Page 77 of Feathers of Ash and Hope

Her eyes widen. “Should we leave?”

I look at our half-full glasses. “Let's finish these, and then I'll get you home,” I decide.

“My brother can accompany you back after you drop me off,” she says.

I snort. “Yeah sure, because Bastian will be fine with me climbing back into the academy. No, I don’t want an escort.”

“I can’t let you walk all alone in the dark.” Sloan sounds concerned.

I raise my eyebrow at her. “I don't spend my day weaving, you know.”

“You should have brought Joel.”

I laugh at the thought.

“Yeah…no. I wouldn't be here if he knew about it.”

“Why are you here, Ara?” A rumbling voice asks in a deceptively calm tone.

Shit.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath before I turn around.

“Hey, Kyronos. What a surprise to see you here.” I give him a sweet smile.

His face doesn't betray a thing, but his eyes burn into mine. He raises one eyebrow.

“I didn't take you for the partying type.” I ramble on. “Me and Sloan were just about to leave, so…” I hop off my stool, expecting him to step back, but he doesn't. My chest grazes his when I inhale, sending a shiver up my spine and I look up to meet his eyes.

Big mistake.

I’m acutely aware of how close his lips are and how little it would take to close that gap. My cheeks grow hot, and I drag my gaze back to his eyes.

“Ara.” My name is a growl that ripples through my body. My eyes dart to his lips again. Well, I already know my restraint is shit around him, and who can blame me when he says my name like that? Gods, I want him to say it again.

I bite my lip, and his gaze drops to my mouth. For a second, I see something flicker in his eyes, too, then he blinks, and it’s gone and he looks even more pissed than before.

Two things are certain: I am in a boatload of trouble, and it will get even worse if I don’t put some distance between his delicious lips and me.

I give him one of the smiles that make my brothers go ballistic and pat his chest. “Nice meeting you.” I grab Sloan’s hand and, pulling her with me, squeeze past him. We weave through the tables, heading for the exit.

I need to get out of here, fast, before I do something reckless. Okay, even more reckless than having a drink with my cousin when I’m not allowed to leave the academy.

My thoughts jump back to Tate. How would he have reacted if I kissed him? I grin. Kissing him is such a bad idea, but gods, it’s tempting.

I still pull Sloan with me, and we are nearly at the door, but stop short when a group of men comes in from the cold.

Traveling soldiers, by the look of them, maybe Mercenaries. They look like a whole lot of hassle, and not the good kind.

I pull Sloan aside, but we have already caught the attention of one of them.Dammit.Why is nothing going smoothly today?

His swaggering steps and broad grin have me guessing that he considers himself irresistible. I suppress a groan.

I try to relax, the feeling of the daggers under my wide sleeves and the one strapped to my right thigh a comforting presence.

“You surely aren't leaving, ladies. The party is just about to start.” The man’s voice is as oily as his hair, and the way his eyes roam over me makes me want to punch him in the face.

Play nice, I admonish myself. But after weeks of being nearly invisible—disguised as a man—it’s even more jarring to be ogled like that.

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