Page 134 of Soul Forge

“You’re so odd,” he muttered, but he stooped and lifted her, cradling her against his chest like a doll. He turned back to look at Reiner warily. “Can we talk more tomorrow? All of us are drunk.”

“We can. And I expect the truth from you, Sypher.Allof it. You married my future queen.” Reiner stood and walked away.

“She sounds mad,” Elda commented.

“She should be. I killed Gira’s cousin and destroyed an entire kingdom, and now I’ve married her monarch.”

Elda looked up at him. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

“I’m sorry Selena ever met me,” he answered sullenly, making his way back towards the villa when he was sure Reiner was gone. Elda let him carry her in silence, pondering the revelation. He ascended the few steps and ducked inside, carrying her through the corridors until they reached his room, where hepromptly dumped her on the bed. Elda reached down to try and pull off her boots, frowning when her fingers refused to obey her.

“What was she like?”

“Here.” Sypher sat on the mattress and pulled them off for her, tossing them into the corner of the room. “Can I tell you about her when you’re not drunk?”

“Don’t think I’ll forget,” Elda warned, pointing at him to reinforce her promise. “No more keeping secrets from me.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied sarcastically, tugging the blanket out from under her. “Are you sleeping in those?” He nodded towards her clothes.

“I don’t suppose you’d go to my room for a nightgown?” she asked, batting her lashes at him. He narrowed his eyes, then stepped off the bed and into the shadows, reappearing a moment later with a nightgown of hers in his hand.

“Anything else, Your Grace?” he asked, but there was a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. She had no doubt that his mood had only lifted so quickly because of the ale dampening his sense of guilt. It even fogged the bond between them, making the emotions that fluttered through it seem fuzzy and muddled.

“No, Your Grace,” she replied coyly. “Princes have their own titles, you know.”

“Just get ready for bed.”

He turned away so she could change, respecting her privacy despite his admission that he loved her. In the midst of her alcohol-induced fog, she felt warmth blossom in her chest.

“You can look now,” she allowed once the covers were tucked up to her chin. “What are you sleeping in?”

Sypher stepped out of his boots and let his armour disappear, revealing his scarred torso and dark leather trousers. “This.” He saw her eyeing his chest and cocked his head. “I don’t have any tunics that fit over my wings.” He scowled at the feathered limbs over his shoulders. “Is that alright?”

“If it weren’t, I’d return to my own room.” She knew her cheeks were rosy, but she hoped he’d pass it off as the effects of the wine. He climbed in beside her, turning onto his side to face her so his wings didn’t get in her way.

“If you get uncomfortable, tell me,” he insisted.

“I think the only one in fear of being uncomfortable is you. I don’t mind when you touch me,” she chuckled, the wine robbing her of her filter.

“Oh, you don’t, do you?” he asked. “I’m certain I can make you take that back.” She squeaked when he reached out and tugged her closer, tickling her sides until she squealed.

“Alright, I take it back!” she gasped, swatting at him until he stopped, though he didn’t let her go. She turned in his arms, careful not to touch his exposed torso. “That was mean.”

“I keep telling you not to goad me.”

“You tell me not to goadVel.You’re supposed to be the sensible one.”

He blinked. “Who told you I was sensible?”

“Believe it or not, my father.”

“I’ll have to remind him of that the next time we see him. Usually, he calls me an ass. I have a habit of upsetting him.”

Elda grinned. “He wouldn’t be wrong.” Her wide yawn cut off their banter. When her eyes returned to the Soul Forge, he was watching her with an odd look on his face. “What?”

“I’m just concerned that the more you learn about me, the less you’ll want to be around me,” he admitted quietly. “I promised I’d put everything into training and protecting you. I’m worried that now I’ve let you in, you’ll shy away when you learn the things I’ve done.”

“It depends on how they were done and what things,” she answered simply. “If you destroyed Nova because you could, then yes, I’d shy away. If you destroyed it because you had no choice, then I wouldn’t. Did you have a choice?” He shook hishead. Her eyes dropped to the scars on his chest. “Were any of those caused by an innocent person defending themselves against you?” He shook his head again. She took a chance, reaching out and laying her hand against his heart, the ridge of his most prominent scar rough against her palm. “Then I won’t shy away.”

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