He chuckles. “I’ll ask.”
“And glass that darkens when it’s supposed to be night?”
“Haven’t gotten used to the never-setting sun?”
“I don’t think anyone—save for people born and raised in Glace—can get used to that.”
“I’m sure you’ll get used to it after a few decades.”
My ring suddenly feels hot and weighted. “El, I have something to tell you.” Halfway across one of the gold bridges arcing over the canals, I pull him to a stop and twist to face him. “You must swear not to repeat it to a single soul.”
“Are you pregnant?”
“What?” My head rears back. “I haven’t even slept with the man yet.”
“Really?”
“Yes,really.”
“But he’s your mate.”
I snag my bottom lip. “So, that’s the thing…”
“Thething?”
“The thing I wanted to tell you about.” I roll up on my toes to spill the truth into his ear.
Elio is so quiet once I finish that my heart begins to thrash with anguish.
“Say something,” I plead.
“Do Naev and Lach know?”
My nod dulls his irises. For endless minutes, he rolls his lips. And rolls them.
“I’m so sorry.”
Another roll of lips.
I wrap my arms around his middle and lay my cheek on his chest. “It’s my birthday, so you have to forgive me.”
He harrumphs.
“I swear, you’ll be the very first to know my next secret.”
He harrumphs again.
“Actually, I have a secret that neither Naev nor Lach know.” Am I truly about to admit this out loud? With a sigh, I decide that, yes, I am. “Ireallylike my fiancé.”
Where Lachlano and I can’t hold grudges for our lives—mostly because neither of us can stand all the stewing and brooding—Naeva and Elio are professional grudge-holders.
I squeeze him a little harder. When that fails to make him capitulate, I resort to a tried and true method of breaking his temper: tickling his ribs.
He stiffens, then begins to wriggle, huffing a few irritated, “how old are yous?” which are soon followed by knells of nasal laughter. “I swear…” He trusses me up in his arms, cutting off my fingers’ access to his rib cage. “You’re not turning twenty-five today; you’re turning five.”
“Yes, yes, I’m immature, but you adore my immature ass.”
“Adoreis a little strong for how I feel at present.” He’s shaking his head, and although he doesn’t smile, he also doesn’t scowl. “Can’t believe your parents are encouraging this.”
