Page 25 of An Empress of Air & Chaos

“Don’t!” Cally called out sharply. “I don’t want you to leave.”

Emara paused, heat beginning to burn in her face as Torin rolled from the position beside Cally. Clearly, she had killed the moment for him.

Good! She thought. She didn’t feel guilty in the slightest about that. He buttoned his leather trousers and threw on a black shirt that had been lying on the ground. As he tugged the material over his head with one hand, she couldn’t help but take in the structure of his muscles. Her mouth fell open slightly.

Did everyone around here have abs that looked like they had been carved by the Gods?

Cally devoured his body with her eyes, too, running a finger across her lips.

Emara looked away, wishing she had gone in search of the kitchen instead of Cally’s room. But here she was, interrupting her best friend’s sex life instead of finding the nutrients to survive.

Gods, give me strength.

Torin strode towards the doorway—which Emara realised she was blocking—with a casual swagger that made her eyes narrow in irritation. He was in no rush. She stepped to her right to let the warrior-like male past…

Awkwardly, he moved the same direction. Their eyes met for a brief second and she drove her gaze to the floor as he smiled at her through dazzling, pearl-white teeth. He was intimidatingly tall and solid. Raw masculinity poured from him as well—as the sweet smell of liquor. It was sweet, yet spiced. His jawline arched perfectly from his ear to his chin, sharp like a sword. His nose was thin and symmetrical on his face, and he had one scar that scored a white line between his thick, dark eyebrows, making him look a little more menacing than he already did.

“Don’t miss me too much.” He turned, winking at Cally, and stalked through the door, making the space feel bigger in his absence.

Cally almost combusted where she sat, her eyes filled with excitement to tell Emara all the juicy details of what had just happened.

She let a few seconds of silence pass between them, gathering her breath, before she spoke, “What in the world was that, Callyn Greymore?” She made her way across the room to sit beside the blonde who was already adjusting her undergarments. She fixed the sheets around her bottom half, confirming that what Emara had stepped on was, indeed, her underwear.

With no fear, she said, “That, my friend, is Torin Blacksteel.” She grinned from ear to ear, her eyes wide with desire. “Or, as I would call him, ‘Insanely Handsome Hunter guy.’”

More like just insane.

“Oh, I am aware of who he is.” She raised an eyebrow. “But what I want to know is how he ended up here. In your bed.”

“He was just making sure I have everything I need.”

“You can say that again,” Emara huffed.

“Don’t judge,” Callyn cut in quickly. “After all, I always say the best distractions come in man-like packages.” Her eyelids fluttered. “He knocked on the door after he returned from that hunting thingy that he does, clearly looking for a distraction of his own.” She ran her fingers through her messy, golden hair. “I swear, it must be my pheromones or something. Guys just flock to me.”

“Your pheromones.” Emara rolled her eyes. “That’s your excuse?” She paused, dipping her chin. “Again?”

“It is not an excuse, Emara!” Her lips parted. “I live with an incurable disease; I am irresistible to men.” She flicked her messy hair over her shoulder. “He just knocked on the door and kissed me straight away. Like, grabbed me and smacked his lips to mine. It was—” She swooned, letting out a sigh. “I needed the distraction.”

Emara knew the feeling. “Me, too.” She bit into her cheek.

Secretly, she had always wanted to swoon like that after a kiss—the way a girl did in a great romance novel when the man’s kiss is just…everything.

Sadly, the kisses that had been placed on her lips had never given her that feeling. Or what did Cally call it again?

Oh, yes: Fluttering.

“And I think I could get pretty distracted,” Cally said, breaking free from her daydream to catch Emara’s eye.

Emara offered her a giggle and then she paused. “Do you think it’s a good idea to be messing around with him? I mean, guys like him don’t belong in the real world. We will be going home soon.”

Her thoughts flashed to Gideon’s face that had been so close to hers and asked herself the same question internally.

“You know I don’t like to feel.”

“You can’t shut it out forever.” She had lost everything, too.

“I can try.” Cally gave her best friend a half smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I want to have fun, Em, and these Huntswood boys know how to do that. I need something to take my mind off what just happened, and the city is perfect to get lost in. We have never been to the city, Emara.” She grabbed her hand, “Who would I be if I didn’t dip my toes into the Huntswood pool of distractions?” She looked at her best friend with a sincerity that made Emara want to laugh.

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