“What happened in the dining hall?” For a moment I assumed he was just being defensive, but the lieutenant wasn’t one for dissembling. He seemed genuinely distressed. “One minute we were having dinner and then?—”
“You stopped what you were doing to stare at anotherwoman.” I remembered then the men clustered around the stranger. “Something that will never be repeated if you want to be part of this wing.”
“At Pippin?” The idea seemed ridiculous to him, but I saw what I saw. “We were friends when we were cadets and I haven’t seen her for years. I was trying to catch her eye and wave her over to introduce her and her husbands.”
Husbands. So those men were the strange woman’s partners. Well, they could keep her because none of my wing would have any time for another woman, and Lance needed to know that.
“Those stupid toffs Fern’s father invited to court her made clear what they thought about her.”
Lance went pale. He’d recounted the story she’d shared. We’d bonded over it and beer, vowing to undo every hurt they’d so carelessly inflicted.
“No one’s making Fern feel like shit.” Lorien crossed his arms as he stepped closer to the other man. “Not even you, Lieutenant.”
“Hell…” He paced back and forth, hands sinking into his hair. “Bloody hell, is that what I did?” Lance was a bit stiff, but he was a quick study. “I need to go and make amends right now.”
“In the morning.” I threw out an arm, stopping Lance from going marching over to Fern’s suite. “All four of us will be at her door first thing. You can make clear how you feel then.”
“Right. Right.” Lance nodded, then straightened up. “In the morning.”
It wasn’t him, the plan, or anything else that consumed my mind as we walked back up the stairs. My lips stung at every point they’d touched Fern’s, aching for more. Whatever it took for all four of us to kiss Fern breathless, that’s what we’d do.
I wouldn’t settle for less.
Chapter 54
Fern
Get to the library, then try to work out what to do next, I thought as I got out of bed the following morning.
Like kiss one of the silver riders?The voice inside my head was alien, almost like when Auren touched minds with me, though with a very different tone. My fingers touched my lips.Or all three?
Not four,I thought. Dragging a brush through my hair and then donning my uniform, I walked out into the suite to find Cora and Sparrow were already up.
“Fern!” Cora rushed forward, pressing a kiss to my cheek. “I heard you were back. Some business with my brother kept me up at the palace last night, otherwise I would’ve checked in on you. So you’re back to classes today?”
“And having four handsome riders vying for her attention.” Sparrow smirked over the rim of her mug of tea.
“Not that,” I said firmly. “And not classes either. What I need to learn isn’t being taught in the keep classrooms…” Part of me wanted to tell Cora exactly what I’d learned, but some instinct had me staying quiet. “I’m off to the library.”
“Is Lieutenant Axton joining you?”
Cora’s question was innocent enough. Her knowing smile, not so much. There was no way she could’ve sensed how I was feeling. Being forced to decide romance wasn’t for me right now, then endure the indignity of watching one of the men who confessed his feelings for me stare after another woman? I’d pushed that problem away last night and would do so again today.
“Ahh…” Sparrow’s nervous response had both of us looking her way. “I’m sure that’s what he intends to do.”
She wasn’t sure and neither was I, which was fine.
“I’m sure the lieutenant is busy now he’s returned to the keep.” The muffled sound of the first bell sounded. “As is everyone else. I need to get going, but perhaps we can meet for lunch later?”
“I’d like that.”
Cora’s smile had a slight melancholy edge, but before I could dig deeper into that, I grabbed my bag and headed for the front door.
Straight into the chest of a strange rider.
“Where are you hurrying off to, lass?” His deep voice, that pet name, had me straightening up with a splutter, only to find another man standing there. “Let me take that for you.”
He reached for my bag, but I gripped the strap, holding it close.
