He glanced at where I stared. “Oh. Yeah. Gonna need to get that looked at.”
Sebastian crafteda makeshift sling out of his shirt, then we meandered back to the palace in hopes of finding Pia or another healer in the mending wards.
Along with Kade, Delani waited on the steps of the palace, gazing off into the field that separated her from the stables.
I turned my head to follow her line of sight.
Leighton was riding in, eight days after her departure, and a gasp of relief expelled from my chest with the confirmation that she was alive and seemingly didn't screw us over.
She stopped at the stables to drop her horse off, then sauntered towards the palace, the lack of sleep evident in her weary gait.
“What happened to your arm?” Delani asked when Sebastian and I reached the steps, taking our place beside her to welcome Leighton.
“Dislocated shoulder.”
Delani’s eyebrows drew together. “How?”
I raised my hand.
Kade jumped right to the point, not even greeting Leighton when she reached us. “Go shower and change then meet us in the lounge.” He turned to Sebastian. “You too. You’re covered in dirt.”
Sebastian patted his shoulder when we climbed past him. “Good morning to you, too, Lyrise.”
Kade grunted a greeting, then called out after us, “Don’t waste any time doing whatever it is you two usually do in your room. If you aren’t in the common room in fifteen minutes, I’m coming to get you, and I’m not knocking.”
“If you want to join, Lyrise, all you have to do is ask,” Sebastian taunted, shouting back down the stairs to Kade, whose mocha skin turned a shade of crimson.
My mouth fell open as we entered the palace. “I know you did not just make a threeway joke to Kade,” I said in total disbelief.
“Hell yeah I did. The look on his face made it so worth the crap he’s going to give me for it later.”
“Seb! My father wasrightthere!” We took a corner at the top of the staircase, starting down the hallway to our room.
He shrugged as he unlocked our door, holding it open for me. “Kade kinda looked like he was considering the offer,” he quipped with a sharp smirk.
“Oh, please. He did not.” I rolled my eyes and flopped down against the bed.
“He did. I saw the slightest hint of a glimmer in his soulless eyes.” Sebastian climbed over me, supporting his full weight with his good arm and aligning his face with mine. “I wouldn't be surprised if he comes knocking on our door later when he hears you screaming my name from down the hall.”
I flicked his shoulder, not enough to hurt his injury, but enough to get my point across.
Sebastian’s lips dipped towards mine, lingering above them but not colliding enough to be considered a kiss. “You know, if he does, it might be fun to watch you take two?—”
“What happened toyou're mine,” I imitated him in my best attempt at a deep voice, reminding him of his claim from the storage room.
“Oh, youaremine. I would have to kill him after,” he deadpanned with a one-shouldered shrug.
“Do you need help in the shower?” Dodging his comment, I rolled out from underneath him and gently probed his loose arm to distract my eyes from his godsdamn beautiful abs.
He turned over to unwrap the makeshift sling, then propped himself up on his good limb, giving me a look that I knew would have me on my knees within minutes.
So I turned my back to him, my cheeks flushing.
“What's wrong, love? I saw the wayyoureyes lit up when I mentioned the idea.”
I shook my head and crossed my arms over my stomach. “They did not. You're just in so much pain from your shoulder that you're seeing things.”
“It doesn't even hurt that bad.”
