“I’m tired.” I lied, closing my eyes. “And you’re warm.”
“I don’t buy it,” he grumbled into my hair. An onlooker may have confused us for lovers.
I sat upright. “Then just answer my questions.”
“Fine.” Dommik sighed in defeat. “One last question.”
I looked down at my hands, relieved he couldn’t see the nervousness on my face as I asked, “Could I ever belong to you?”
“No.”
“Oh.” His one-word answer hurt worse than the arrow I’d taken in the arm two nights prior.
Dommik cleared his throat and announced, “We’re here.”
Asher halted among the trees, a place no different than the leagues of forest we’d passed. Dommik effortlessly lowered himself to the ground but signaled for me to stay mounted. I happily obliged but twisted and stretched in the saddle.
Crunched footsteps on the gravel below drew my attention to a small cohort of sentinels emerging from the dark treeline. Dommik greeted each one of them by name before ushering the last one toward Asher.
“Gorvin Hale, meet Lady Reyva Bergmont.” The man gave a swooping bow, the motion exaggerated by the flowing sleeves of his decadent robes. The moonlight cast shadows across his slender features—tense lips perfectly at home underneath a slightly crooked nose. His slim jawline was clean-shaven to match what must have been a newly shaved head.
“At your service.”
I nodded, a natural response from meeting servants in my prior life.
“Gorvin is steward to the regent and will also oversee your personal attendants.” Dommik gave the lean vampire a hard pat on the back.
Unmoving, Gorvin didn’t reciprocate the familiarity, but coldly stated, “You’re behind schedule, Commander Thorne.”
A soldier led a new stallion to Dommik. He remounted with such fluidity, I would never have guessed he’d been bedridden with an injury the evening prior. “Yes, Gorvey. Had a bit of a hiccup.”
Gorvin’s jaw tensed at the nickname.
“My lady, His Majesty wanted me to deliver this gift to you.” Gorvin produced a long, velvet, hooded cloak. The soft, black fabric was decorated with intricate floral embroidery of the same color.
I discarded the ill-fitting cloak Dommik lent me and wrapped the gift around my shoulders. “Thank you, Gorvin.”
“It’s my pleasure.” Gorvin bowed.
Dommik brought his mount alongside Asher and whispered, “Now every citizen of the Hive will know you’re a royal guest.”
“They’ll know I’m his?”
He blinked away a look resembling disappointment before answering simply, “They’ll know you’re his. But if you find you’re missing me, I’m just aprayeraway.”
The look I shot him could have melted icecaps off of the Irriset Mountains.
“Is he bothering you, Lady Reyva?” Gorvin inquired, loud enough for the entire company to take notice.
“No, Commander Thorne was just reminding me that I won’t have to end my religious practices in my new residence.”
“Oh.” Gorvin’s tone turned inquisitive. “Are you deeply religious, Lady Bergmont?”
Dommik stifled a snicker.
“Mhm. Very.” I squinted at the stormy-eyed trouble maker and earned a devilish smile in response.
“Are the Illica mortals still praising the God of the Dawn? Or have they constructed a new deity yet?”
