Page 95 of Glow of the Everflame

I raised my brows at Eleanor and Luther. “Is he always like this?”

“Yes,” they groaned in unison.

“Fine,” I said, laughing. “I’ll train with Luther and Alixe. And Taran, if I must.”

I turned to Luther, looking at him closely for the first time since our intimate moment. That striking, unguarded smile of his was peeking through. A glint in his eyes hinted at a secret only we shared, putting my heart right back into a gallop.

For a beat that stretched on far too long, I couldn’t tear my gaze from him, nor he from mine, and the silence turned awkward. I looked at Eleanor to find her glancing between us with a knowing,I-told-you-sosmirk.

Taran, for possibly the first time in his near-immortal life, didn’t take the bait. Instead, he clapped a hand on my back. “Some of the younger cousins are hosting a dinner tonight. You should join us.”

Eleanor nodded eagerly. “Yes, you must come.”

I cringed. “I don’t know, I might have had enough public humiliation for one day.”

“This is family,” Taran said. “We may want to kill each other sometimes—”

“Frequently,” Luther mumbled.

“—but we’re still family. We take care of each other.”

“But I’m not family. Not really.”

“All the more reason you should come,” Eleanor said. “The sooner everyone starts seeing you as a Corbois, the better.”

I looked back to Luther. “What do you think?”

“Are you asking me toadviseyou?” he asked, mischief in his tone.

I swatted at him. “Forget I asked.”

He caught my hand and held onto it, tucking it into his. “Come to the dinner. I can’t promise it will be pleasant, but it would be good for them to get to know you. This group is young and social. They could be some of your best ambassadors to the other Houses.”

I had a hard time focusing past the feeling of his fingers wrapped around mine. “I, um... I’ll think about it.”

Taran and Eleanor headed back for the door, arguing about some bet they couldn’t agree who had won, while Luther lingered at my side.

“I’m sorry about today. I should have made sure your father wasn’t there.”

“That wasn’t your fault.”

“It’s my duty to protect you from these things.”

“Is it?” I asked softly, tilting my head.

A shadow flashed across his face, but it vanished in an instant, his lips curving up as he fought a losing battle with a smile. “You said I have yet to earn your favor. I’m giving it my best shot.”

I tried to fake a scowl but the amusement on his face was too infectious, too refreshinglyreal.

Whispering caught my attention. Near the door, Eleanor and Taran watched us with pursed lips and raised brows.

I retreated quickly, then clasped my hands behind my back and cleared my throat. “In that case, I think you owe Eleanor an apology.”

“I do?” he asked.

“He does?” she repeated.

I nodded. “I recall you being quite rude to her earlier about a certain choice of dress color, and yet here you are begging my forgiveness.”

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