Page 23 of Cathmoir's Sons

Evan swallows hard. “I see.”

Does he have something against the Aedis Astrum and the White Cloaks? I wish I knew more about him. Luca’s been researching the combatants at Jedburgh Abbey, in the way he does. My kit needs to know everything about everything. But I’ve been using my enforced bed rest to catch up on the reading I didn’t do last semester while I was head-fucked over Kellan. I’ve just started feeling on top of it, too. Now I’m wondering if I’ve used my time badly.

“Anything else?” I ask, stifling a yawn.

I shouldn’t be tired. My “busy” day has consisted of sleeping, cuddling with Luca that led to mutual handsies under the covers, eating, getting a furtive blowjob from Luca while Law was asleep, an hour’s walk with Luca, a light session with weights, reading, a massage, more food, more sleep. It’s a full schedule for a geriatric.

But the Cait healers have been very clear with me that I was dead; the burns from Kimberly igniting the glyphs in my skin so severe that my heart and lungs were cooked like well-done steak. Luca pulled me back, got my heart and lungs functioning. But there was a huge amount of damage and healing can only do so much before the body has to finish the job on its own.

“No, I don’t wish to keep you up any longer.” He reaches into his waistcoat pocket and takes out a small card: cream withblack lettering on one side, green on the other with the outline of the plumed helmet he wore at the battle. “Please text me your contact details. I’d like to keep in touch.”

“Okay, I will.”

Lords shakes my hand. “One last question. The woman you were with at Jedburgh Abbey, the woman in the cloak of black feathers?—”

“Kellan Wyndham.”

He tips his head to the side. “Was it?”

I nod. I don’t think I’m giving anything away. A lot of people have seen her as Caileán now, haven’t they? I wish I’d talked this through with Luca, or even with Law, before Lords caught me out.

“I see.” He clasps my hand in his. “Thank you again, Rhodes. Best wishes for your recovery.”

“Thank you.”

After he leaves, I settle back into the bed with my textbook and read until my eyelids get heavy.

Luca wakes me with a kiss.Which is appropriate, since he’s my literal Prince.

“Hey, kit.”

He leans over the bed. He’s naked, his pale muscles gleaming in the morning light coming through the windows. His hair’s rumpled and his eyes gleam like gold. Sweet Mother, he’s gorgeous.

I’ve never seen the smile that’s spread across his face before. He’s beaming. He looks so fucking happy.

“Hey,” he says. “I love you, Rho.”

I hook an arm around his neck and use the leverage to sit up. “I love you too. How was last night?”

He sits on the edge of the bed and slides his arm around my chest. “I really love you.”

I cup his face in my hands and kiss him. I suck on his lower lip before I let him go. “I really love you.”

“Last night was—” He grins. “Caileán woke. She’s here. I’ve come to get you. Ready to see her?”

His happiness tells me everything I need to know about their night. “Born ready,” I confirm.

He stretches out his hands, wrapping me in fingers of Air, and gently levitates me from the bed. He flicks his fingers and two robes fly out of a closet. He shrugs one on and folds the other over his arm before he walks down the hallway with his hand resting on my shoulder, levitating me in a sitting position like I’m in an invisible wheelchair.

“Lu, I didn’t know your control was this good,” I say as we reach the end of the hallway without a wobble.

“It wasn’t,” he says. “Everything came together last night. Something unlocked. I leveled up just like the two of you have.”

“Leveled up?” I ask.

“You didn’t notice? After you renewed your connection with your Element at the Hallows. Your magic’s been so much stronger. I could smell it as soon as you got back.”

I cup my hand over the healing burns on my chest. “Lu, you don’t think?—”

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