Adalia was wearing her white and gold Lightner leathers that hugged the curves of her body in all the right places. He found it very, very hard to keep his eyes off her, reminded of the way she’d looked in that white and gold dress.
When she’d walked out of the room, ready for dinner with the king, his jaw nearly fell to the floor. Her face was flawless, with rosy, pink lips that were undeniably kissable. The gown showed off her toned, womanly figure and had Matthias wanting to remove it from her ever so slowly. She was the most breathtaking creature he had ever laid his eyes on.
He swallowed down feelings that were trying to invade his body. If he was honest with himself, though, he was somewhat surprised that she hadn’t brought up the moment in the woods. It was a vivid and frequently revisited memory for him and her lips had certainly responded to his hungrily. Did she enjoy it as much as he had? Maybe she was waiting forhimto talk about it.
Adalia smiled at him and moved to the kitchen. She grabbed what looked like two wrapped sandwiches from the cold room and handed him one. “Here, I made you breakfast.”
Matthias looked at her in awe. “When did you have time to do this?”
“Early this morning.”
“While I was sleeping?” Matthias questioned.
Adalia nodded. “Yes, I like to get up early and we all need to eat.”
“I hope I wasn’t snoring . . .”
“Not at all . . . you’re cute when you sleep.” She winked as she reached for her bag.
Raising his brow, Matthias smirked at her. “You watch me sleep and you think I’m cute. I’m not sure if I should be creeped out right now or flattered.”
Giggling, Adalia walked to the front door. “You remind me of a bird with a broken wing, healing bit by bit as you lay in your borrowed nest. If it makes you feel better, I really like birds, especially cute ones.”
She held her hand on the doorknob as gently as she held the tether to his heart. She was right, though—he was a broken bird—and ever since arriving in Lucius, he felt as if the cracks inside him were beginning to close.
“You ready?” Adalia asked.
“Absolutely.”
Landing in the compound moments later, Matthias was very aware of how many soldiers filled the place and how they could all turn on him easily. The odd soldier eyed him warily, or gawked with a look of surprise, but with Adalia beside him, no one spoke to him negatively, just the odd head nod or light greeting. He wondered what they might be thinking. Did they know who he was?
Matthias kept his wings in close against his body, feeling slightly on edge.
The contrast of his world to this one, though. The air was alive with life. Lightners walked around like joy on legs. Not the sickly joy that made you want to heave . . . but just the right amount.
He followed a few paces behind Adalia to give her space. Matthias knew the importance of her presence here. He didn’t want to get in the way.
Adalia headed into her office and Matthias hovered in the doorway, unsure whether he should follow or not.
“You can come in; I promise I won’t bite,” she jested.
Matthias folded his arms across his muscular chest and leant against the doorframe; it quietly groaned under his weight. “I wouldn’t mind if you did.”
The way the redness rushed to her cheeks had Matthias holding back laughter.
The chestnut-haired beauty flashed him a slight grin as she rifled through some papers on her table. “If you’re going to be a beast, you can wait outside.”
“My apologies. My lips are sealed.” Matthias zipped his lips with his fingers and grinned.
Adalia continued to look through the paperwork. “Ah, here it is,” she said as she lifted a pale-yellow sheet of paper from the pile. She scanned it and, once she seemed satisfied with what she was reading, she placed it back down on the table.
“Is everything okay?” Matthias quietly asked.
“Yes, I just needed to see where the patrol was stationed today, couldn’t remember if it was the top, the middle or the end of the Veil, but it says here the top end.” She smiled and grabbed her bow and arrows from the nearby chair.
Matthias watched her move about the room, transfixed by the way she carried herself with such confidence and ease. “Do your soldiers know who I am?”
Adalia glanced at him. “They do. Nikolas told them you were here for reasons that remain private, but to treat you with respect if they see you out and about.”
