“I know you hate it, but it is my responsibility to keep you safe. It’s part of the exchange here,” he said, searching her eyes.
“I know, Razik.”
“And I know I can be an ass, but if something happened to you because you were vulnerable after I took too much power from you…”
Her smile was soft, full of understanding. She moved back to him, pushing onto her toes to press a chaste kiss to his cheek. “I know, Razik.”
“So you’ll be back here tonight?” he asked when she pulled away once more.
“Yes, and I’ll stay on the castle grounds all day,” she added, walking backwards towards the door. “Let’s go.”
He sighed, following her out and down to the dining room. It was much later than usual, and he was relieved to only find Kailia. Although he didn’t miss the flash of disappointment on Wren’s features.
“Good morning,” Kailia greeted, setting down her teacup. “I was questioning if you were going to be here today.”
“Where else would I be?” he asked, letting Wren fill her plate before he did.
“You weren’t here yesterday,” she pointed out.
“I can’t spend every day with you, Lia.”
She frowned. “But you do.”
“And every once in a while, I need a day off. What did you do?”
“I stayed in my rooms. With Cethin.”
He arched a brow, setting the bag of books aside and picking up a plate. “Then it sounds like you were in good hands. I’m sure security was doubled in the hall after the events of the Union Celebration.”
“Yeah,” she murmured.
They ate in silence. Or he did while Kailia drank her tea. Wren chattered about this and that, and he could tell she was more than ready to find other company when she finished her breakfast and excused herself.
“Anything I need to know about?” he asked Kailia after a few minutes of comfortable silence.
“What would you need to know about?” she asked, fiddling with her teacup.
He looked up from his nearly empty plate. “I don’t know. That’s why I asked you.”
“Oh.”
She set her teacup aside, looking anywhere but at him.
Setting his silverware down, he sat back in his chair. “What is wrong with you today?”
That had her eyes snapping to his. “What is wrong withyoutoday?”
“Lia,” he said with a growl, studying her.
There was something different about her, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. Cethin’s scent was clinging to her. More than sleeping beside him but not strong enough to indicate they’d fucked. But something had definitely happened between the two.
“If you don’t want to talk about it, fine. Let’s go,” he said, forgoing the rest of his breakfast and getting to his feet.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” she retorted, standing as well.
“Right. That’s why you smell like Cethin,” he volleyed back, picking up the bag of books.
“We share living quarters. That only makes sense,” she reasoned. “You smell like Wren.”
