Raef and Meela gain some distance from us up ahead, and I slow even more. Why do I never want my time with him to end?
“First thing tomorrow, we invite Gaethri and Rhydra into town with us. It’s safer there to talk.”
“What about Meela?”
“Shit,” I say. “I keep forgetting about her. Why do I feel like she’s already part of this?”
He shrugs. His expression is one of uncertainty. “We’ll figure it out. We might have to send Raef on a distraction mission again.”
“I feel bad making him do that.”
“Don’t. He loves it.”
I grin, letting out a chuckle.
And then I’m completely thrown off once again, because the way he glances down at my lips sets my body on fire.
I halt, and we face each other. But he won’t move, won’t say anything.
He looks at me with heavy eyelids, his jaw twitching. Then he subtly shakes his head. His hand reaches out to tuck a piece of hair behind my ear, and he leans closer.
“What are you thinking?” I ask. Because he won’t speak, won’t move closer.
So I take a step closer. And now his scent is drowning me, making my thoughts scrambled.
“That it doesn’t matter because you look beautiful in any color…” He pauses, then his expression turns sullen.
And then he continues walking, and I have to jog to catch up.
He stops just a short distance before my door. Meela and Raef wait up ahead. “Have a good night, Elysande. Get some rest.”
“I’m… fine,” I stammer.
“Well I think you still have some of that poison in your system, and you should go to sleep.”
“Okay…”
I feel stupid for the response, but not knowing what else to say, I storm off toward my door.
I open it and wave Meela inside, mutter a quick goodnight to Raef, then shut the door as Daegan catches up to him. I don’t know how many times today he and I have parted ways at my door. Each time, I’ve wanted nothing more than for him to stay.
Meela sighs dramatically, plopping onto a cushioned seat.
“What now?”
Chapter 28
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, please,” Meela chides, getting up to grab a drink from my ice box that I keep permanently cold with my magic. She settles on an ice-cold ale. “I see the way you’ve been looking at the brooding dragon recently.”
“I don’t—”
“Don’t even,” she cuts me off.
“Fine,” I say, barely above a whisper.
“What would Daddy think of that?”
