Again, she was struck by thatsomethingabout him. He was handsome, anyone could see that. And an obvious flirt, though he could say the same of her, she supposed. But there was something there that drew her in – that had her pulse fluttering slightly as he continued to meet her gaze.
‘This,’ she breathed, her eyes scanning the planes of his face.
Aidon grinned, and Aya cleared her throat. ‘Training,’ she clarified as she gently pulled her hand out of his grasp. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear as she took a step back.
Too close. They’d gotten too close. And yet she found herself sharing another piece of herself. ‘I can’t always settle. It’s like there’s this constant energy and it’s trying to claw its way out. It’s not just my power. It’s my mind. My thoughts race and I just …’ She trailed off as she picked at a piece of dirt on her leathers. ‘The training settles me. It helps me feel in control.’
The prince held her gaze, his face open and earnest. ‘You always seem so steady.’
Aya pressed her lips together in grim agreement. ‘I have to.’
And the way he was looking at her … it was as if he understood.
35
Will sat on one of the iron chairs on his balcony, a glass of water in his hand as he watched the sun rise. He’d found a healer outside of the palace yesterday; one who didn’t care who he was or why his skin was blistered and burned.
The burns were gone, but his palms still itched terribly.
He hadn’t expected Aya’s training to be easy. But he certainly hadn’t expected her to become a godsdamned living torch.
I guess we both have our secrets.
So much for progress, then.
A knock at the door had him suppressing a groan.Please, gods, just leave me alone.
The attendant Sion entered, his blond hair slicked back into a ponytail, his tanned skin weathered from the sun. He was always assigned to Will whenever he traveled to Rinnia. Will couldn’t tell who hated the arrangement more – him or the attendant.
‘Prince,’ Sion greeted him, giving Will a shallow bow before heading to the armoire against the far wall.
‘Would it do me any good to remind you that I’m capable of dressing myself?’ Will called to the attendant, sulking further into his chair.
‘I’m afraid not, Prince.’
Will didn’t bother to correct him on the title either. The Trahir Court always claimed it was a sign of respect – something Gianna had started years ago. It was thanks to her the moniker followed him not just through Tala, butacross continents. Thanks to her that people quaked in his presence. He supposed it was thanks to her that people treated him with a morsel of respect. Most didn’t take kindly to Gale’s son holding such esteem on the Council.
‘They won’t dare mock you when I’m done with you,’ Gianna had promised. And oh, had she delivered.
Will traced the steady rise and fall of the sea, a thought crossing his mind, unbidden and filled with such an intense desire that he tried to rid himself of it immediately:
He hoped that one day the title would fade entirely; that respect would be earned not from fear, but from truth.
He hoped one day, simply his name would be enough.
Thathewould be enough.
His grip tightened on his glass. He didn’t have the luxury of such hopes. Nor did he have the time.
‘Shall I draw a bath?’ Sion called from the sitting room.
‘No. I have somewhere I need to be.’
Will was surprised to find that Dominic didn’t insist on having this meeting in the throne-room. Given his usual pomp and circumstance, it seemed a rather obvious choice. But instead an attendant led him and Aya into the king’s private study; a circular room lined with bookcases that ended at two tall windows lined with crimson curtains. In front of the window sat an ornate wooden desk, and behind it sat Dominic. Zuri stood at his shoulder, her hands clasped behind her back.
Aya still looked shaken and pale, as if the effects of yesterday’s training with Natali hadn’t quite worn off. Although he supposed that’s how she typically looked these days. She hardly ate, and with the dark circles that lined her eyes, he knew she wasn’t sleeping. She hadn’t said much to him when he had met her in the main hall. But he hadn’t missed the way her gaze darted to his hands, taking in the newly healed skin.
‘I suppose you’re here to encourage me to go to war,’ Dominic began as they settled into the two seats across from him and Zuri.
