“What do you say to breakfast?” he asked. “You completely famished me last night.”
Her chest swelled at the pure grin on his face, and she shoved the dress over her head and took his outstretched hands. He pulled her off the bed and flush against him, her hands threading into his at their sides. She couldn’t fight her smile against his lips as he bent his head low to hers, hair tickling her shoulders, and then he pressed his mouth lightly against her own.
It was brief, and her heart fluttered at the taste of him, muscles sinking into the warmth of his embrace. When they parted, she took a step back and tugged on his hands, still smiling as her chest bled of the love filling her.
“Come on,” she urged him. She grabbed a scarf from the chair it was thrown on, and then she led him out of her room towards the kitchens.
It was the noise of laughter that made Aydra and Draven pause at the door. Aydra recognized her own brother and sister, but the sight of the smile that lit up Draven’s eyes upon hearing a third voice made Aydra want to hug him.
“Is that who I think it is?” she asked him.
He chuckled under his breath, hair falling over his eyes as he glanced at the floor and then back to her. “Leave her alone for a day with those two and they’re suddenly inseparable.”
“Isn’t that what you wanted?” she mocked.
He smiled at the door, inhaling a deep breath, and then he pulled her against him snugly, kissing her temple as he swallowed hard. “Yeah, it is,” he breathed.
The smell of the breakfast pastries hit them as they opened up the door. Dorian, Nyssa, and Balandria were already seated at the small table they liked to share, a splay of breakfast treats, meats, and cheeses out on the top.
Nyssa was throwing part of her bread at Dorian’s face when they entered.
“—shut up,” Nyssa was laughing. “I did not say that.”
“You definitely did,” Balandria mocked from the other side of the table.
Nyssa’s mouth dropped, and Balandria dodged the food that was thrown towards her. Balandria was mid-laughter when her eyes did a double-take, and the sight of her king coming into the room must have startled her, for she immediately jumped to her feet.
“My King,” Balandria breathed.
“Sister!” Dorian announced loudly, his hands in the air.
“Drae! Sit here,” Nyssa moved over, patting the seat beside her.
Draven huffed amusedly under his breath and went over to Balandria. What he said, Aydra didn’t hear. Aydra shook her head at her brother and then pressed her hands into Nyssa’s shoulders.
“Did you leave us any food?” she asked them.
“Barely,” Nyssa replied. “Dorian thinks he’s a starving Ulfram.”
Dorian grinned widely at the pair, twirling the fork in his hand. “Growing men need sustenance,” he said with a wink.
“Grown men also need sustenance,” Draven said, sitting down at the end of the bench Nyssa sat on. Balandria sat back down in her seat beside Dorian, and Aydra sat between Nyssa and Draven across from Balandria. Dorian shoved a plate of food toward the end of the table at them.
“Try those,” he said, pointing to the wide pocket pastries. “One of my own recipes.”
“You wish it was your recipe,” Nyssa mocked. “You’ve never cooked a thing in your life.”
Her youngers continued to banter together as Aydra and Draven filled their plates. Aydra couldn’t stop stealing glances from him, feeling like a giggling teenager when she would meet his smiling, yet domineering, gaze.
“So, tell us, Balandria,” Aydra finally began once she’d forced her eyes from his, “what kind of trouble did my youngers get you into yesterday?”
“Ah,” Balandria picked at the food in front of her, smiling at her plate, “define trouble,” she replied with a raised brow.
Aydra almost laughed. “Did they actually show you some of the castle and their duties or did they skip those off for obstacle practice?”
“Definitely obstacle practice,” Balandria replied.
“Sounds like skipping duties runs in the family,” Draven muttered from behind his tea.
