Pure…something—hunger, devotion, maybe a little of both—glare back at me through his eyes.
It’s delightfully distracting.
I watch his back the entire time until he reaches the statues of the Beginning Gods outside of the Sanctum. Either my gaze has a weight to it, or he wanted one last look at me. A small grin curves my lips as he peers over his shoulder and winks at me.
“Shall we?” Amick says, gesturing toward the Athenaeum doors.
“Yeah.” I exhale.
“So what’s on your agenda today for your first day back in what feels like forever, Thay?” Lambrit asks as we cross the threshold of the double doors.
“Not too sure, honestly. I told Amick to decide what I should do.”
“Yemi’s evaluation is coming up, so the two of them are going to go collect the final material Yemi needs and a book on Accord that I need for Thayla.”
“Evaluation?” I ask, peering between her and Amick.
Yemi snorts and rolls her eyes at me. “What do you think I do in that once-a-week lesson I have without you?”
“Honestly, I forgot about them. Do you even still go to them?”
She laughs, earning herself a shush from someone random. They fix their face as soon as they notice the blank glare on Amick’s.
“Not as much as the other Attendants do. For obvious reasons. Our lessons are technically flexible depending on our Attending Gods’ needs. I’m on par with everything, though.”
“I’m aware that you are. I have no doubt your evaluation will be perfect. This is merely paperwork nonsense.”
“I don’t know what that means,” I say.
“Everything I check out from the Athenaeum is recorded. So we have a list of materials we’re required to have checked out and gone over prior to our evaluations. I understand what’s going on now. Amick wants me to check everything out left on my materials list so I can get it out of the way.”
“That’s correct. With the Power Worthiness Test rapidly approaching, I don’t want anything left to chance. Although I know the two of you hold the strongest relationship between the other Attendants and Attending Gods, I want that recorded and unquestionable.”
I still feel like I don’t know what the hell they’re talking about, but the sassy smirk on Yemi’s face lets me know whatever he said pleases her.
“Who does the evaluation?”
“I do.”
“Oh, well, then why can’t you just say she’s great and move on?”
Rose and Lambrit chuckle as we approach their table and they lay their stuff down. Yemi and I tell them we’ll see them in a few as Amick keeps pulling me along to his office.
My feet fall still as soon as I pass through his doorway and inhale.
I didn’t expect the smell to hit me so hard, but the deeper I breathe, the more my lungs fill with the comforting scent of parchment, ink, and Amick.
Fuck, I didn’t realize how much I missed this smell.
My shoulders sag and I focus on the rhythm of his thumb running over my knuckles.
“I’m very pleased you’re back today, but if at any time you want to go, you just tell me.”
“I will, but I’m happy to be back in here with you. I missed it.”
“Aww, how sweet,” Yemi teases as she squeezes around me so she can actually get into the office.
I snort. “Sorry, Yem.”
