“She’s willing,” he admitted. “Though I think you have to trade some of your archery secrets in return.”
“My pleasure.” The bow freed me in ways everyone deserved to feel. The bow Ryker had given me.
Just as I relaxed further into him, bangs, loud enough to jiggle the hinges off my door, ruptured the calm, warm bubble.
Ryker and I groaned at the same time.
No resident of the fortress would have dared to intrude at such an hour–only a Protectorate brat.
“Make yourself decent, we have work to do.” Dax shouted so loud, I heard him through the closed door between Ryker’s bedroom and mine. I’d shut it last night, as if I could seal the memory of the crown away. “And that goes for your guest, too.”
Ryker rumbled and turned, splaying himself on the mattress, pinching the bridge of his nose as I jumped out of bed and swaddled myself in the robe I’d brought with me last night.
“He’s your cousin and you care for him. He’s your cousin, he’s your cousin,” he chanted under his breath.
I stomped through the threshold and yanked my own door so hard, the hinges creaked in protest. Dax stared at me with a mischievous grin from behind an armful of parchment and journals. He had a frenzied look on his face, like a bolt of energy had jolted him awake.
“You’re the onlyguesthere,” I hissed under my breath. “And stop shouting my business for the entire crater to hear.”
“Please. You’re engaged. It would have been tragic if you weren’t sleeping together.” Dax rolled his eyes and strode in like he owned the entire damn fortress. He raised a brow at my empty bed, before spotting Ryker in his, splayed between the rumpled sheets. “I would say get a room, but it seems you have two. How traditional.”
Ryker’s eyes narrowed on him.
“How did you know we’d be together?” he asked with that perfect calm of his that meant trouble.
My heart thudded.
“An educated guess. I saw the way you two have been looking at each other.” Dax waved him off and didn’t stop his stride as he marched toward the table like he’d always known it was there.
“I don’t remember inviting you in,” I said as I closed the door and yanked on my robe to make sure it covered all of my backside. The last time Dax had seen me naked, we still had our baby teeth and thought splashing in Grandpa Constantine’s pool was the best idea in the world and I wanted to keep it that way.
“You said eight. It’s five to eight.” Dax shuffled the papers on the table with hectic movements.
“You insisted on nine,” I argued.
“Changed my mind. You were right, we have a lot of work to do,” he said. “I’m surprised you didn’t knock my door down first, but I guess you were distracted. Good thing I’m here to keep you on schedule.”
That had smarted more than Dax probably realised. I crossed my hands in front of my chest. “Not fun when you’re the one who has to keep others in check, is it?”
“No, it’s awful.” He grimaced. “We’ve already been through this. The sooner you return to your precise, militant self, the sooner I can relax.”
Ryker slid off the bed, keeping his cold, assessing gaze on Dax as he leaned against the doorway.
“Sorry we got interrupted,” I whispered. “He’s right, we do need to work.”
Ryker nodded, even as his brow furrowed. For the briefest moment, I was sure he was about to insist we’d reveal everything unspoken yesterday, but he pursed his lips.
“Very well,” he said evenly. “We’ll talk when you’re done.”
I looked deep into his eyes, so he knew I meant it. “I promise.”
“Sorry I’m interrupting with my admirable sense of duty,” Dax said, breaking the moment once again.
Ryker sighed and glowered at Dax one last time. “When he annoys you, be careful not to throw him out the window. He doesn’t have his wings anymore.”
“I’d worry about her throwing you off the balcony if I were you,” Dax grumbled.
“It’s too early for this.” I huffed.
