Page 105 of Feathers of Ash and Hope

“Come on. What is your favorite cake?” she inquires. “There has to be one you would make an exception for.”

I don’t think anyone has ever asked me such an innocent and, at the same time, loaded question before.

A smile tugs at the corners of my mouth. She is something.

“Chocolate cake,” I answer. It was my choice for every birthday back home.

“Good one. Fits you,” she declares, nodding.

I blink. How can a choice of cake be fitting? She laughs at my face and leans in until her breath tickles my ear.

“Dark, tempting, delicious, and much sweeter than anticipated.” She sends me a devilish smile before she turns and vanishes in the group of runners at the buffet.Heat surges through my body, making my skin sing and turning my thoughts into mush. I shake my head, trying to clear it.

Holy shit. How did she manage to turn me on by comparing me to cake?

When I tear my gaze from the spot where she just vanished, my eyes meet a smirking Jared.

“What?” I ask.

“I would pay dearly to know what Summer whispered in your ear,” he says. I scowl at him. I willnotrepeat that. The bastard throws his head back and laughs.

Chapter

Thirty

ARA

It’sstrange to be back, not just at the academy but also with my classmates, my flight, and my squadron. It’s only been two weeks, but still, I miss training with the other flight. I miss the banter and joking at one of the outposts after a day of flying while we sat in a warm common room. Most of all, I miss being around Tate.

Gods, I wish he had kissed me because all I keep agonizing over is how his lips would feel on mine. Would he have kissed me softly or with the heat I had seen in his eyes?

I sit at lunch surrounded by my flight but don’t listen to their chatter. Tate is on patrol today. I know that since I have their schedule, but my eyes still wander over the sea of runners and riders around us, looking for him.

It’s undeniable that something changed between us since Platoria and our conversation at the outpost.

I abandoned the notion that it’s only my curse pulling me toward him because damn, I notice a lot more than that. But that doesn’t solve the puzzle of me being acutely aware of his gift and where he is at all times of the day unless he’s too far away. Like right now.

I sigh, which draws Calix's attention, but his gaze goes back to his plate without saying anything.

Magic marks its bearers. It doesn’t care about the name you put on it.

The dragon’s words play through my mind, but what do they mean?

Despite being scared by how close I came to spilling my secrets to Tate, I wish I could talk to someone about it.

“Can you just talk to her?” Calix's voice draws me out of my thoughts. He’s been in a strange mood lately.

“Huh?” I look at him questioningly.

“Talk to Mariel and apologize for whatever you did,” he says. Now I’m completely thrown.

“What? What did I do?”

“You tell me.” Calix is glowering at me now. “I know I told you to live a little, but ever since your date, she’s off, and now she even avoids you, so you clearly fucked up somehow. I want you to apologize and stop acting like nothing happened.” He throws up his hands, angry with me.

“What date?” His eyebrows jump up at my question.

“Are you shitting me right now?” he growls.

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