Page 73 of Aria's Desire

Aria nodded, “I agree.”

She’d been told the alliance talks would be followed by a banquet to celebrate the signing. Assholes or not, it did seem like bad form to feast directly after a public execution.

Just before they left the field, Aria spotted Vekai and the young boy she suspected was his little brother standing nearby, speaking with Xaiar. Waving them over to join her group, they all headed back in their rooms.

The blushing guy, Nichi, was waiting in the hallway to see what they wanted for dinner. Aria glanced at the kids, brows raised. Vekai’s eyes widened, but he didn’t hesitate for long, enthusiastically spouting off a whole list of foods.

Nichi looked at her for confirmation, his expression both dubious and hopeful, like he wanted her to sayyesbut didn’t think she would. That made her think he identified with the boys, had either been abandoned by his family or just understood what it felt like to be hungry. Aria just smiled and nodded.

“Whatever they want.” A thought occurred to her. She didn’t know what most of the food was. Eyeing Vekai suspiciously, she amended, “Unless that was all cake and treats.” Looking back at Nichi, she smirked. “Include healthy stuff, please.”

He smiled, his expression simultaneously softening and becoming uncomfortably adoring. “Yes, Queen.”

“Thanks, Nichi.”

He blushed, predictably.

As Nichi booked it down the hall and everyone else filed inside the room, she whispered to Rellik, “Am I going to like anything we just ordered?”

He chuckled. “Thekuirri, yes, but the rest of it? Doubtful.”

She remembered her brother's kids and their weird tastes in food and nodded. She’d figured as much.

The food arrived faster than she anticipated, considering the amount ordered.

As everyone ate their fill, the boys shoveling in more food than they should’ve been able to hold, they found out the very shy little boy was indeed Vekai’s brother. His name wasVehar, and he was absolutely adorable. His little horn buds, chubby cheeks still rounded with baby fat, and big eyes made him look like a doll.

He didn't speak much, watching them all warily and sticking close to his brother’s side, but like the village children, he seemed to take an instant liking to Sin. He watched her dragon with wide, fascinated eyes.

Aria shared a smile with Rellik. Kix, picking up their memories, chuckled. When Tirox eyed them all questioningly, they explained Sin’s child magnetic-ness.

He nodded knowingly. “The few cubs at the complex adore him, too.”

Huh. She hadn’t known that.

When they'd finished eating, everyone retreated to pile on the bed to play a game that included rolling around rocks with hashes on them. Before she could move to join, Sin, still sitting at the table with her, cleared his throat.

“I would date now,” he announced gruffly, then hurriedly tacked on, “If you would like.”

Aria felt butterflies set to fluttering in her stomach. For a second, she couldn’t make her mouth work but finally mumbled, “Ok.”

Glancing back at her men, she caught them watching with smiles. Returning them, she turned back to Sin.

Following him onto the balcony, she paused when he pulled his shirt off. Aria watched, rapt, as wings began to slowly unfurl from between his shoulder blades, bones first before thick, midnight black skin stretched to encase them.

It was a beautiful, grisly, and oddly intimate thing to witness.

Unable, or perhaps unwilling, to resist the impulse, she reached out and ran her fingers along the surface, surprised again at how soft they were. Noticing he’d stiffened, and catching the shiver that tracked down his spine, she started to pull back but froze when he peered back at her over his shoulder.

“That feels good,” he whispered, his voice slightly choked.

Warmth bloomed in her chest and she clenched her thighs, feeling a different kind of warmth there that he liked her touch. Biting her lip, she slid her hand over the length of his main wing bone, feeling the smooth flesh against her palm.

Sin shivered again, harder that time, his lips parting on a shuddering breath.

Pinning her with his striking, white eyes, slitted pupils blown wide, he rumbled, “We will not make it to the date if you do that again.”

Aria was tempted, so very tempted, but something in his expression had her lowering her hand. He wanted to take her on a date, so she would behave.

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