Audryn turned the corner, and I nearly lost my breath. She kept her eyes fixed on the steps in front of her. When her feet hit the ground level, I was all consumed by her hazel eyes drawing up at me, the brown flecks in the edges twinkling against the candlelight.
The world seemed to tilt.
Words escaped me; no compliment could do her beauty justice. I adjusted the length of my black jacket and did my best to appear casual. “Ready to go?”
Her brow furrowed, and she flinched. “Did I shove myself into this gown for …that?”
I took half a breath before stepping to her, letting the fronts of our bodies ghost each other. When she didn’t retreat, I gathered all the words swirling in my head and strung together a sentence.
“Don’t mistake my manners for anything other than what they are.” I took up the final space between us. “You are absolutely remarkable,” I breathed. “Your beauty has nothing to do with the gown and I will rip it from your body the moment you request me to do so.”
Audryn’s face flushed, and she exhaled a slow steadying breath. “How—how did you know the gown would even fit?” she stammered.
“My hands will never forget the parts of you they’ve had the privilege to touch.” I caressed a thumb across her jaw. “You may not know me well, but your lines will forever be etched in my memory.”
“You never speak tomelike that!” Sky playfully smacked Amalee’s shoulder.
My sister rolled her eyes. “Are you two done, or do you need the room to yourselves?”
The women headed out the front door, leaving it ajar. Several breaths passed, and though I didn’t want to leave, we would be late if I didn’t. I reached over Audryn’s shoulder to the hooks behind her. The lids of her eyes fluttered closed as if she were waiting for my touch to land.
“Jackets,” I whispered and leaned forward, letting my breath kiss her ear. Her body shuddered as I pulled away and handed her the riding jacket. With newfound courage, I offered my hand, unsure if she would accept. But without hesitation, she interlaced her fingers with mine.
Zalzre and Dysis waited in the street, both looking curiously from the corners of their eyes. I was grateful their conversations weren’t shared aloud and instead were held captive in their minds.
Sky and Amalee took their seats on Ralti and a moment later, the creature bolted into the air, maintaining a circular pattern above. Audryn eyed our wyverns contemplatively.
“Can I help you up?” I dropped Audryn’s hand, feeling the emptiness of her skin the moment I’d withdrawn. Pushing forward, I walked to Dysis and gestured to Audryn; she shook her head. “I know you don’t want help, but you’re in a gown.”
“No, I just”—she drew a breath, biting into her lower lip—“I’d prefer not to fly at night on my own, I’ve yet to do so.”
“I’ll be next to you, you’re safe,” I reassured. Dysis huffed behind me, blowing loose strands of my hair forward.
“I can’t straddle her neck easily,” Audryn protested. “It would be much easier to sit sideways.”
“Would you like to wear pants? You don’t need to wear the gown?—”
“Really, Grave?” She threw out her hands. “Do you need me to spell it out for you? Perhaps send you a missive?”
“Col,” I mumbled.
“What?” she snapped.
I was less bothered by the nickname than others were, but there was a cataclysmic ricochet bouncing through my chest each time the word left Audryn’s mouth; it felt wrong.
“Please, call me Col.” My gaze sat everywhere other than on her. “Or by my full name if you must, but my preference would be Col.”
“And when I address you by title, would you prefer King Grant?”
I gestured her toward Zalzre and looked up at the night sky to see Ralti still circling. “You never need to address me by title. And before you ask—I don’t give a fuck that your prince says otherwise.”
With a hand on her hip, she turned and faced me. “Stop saying he’smyprince.”
I held up my ring finger and tapped a knuckle, mimicking the large aquamarine sitting on her finger. “Isn’t he?”
“You’re an ass.” I spun and walked in Dysis’s direction. The wyvern quickly flattened, taking full advantage of the situation I’d somehow managed to fuck up.
I moved to help her.
