“I dunno. Maybe. I mean, Mealioria is in danger, too, and I doubt he even knows it yet.”
Kohen, already slightly intoxicated, found his voice yet again. “Road trip?”
Kade shot the idea down. “No way. Lumosia wasbuiltfor this. It was created to keep Maeve safe. I don’t think leaving again is a good idea.”
“Oh yeah, super safe, Lyrise. That’s why there's a dead Hykah in the courtyard and two dead Draemornians in the dungeon.” Sawyer rolled his eyes, leaning back on the sofa and locking his hands behind his head.
Sebastian's hand inched closer to the crease of my upper thigh. Mine gently topped his, my fingers intertwining in his much larger ones. Then I lifted both of our hands and dropped his onto his own lap.
I could feel Sebastian’s disappointed scowl as he took his turn speaking. “I personally don't feel like it's safe to stay here much longer. We’d be better off on the run or in Mealioria. Even if King Franlow refuses to lend us his army, he may let us hold up there for a while.”
“Worst comes to worst, we can always return to Lumosia,” Delani offered, giving Kade a look that could almost be described as a pout.
Kade’s jaw ticked, but he nodded once in response to her suggestion. “Fine. I’m in, but you’ll have to get Archer on board, and good luck with that.”
“I’ll handle that.” All I had to do was convince him that I was safer elsewhere. He wouldn't argue with logic. I didn't know my father well, but I knew that much.
Sawyer nudged me with his elbow, stealing my attention. “I like this plan a lot more than your shitty ideas that end with you dead,” he whispered into my ear.
“We can keep them as a last resort,” I replied smugly, nudging him back.
The lingering question about Sebastian and Sawyer actually being on good terms turned into genuine doubt when Sebastian's disgruntled sigh tickled my neck.
“Alright then.” Kohen slapped his thighs before he jumped to his feet, heading to the bar cart foranotherdrink. “When are we leaving?”
Sawyer pushed up to his feet, joining Kohen and swiping a nearly full bottle. “Not tonight, that's for sure. I’m joining you at the booze fest this evening.” He tossed his head back and downed a good inch or so of the bottle in one swig.
“Same,” Delani agreed, looking at Pia. “Wine?”
“I’ll pass tonight, I’m beat,” Pia declined, rubbing the dark circles under her sunken eyes.
Sebastian’s beautiful eyes silently asked if I wanted to join before he even spoke. “Are you up for this?”
I braced a hand on his upper arm, tenderly palpating his muscle. “Honestly, no. I can't believe I’m saying this, but I just want to relax. You stay. Have a fun night with your friends. Maybe try to make up with Sawyer, if you haven't yet,” I coaxed, honestly having no clue if they were on civil terms or not.
His eyebrows lowered skeptically as he pinned me with a stare. “I’ll go with you.” He stood up, reaching a hand out for me to take.
“Seb, Iwant youto stay here and have fun. You deserve it after everything that's been going on.” Though I rejected his offer of company, I still let him pull me up to my feet.
He looked like he was going to argue with the way he sucked his lower lip in, clamping the skin in his teeth.
I held a finger against his lips, silencing him before he could get a word out. “Maybe I'll have a surprise for you when you get back.” The alluring whisper slipped from my lips and into his neck that my mouth was flush against.
He tossed his arm over the base of my spine and pulled me into his chest, dipping his lips to my ears. “What kind of surprise?” he purred.
“The kind where I’m naked with my thighs spread on our bed, waiting for you to have your way with me.”
He sucked in a breath. “Fuck, Maeve, you should know better than to taunt me like that with other people around,” he growled for only me to hear while subtly adjusting the front of his pants.
Our bodies tore apart when Kade cleared his throat from behind us. “You guys have a bedroom. Why don’t youuse it?”
With a wink, Sebastian glanced over his shoulder. “Oh, we do.”
My palm met my mouth with a harsh slap meant to muffle my laugh.
Kade mumbled something to himself, then poured himself averylarge drink from the bar cart, skipping the ice and instead filling the glass to the brim.
Regaining his composure, Sebastian turned back to me and brushed his fingers over my constellastones. “I just worry?—”
