Rudgar was next. “Well, well, well. Isn’tthisa bit of interesting timing. Today wouldn’t happen to line up with thisfemale being able to take onourclan housing, does it?”
Darak straightened stiffly. “Her name’s Willa.”
Zara smirked. “You said that veryfondly,” she teased.
“I said it neutrally,” Darak snapped.
“You said it like she invented gravity,” I added.
Darak glared at the ground. “She’s competent.”
Enka nudged his brother. “He’s blushing.”
“Iam not,” Darak snapped, the opposite of his usually cold, put together self.
Ever since he’d started this project, he’d been acting different. More...alive.The entire clan nodded in unison.
“Anyway!” Darak barked, slapping the blueprint. “We are here to make decisions. Savla. Hanna. Your house?”
I knelt beside the drawing. “I want a greenhouse. Attached to the kitchen.”
Savla knelt next to me. His knee brushed mine and heat climbed up my spine.
“That’s fine,” he murmured. “As long as our workshop goes here.”He tapped another spot on the blueprint—directly adjoining my greenhouse.
Rudgar sent a smirk our way. “I think everything needs to be soundproofed, if they’re going to be closest to the lake. Just in case any innocent ears are taking a stroll down there...”
Savla shot him a glare lethal enough to fell a grown elk.
Darak scribbled on his notepad. “Done.”
I smiled. “And maybe a balcony?”
Savla nodded slowly. “Overlooking the lake.”
Darak scribbled faster.
“And a big table,” I added, glancing shyly at Savla. “For carving. And crafting. And potions.”
He looked at me with something soft and warm and devastating.
“We’ll need a larger foundation,” his voice low.
“Let’s do it,” I whispered.
He swallowed andRibbon croaked, plopping himself directly onto the blueprintagain.
“Ribbon—no—no—” Enka dove to pull him off.
The blueprint came up covered in a moist spot.Again.Darak froze and his eye twitched.
“I hate toads,” he said calmly.
Ribbon croaked, affronted, and smacked his boot with his entire body. Savla pinched the bridge of his nose.
“This is chaos,” he murmured and his hand curled around mine, softly and automatically.
Darak cleared his throat. “Despite… all of this… I’ll make sure your house is perfect.”
