“No, my star. Yoursnort. It’s fucking adorable.”
“You’re joking,” she deadpanned, casting him a sidelong glance.
“Not in the slightest.” Pulling her leg over his hip, he idly ran his fingertips along her skin. “It happens when you’re truly happy, so it’s a sound I cherish.”
Auraelia’s eyes softened as she met his gaze. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” He pulled her down, his lips meeting hers in a soft, languid kiss, before pulling away. “Now, shower or bath?” Auraelia raised a questioning brow, and he chuckled. “I’m not finished worshiping you yet, my Queen.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
Daemon
The sun barely peeked over the horizon when something pulled Daemon from his sleep. An inky feeling settled in his stomach, roiling and turning over as worry ebbed and flowed for reasons he didn’t quite understand. He’d fallen into a dreamless sleep with Auraelia tucked against his chest, her hair tickling his nose with each inhale. It had been the most at peace he’d felt in a while, yet when he reached out of her, her spot was empty. Cold, as if she hadn’t been there for some time.
Sitting up, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and waited for them to adjust to the room's dim light. He was just about to call out for her when he spotted her curled up in one of the armchairs—a blanket wrapped around her shoulders as she stared out the frosty panes of her window. She looked at peace, her features relaxed as she rested her chin on her knees, theearly morning glow shimmering through the glass and kissing her cheeks.
“Is everything alright, my star?” he asked hesitantly, not wanting to startle her.
She hummed in response, her gaze never shifting from the window.
“Auraelia, my love. Come back to bed. You need your rest.”
“I woke up about an hour ago, and I just…I couldn’t go back to sleep.” She shrugged, turning to rest her chin on her shoulder as she gave him a small smile.
Despite the uptilt of her lips, he could see the toll everything was taking on her. Stress rolled off of her and crashed into him like waves upon the sand, and the stardust that usually sparkled in her eyes had dimmed.
Pushing up from the bed, Daemon quickly pulled on his trousers and crossed the room. Her smile broadened slightly when he kneeled in front of her, and she scooted to the edge of the chair, wrapping her arms and legs around him and cocooning them in the warmth of her blanket before bringing her lips to his.
“Can I get you anything?” he asked as he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.
“I’m okay.”
“My star, I could see your thoughts churning from across the room. Talk to me.”
Blowing out a heavy breath, Auraelia pulled her gaze from his and returned to look out the window. “Something doesn’t…feelright. I don’t know how to explain it.” She shook her head, sinking back into the chair as her gaze fell to her lap.
Daemon wrapped her hands in one of his and used the other to urge her gaze back to his face. “You can’t plan for everything. It’s not possible. We’ve done the best we can with the information that we’ve been given.”
“I know,” she expelled a shuddered breath, the sound a tight grip around his heart. “But it’s like we’re missing something. We’ve been so focused on what Davina is doing that it just seems like I’ve forgotten something.”
Daemon watched as she spiraled back into herself, the rapid turning of wheels in her mind evident in the way her eyes flicked back and forth, like she was trying to solve a puzzle only she could see. Never in his life had he wished for his mother’s abilities over his own. But the ability to be inside her head, toknowwhat kept her from sleep the one night that she needed it the most, would have been more helpful than his shadows on his best day.
Unwrapping her legs from his torso, Daemon stood and scooped her out of the chair, taking her place and setting her on his lap. “If you’re awake, my star, then so am I. And maybe we can figure this out together.”
Auraelia settled into him, resting her head on his shoulder as they both stared out the window and watched the sun paint the sky in a wash of lavender and pink. And for a moment—one brief moment—everything felt like it would turn out the way he wanted it to. That they would get the ending that Astraea and Killian never got the chance to have. That they would make it through this war together. But that dream ended with the sound of a door ricocheting off a wall and Piper screeching their names as she barreled into Auraelia’s sitting room.
“D! Come on man, get up!” Aiden bellowed, evidently close on Piper’s heels.
Auraelia jumped from his lap, the blanket falling to the floor as she sprinted to grab her robe from the edge of the bed. Her eyes were wide when she whirled around and met his. Worry and panic swirled in her storm-colored irises, her breath coming in short, shallow pants as her anxiety took root.
Not now. It’s too soon.
Not bothering with walking, Daemon pulled on his shadows until he was standing in front of her, wrapping her in his embrace until she could take a full breath. “Breathe, my star. We don’t even know why they’re here.”
“It sure as hell isn’t a good reason,” she mumbled into his chest.
“D!”
