“I must be dreaming,” he whispered.
The words fell out of his mouth, as if he had no control over the things he said and his heart was saying it for him. Her eyes slowly opened, lids heavy as she watched him with her head still tilted back.
“I’m tired of dreaming without you,” Evelina said softly.
She gazed up at him, their bodies facing each other. Her breath was coming out rapidly, her chest expanding and grazing the top of his abdomen with every inhale, her eyes as bright as the moon above them. He could lose himself beneath the twilight.
“I’ll dream with you always,” he said, whispering his promise onto her skin. “Forevermore.”
Forty-Nine
Evelina
Evelina didn’t sleepthe few short hours they had before sunrise. She lay in her cabin, wondering if Daimon was able to sleep. She wished more than anything that she could lie with him, but that would lead to questions from the others. She was happy in their bubble together, just the two of them.
Her legs were sore, but her body was far more relaxed than it had been in years. Still, she hadn’t been able to sleep, her body buzzing after last night’s confessions. As the sun finally lit the sky, she slipped into mostly clean leathers and left the cabin before Gloriana woke up. She found Keir sitting by the camp’s center, stoking the fire with a stick.
“You know you could just use your fire instead?” she asked as she walked up to him. Keir shrugged, his eyes not leaving the flames. “You okay?” She sat down on the ground beside him.
“Yes.” He sighed and shook his head. “No. Do you ever get tired of fighting in this war?”
At this point, everyone had to be tired of it. It was impossible not to. Still, it was a surprise coming from the Aegis council head. War was bred into their souls. It spoke volumes that he seemed just as tired as everyone else.
“I look forward to the day we get to go back home forgood,” she admitted. “If anyone can lead us to victory, it’s you and Daimon.”
He poked at the fire again, sending a flurry of embers into the air. “You know, I was worried about you two working together at first with the history you have.”
She turned to him, her brows jumping up. “He told you?”
Keir smiled, still stoking the fire. “We’ve done a lot of patrols together throughout the years.” He glanced at her, his eyes sad. “I always told him what an idiot he was for not returning to you.”
“He could use a little push sometimes,” she said with a small smile.
Keir grimaced, offering a commiserating look.
She realized how thankful she was for Keir—for all of the Riders—in this moment. For the most ruthless warriors in the realm who supported Daimon above all else, not because he was their commander, but because they respected him.
“Most Riders could,” he admitted. “We’re hard to love.”
Evelina released a long breath. “You’re soldiers. You spend so much time being strong for others that you forget to be strong for yourself.”
Keir huffed a laugh. “You sound like Senna,” he muttered.
She stood and brushed her palms against her thighs, rubbing the dirt off. “I wouldn’t want to do this with anyone else,” she assured gently. “They rely on you, you know. None of you would exist without the other.”
He nodded, closing his eyes for a brief moment, as if clearing out a passing pain. “And us, you.” His weathered face softened. “You’re a part of our fleet too.”
Tears welled in her eyes as she felt a sense of belonging in the last place she expected to feel it.
Evelina was lost in the memories of last night as she took stock of the shelves. She replayed every kiss—every touch.
She sat on the floor, her legs crossed as she weighed rennew powder in a small bronze scale. Once it tipped two ticks down, she marked the weight on her parchment and beside it added,Low stock.
The wooden floorboards behind her creaked and she whirled around. Daimon was leaning against the doorframe, the door open to let the cool breeze in. His arms were crossed loosely over his chest and his eyes were brighter than she had ever seen them, a soft blue instead of the usual blazing midnight.
“Don’t stop on my account.” He pushed off the frame and slowly walked toward her, his gaze roaming her body. “I could watch you all day.”
“You could watch me count and tally jars all day?” she teased.
