“What if I said I wanted to impress only you?”
“You weren’t friendly to me at first.”
“Youstabbedme.”
She flicked her hand my way. “It was an accident. I tripped on my too-large clothing.”
“That you stole from someone.”
Her laugh burst out, making heads turn her way. “How did you guess?”
“I know you.” Even better than she believed. “From the moment I met you, you’ve been a problem. A delicious, infuriating problem.”
“There you go again, comparing me to food.”
“Do you enjoy being nibbled on?”
“It depends on who’s doing the nibbling.”
“Oh, it would be me.Onlyme.”
“Perhaps.” Her gorgeous blue eyes gleamed. “I will confess. Sometimes I do enjoy nibbling.”
Pherin cheeped, and Isi tilted her head in that direction.
I loved how quickly their bond was deepening.
She leaned close to whisper. “I think she might have a touch of hero-worship for him.”
I’d swear Pherin scowled, and I didn’t blame her.
“Maybe it’s Gavelle who’s worshipping Pherin,” I said.
Isi tilted her head, looking back and forth between the two birds. “She’s much too small for him, so tell him to cast his gaze in another direction. We can look for a lady cinderhawk to introduce him to.”
“I think that’s for them to decide, don’t you?”
“Perhaps.”
“She’s clever for a little bird. You two will learn a lot from each other.”
“I agree.”
Pherin hopped around on her shoulder, and Gavelle fluffed his wings. My eyes flicked between them, and I let a tiny smile creep onto my face.
She fingered the pendant hanging around her neck. “Thank you for repairing the chain. And for the leathers.” A frown filled her face. “They kept me alive, and being able to wear Addie’s pendant again kept my heart from breaking.”
“There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you, Minx.”
She lifted her eyebrows. “You’re full of pretty words tonight, aren’t you?”
“Do you want me to stop?”
She nibbled her lower lip and thought about it for longer than I liked. “No. I…like it.”
A start, then.
Her gaze flicked toward the dance floor briefly, then back to me. “I should dance with others. Derren. Bryson. Not Maddox.”
