“Yes, my king.” I whispered, biting my lip.
He groaned low, dragging his thumb across my mouth. I darted my tongue out, teasing. His hand dropped, brushing over his belt.
“To the landing.”
I looped my arm through his. The walk up the Spire cooled the fire between us, bit by bit.
I could wait. I would. What we had didn’t need to be rushed. But sometimes, I longed to erase the caution in his expression. The wariness behind his smile. Years of betrayal by his own son and Eldeiade had left scars that still bled.
He deserved better. I’d give him everything to heal that pain.
“The Spire was found like this?” he asked, pausing to gaze up the hollowed center.
“With the Cireendium? Yes.” I leaned over the edge. “Draconia was never home to humans. Some creature must have lived here once. We only made it fit for man.”
He hummed, pulling me upward.
At the throne room, I broke into a run out onto the landing, arms flung wide.
Specks of light drifted around us—leftovers from my father’s magic. They hovered, soft and flickering, little white fireflies caught in a playful spiral.
I twirled, trying to catch them. They brushed my skin, left gleaming trails down both forearms. Kallias chuckled behind me.
The lights landed in his hair, highlighting the silver at his temples. Others dusted his mantle, scattered bright as fallen stars.
“Feels like warm snow.” He cupped my cheek, then brushed a glowing fingertip along my jaw.
“He took it from the ocean. Near the Wild Shores, the sea glows with life. They say it’s incredible.”
“You’ve never seen it?”
I shook my head. “No. So Father brought it to me.”
“All this—he made it? He’s powerful.”
I crouched. Caught a few motes in my palm, then dragged my fingers across the stone. “He’s a Well. Constantly pulling magic from Argos, storing it in his body. He once held off an entire whirlstorm alone.”
“A good reason to honor my promise,” he muttered, eyes falling to the markings I’d traced:
‘Kallias and Nienna.’
“How long does the glow last?”
I heard the judgment in his voice. Laughed. “Do you want to know why the crowd was in such a hurry?”
“With all those boys dragging girls into alleys? I can guess.”
“Catch more of these, and I’ll show you.” I ran across the landing, scooping up the radiant wisps. They melted into my palms, lighting my fingers.
I spun toward him, both palms glowing.
Wiser than I, he held up one hand, the glow faint and cool. Nothing like the sharp, divine light his god gifted him. He raised a brow, gaze flicking between my hands.
“Come.” I led him into the palace, careful not to brush the walls. We slipped down a level to his rooms. At the door, he stepped ahead and pressed a bare hand to the panel.
“Do you remember when I said wait?” A twitch caught in his eye, brows pulling tight.
I grinned and nudged the door open with my shoulder. “I haven’t forgotten, my king.”
