Page 67 of Emylia

He simply shrugged. “Do you blame her? I’m ridiculously handsome.”

It was safe to say we had found ourselves in safer territory, our familiar banter easily rolling off our tongues, making quips at each other’s expenses.

I looked at him like he was batshit crazy. “Oh, you’re so tall, dark, and handsome.” Sarcasm coated every word, but he seemed impressed with himself, nonetheless. “Have I stroked your ego enough?”

“It just comes with the territory, of being honoured with my presence.” He smirked.

I choked on my laughter. “Now that I’ve appealed to your vanity, can we please go get some food? I’m starving.”

“Of course you are, when are you not starving?” I shot him a glare but ignored his comment. “After you, my ravenous little beast.”

“Screw. You.”

Sebastian’s grin grew into a diabolical smile. Without so much as another word he guided me to the table, before practically collapsing into his own chair.

ChapterSixteen

The feast was a blur of noise and light—torches flickered with flames that shimmered between sapphire and violet, casting ethereal shadows across the long oak tables. Music thrummed faintly beneath the low murmur of voices, but all I could feel was Sebastian’s gaze, burning into me like wildfire on my skin.

His eyes—molten amber, always so easy to lose myself in—held me still, as if the weight of them was a physical touch. My skin tingled with the memory of his hands, his mouth—the kiss we shared only deepening the tension between us instead of extinguishing it.

And now...

I didn’t know what to do.

I didn’t know where my heart truly lay.

With Sebastian, who knew every piece of me and kissed me like he was trying to put every fractured part back together. Not because he thought I was broken—but because he couldn’t bear the thought that I did.

Or with Maalikai, whose silence spoke in thunder, whose presence unraveled me with a single look.

Lost, I turned back to the table. Steam rose from the boar that had been roasting on the spit all day, its succulence spreading through the air making me salivate. I could barely contain my excitement; I hadn’t had fresh meat in months and hadn’t eaten anything all day.

We had animals on the farm but not in enough abundance to kill for ourselves. Although I was a wicked shot with a bow, it was broken. Even without a bow, I could hunt small rabbits and squirrels. But I hadn’t. Not since my father had gotten sick.

Uncle Thrainn helped as much as he could, but he had a family of his own he had to provide for. We couldn’t rely on him forever. I needed to somehow get a new bow. I needed to be out hunting every day and providing for my mom. I’d promised my father I’d protect her and I needed to start taking my vow more seriously.

My smile dropped, my heart squeezing impossibly tight. I wouldn’t fail, I would protect her at all costs.

I will protect her.

Taking a gulp of air, my gaze sought Maalikai. But when it landed on the place he’d been sitting only moments ago, there was nothing—just an empty chair.

My chest tightened.

I scanned the table, searching—desperate to catch a glimpse of him between bodies and flickering torchlight. But he was nowhere.

Gone.

Had he seen Sebastian and me kiss and completely lost it? So much that he would just... leave?

The soft scraping of a chair to my left cut through the noise of the feast like a blade.

I turned—instinctively, sharply—and found him.

Maalikai.

His eyes locked on mine, storm-dark and unblinking, with a quiet, consuming rage that didn’t need words. It was all there—in the rigid set of his jaw, the fire simmering beneath his skin. His presence thundered even as he moved in complete silence.

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