Raef raises his eyebrows, glancing at Daegan, then at me. Some sort of realization washes over him. I look back at Daegan’s hand, which is still holding onto mine.
“Relax!” Meela says. “She’s perfectly fine.”
“I found her wandering the hallways alone petting windows.”
Meela looks at me and laughs. “Oh. Sorry, Elle. Guess we should have been paying more attention.”
Daegan narrows his gaze at both of them.
“What are you even doing back here? She came back all mopey after you two were in her room alone. What didyoudo to her?” Meela shoots back at him.
“Nothing,” he mumbles. “I came back looking for you,” he continues, looking at Raef. “We have a lot to do tomorrow, you know.”
“I know, I know,” Raef says. “I just wanted to have a little fun. I only had a few ales, no more of that fucked up wine.”
“Well I’m taking her back to her room. Are you staying or coming?”
Raef lets out a sigh. “Coming.”
“Wait, you’re all leaving me here alone?” Meela complains.
“Ryndon and Farlon are right there Meela,” I say encouragingly. “They’re no strangers, I’m pretty sure you’ve had sex with both of them,” I add with a smile.
Meela lifts her arms, then drops them at her sides. “So? I’m coming with you and staying in your room. You clearly can’t be left alone, and this isn’t clearing out anytime soon,” she grumbles.
“You’re just going to leave your home with all these people in it?” Raef asks.
“Yes.”
“I can watch her,” Daegan presses.
He can?
Meela stops, looking him up and down with a calculating scowl. “No.”
“Why is everyone so grumpy?” I ask. “Cheer up.”
“Easy for you to say,” Meela says as she grabs a cloak and a bag, stuffing a few things in it. “You’re the princess of the pink wine.”
“Don’t knock it until you try it,” I tell her, then I look down at Daegan’s hand still laced with mine, and I release it. He looks at me with an utterly impossible to decipher expression.
“Let’s go,” Meela says, leading the way out. I think the wine’s starting to wear off. The thought of Daegan holding my hand a moment ago feels like a much bigger deal suddenly.
My face heats and I avoid looking at him. In fact, I keep my head down the first half of the walk, not uttering a word. Raef and Meela argue up ahead about the game they were playing, and who had won.
I sense Daegan glancing at me on and off, but I don’t look. I can’t possibly face him right now, as memories of some of the things I said come washing over me like a cold plunge. It was only moments ago, but it feels like a distant, hazy dream.
“Feeling better?” he asks, finally breaking the silence.
“Yes,” I say with a nod, still avoiding eye contact. “Thank you for… finding me.”
“Always,” he says, like it’s no big deal.
I turn my head toward him. He’s smirking at me.
“Allies, right?”
“Right.”
