A lock of hair had come loose from her topknot and she blushed as he tucked it behind her ear, gazing at her as if he were a man starving and she was his last meal. She felt suddenly shy and exposed as if he saw her, truly saw her in a way no one ever had.
“We came to an understanding,” Cal said, his hand cupping her cheek. “But I am not here to talk about him. I am told there is to be a Ball?”
She nodded, her mouth suddenly dry. “Perhaps I’ll save you a dance?”
“I’ll have them all or heads will roll.” Cal glowered.
She felt a warmth spread through her body, making her cheeks blush. “They’re yours. Though your feet may regret it by night’s end. I’m not much of a dancer.”
A wide, infectious smile spread across his face. “You are in luck, as I am an excellent dancer.” He suddenly twirled her out of his arms and back in, her skirt flaring out around her.
He waltzed her around the observatory until they were both breathless with laughter, coming to a stop under the opening of the roof.
“Where did you learn to dance like that?” She asked, pressing a hand to her chest. He held the other one.
He grew pensive and for a moment she worried she had said the wrong thing.
“My mother taught me,” he said, finally answering her.
“Oh,” Ara said, the joy she had felt fading quickly. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have—”
“It’s fine,” he cut her off. “It’s a happy memory of which I have very few.”
Her heart pounded with what she planned to do next, but she lifted her chin and looked him in the eyes. “I’m going to kiss you now, Calder Darkmore.”
Cal’s eyes darkened at her words, but he said nothing as she stepped into him and wrapped her hand around his neck, pulling him down to her. He waited for her lips to touch his before he pulled her closer, their bodies flushed together. He let her lead, following her in this dance now.
She didn’t know how long they stood there holding each other, exploring each other. Time was irrelevant when she was with him. She finally pulled away, nipping his lip when he growled in protest.
He tugged her down to sit with him and folded her into his arms. She leaned back, melting into him, her head resting on his firm chest. They sat in comfortable silence, listening to the other breathe as they stared at the constellations above. Ara only realized she had fallen asleep when Cal woke her.
“Ara?”
“Hmm?” she murmured, snuggling into him.
“My happiest memories are you.”
Chapter twenty-four
Icarus Atwood
Thesewitcheswerenevergoing to survive a storm like the Trinity War. No matter how clear he was in his direction or how brutal, they seemed to think this was a space to throw hexes at their friends in order to make their classmates laugh. Not one of them was prepared for the cost of war. He was failing them.
Waving his hand, magic slid from him, pushing a stray chair to the edge of the room with the rest of the furniture.
“Was that Icarus Atwood’s version of a temper tantrum?” Sidonia Sinclair’s voice was light and amused.
She stood at the door to his classroom leaning against the door frame with one hand on her hip.
“They aren’t ready.” He voiced his fear aloud though it offered him no reprieve.
“Were you ready?” Sidonia asked.
The question seemed to burrow into invisible wounds. “I was fourteen. Of course I wasn’t ready.”
Sidonia’s smile was patient. “And yet you survived, but even more than that, this isn’t war, Icarus. Yes, there has been more upheaval and prejudice against witches, but these things pass.”
Magenta tendrils wrapped around one of the oak desks against the wall before delivering the table and two sets of chairs to the center of the room.
