I shrugged. My throat had closed up; I couldn’t get a single word out.
“Youlikeme.” A smile broke the intensity of his expression, teasing the corners of his lips.
I made a face. “You’re all right.”
His grin widened, and he stroked his hand down my neck, sending bolts of sensation through my entire body. “You’re madly in love with me.”
I hadn’t had much romantic experience. At home, I’d been too focused on my schoolwork to start anything, so I’d only shared a few kisses at festivals in Port Naborre—where if anything went sideways, I wouldn’t have to see them again. But I knew enough to raise my face and lean forward.
Daziel hesitated.
I felt like he’d plunged his hand into my chest and twisted. But I made myself speak, even though my voice came out small. “You don’t actually have to kiss me if you don’t want to.”
He groaned. “I want to. I really do. I’m trying to restrain myself.”
“Why?”
He closed his eyes briefly, black lashes sweeping across his cheeks. He looked strangely pained, but when he reopened them, his eyes were clear. “Good question.”
He lowered his head, and his lips met mine.
Heat and delight sparked through me, so powerful I thought I might gasp and lose my balance. Instead, I leaned into the kiss, clinging to Daziel’s shoulders, pulling my body flush to his.
For a heartbeat, he went still. Then he pushed against me, all heat and desire, every hard line of his body pressing against the soft curves of mine. I felt like if he wasn’t holding me up, I would collapse, like my bones had turned to rivers of flame. I held on to him, not entirely sure how to do this, determined to try. His mouth angled against mine, opening it, and I did gasp now and lost track of everything but feeling.
He drew back, breathing hard.
I gazed up at him. It was astonishing how beautiful I found his face, how familiar and perfect it was to me, how I knew each line of it so deeply and thought they met in perfect harmony. “I do,” I said. “In case it wasn’t clear. Like you.”
He kissed me again, kissed me until we were both breathless and weak and on fire. Kissed until his hand slid under the hem of my shirt and I was the one to pull back, my face red.
Daziel’s hand stilled. He looked a little red too, embarrassed and pleased and happy. “Right,” he said. “It’s late. Should we go to bed?”
I raised my brows. I could tease this boy, I realized. He was mine to tease and kiss and laugh with. “Together?” I asked archly.
He looked startled, as I’d hoped. Then we were both laughing, so hard I had to sit down, and he did too. Nothing was funny,really, but I was so absolutely happy, joy spilled out of me. Maybe we were relieved, too, to be home and safe after the long night.
And that happiness and my security in it gave me the courage to say what I did want. “I, um…I’d like to sleep out here tonight,” I said. “On the couch. It was a long day, and…I think I’d feel better.” Being near him.
He squeezed my hand. “I’d feel better too.”
I brought out a blanket and a pillow for the couch, and Daziel curled up in his nest, and we talked of nothing in the darkness until we fell asleep.
~~~
I woke to thestringent tones of the dorm’s guardienne, Madame Hadar. “Miss Bat Yardena! Naomi, open up!”
Confused and half-asleep, I sat up, my blanket falling away. I was on the couch, where I’d slept as soundly as I did in bed. Someone banged on my door. I glanced at Daziel—who stretched and blinked with the confusion of someone who never woke abruptly—then wrapped my blanket around my shoulders and headed to the door.
I opened it to find Madame Hadar and a man in the silver uniform of a civil servant, backed by several members of the gendarme. The civil servant wore amulets around his wrists and neck, and metal toggles closed his blazer. The gendarmes had modified their uniforms the same way—all protective measures against shedim.
“What’s going on?” I instinctively used my body to block the doorway.
“These people would like to speak to your guest.” Madame Hadar’s eyes were a little wild, and her nerves woke my own.
“Lord Daziel.” The civil servant looked past me. “The Sanhedrin would like to speak with you. If you would come with us, please.”
“What?” TheSanhedrin? The governing council? I looked back and forth between the guardienne and civil servant. “Why do they want to talk to Daziel?” I frowned. My aunt’s friends had always referred to Daziel as “honored guest.” “Why are you calling him ‘Lord’?”
