over her until her cheeks turned rosy.
