Page 88 of Daughter Of The Ninth Line
Vox rolled his eyes and looked back down into the telescope. “Taeme invited himself along to our nightly gatherings.”
My brain stuttered. “And you don’t mind?”
He looked up again, his gaze drilling into mine with an intensity I didn’t understand. “No, Avalon. I don’t mind.” He dropped his face back down. “As long as he doesn’t get in the way of our work.”
With a low chuckle, Hayle lifted his hands from my hips and backed away. “You won’t even know I’m here.”
Vox snorted, then suddenly, he went rigid. “What did you mean you fell down the stairs and hurt your head?”
Damn it.
chapter fifty-four
Avalon
I didmy best to work beneath the collective gaze of Hayle and Vox. Not that they made it difficult on purpose. Vox was making his observations, moving back and forth between the telescope and where he sat across from me, writing in his thick notebook. Hayle just lay on the couch, reading the book in lighting so low that my eyes would have ached in his position.
“Can you even see the words?” I asked softly, and he gave me a crooked grin.
“One of the benefits of being in the Third Line—we have great night vision.” He cast a quick look at Vox. I knew the Lines didn’t like to discuss their strengths or weaknesses in front of outsiders. Especially if that outsider belonged to a Line that could be considered your rival.
I wasn’t an idiot. Something was going on here, and I wanted to know what it was before I got caught up in some political pissing match. That wasn’t my thing.
I put down my pen. “All right. What in the Goddess’s name is going on?”
Silence echoed around the rooftop as they shared another look.Nope. Nope, nope, nope.I wasn’t going to be the only person on this rooftop in the dark.
I speared Vox with what I hoped was a withering gaze. He just raised an eyebrow at me, his chin tilted up. Huffing, I looked over at Hayle, who closed his book slowly. Standing with effortless grace, he came and squatted in front of me so we were eye level.
“Avie, as an Heir of the Third Line, I have enhanced senses.” That one was general knowledge. They had better hearing, better eyesight, better everything. They were the ultimate warriors. “Which means that I know that when you look at this asshole, your heart beats faster. Your eyes track his movements.” He leaned closer to my ear. “And I know that you find him attractive, because I can scent your arousal when you stare at him for too long, like you’re imagining how he’d feel sliding inside you.”
My eyes felt they were about to pop from my skull, my face flushing red hot. It hadn’t even been a week since I’d told Hayle that I felt this thing between us just as strongly as he did. It was one hundred percent the truth; even now, his lips lingering so close to my skin made my heart race. Resisting the urge to tilt my head toward him and steal kisses from those lips was nearly impossible.
Despite all that, I couldn’t argue with what Hayle was saying. Vox Vylan did make my stomach bubble with butterflies, my core clench with lust. I wasn’t going to insult us both by denying something he could so obviously sense for himself.
Vox looked smug, and I glared at him. “So? There are lots of attractive conscripts in Boellium that make me, uh, moist.” I grimaced. “What’s your point?”
The smirk fell from Vox’s face. “I’m going to need names.”
“Names?”
“Of the other conscripts who make you wet.”
I frowned at him, becausewhat?“Why?”
He went back to looking through his telescope like the conversation was beginning to bore him. At least, until he mumbled, “So I can have them castrated.”
Hayle laughed, pulling me to my feet and gripping my chin with gentle fingers. “Let me be clear, Avalon Halhed. You aremine.I know right down to the very marrow of my bones that you’re the one for me. Nothing will change that. Not even the fact that you so obviously lust after this asshole—even if he does walk around like he’s got a silver spoon jammed up his butt.” Vox gave him the finger, but there was no anger in it. My lungs had begun to burn from not breathing, but I didn’t want to interrupt Hayle. “Because as much as I dislike Vylan, I like you far more. Anything in this world that will make you happy, I’ll get it for you.”
I just stared at Hayle, the earnest truth written all over his face. How could that be true? How could someone tell me they desired me so badly, and still be willing to share with their archnemesis?
I looked over at Vox. “You agreed to this?” Even more preposterous than the idea of one of the Heirs wanting me, was the idea that Vox would be willing to shareanything—let alone a lover—with Hayle Taeme. Or anyone else, for that matter.
Instead of answering me, he uncurled from where he was still pretending to look through the telescope and walked over to me. He stood shoulder to shoulder with Hayle, before bending down, gripping my chin, and kissing me.
My eyes fluttered closed as stars burst behind my eyelids. It felt so right. Vox’s lips were familiar, like they were made to brush across mine. When he finally pulled away, something had shifted inside my soul.
I didn’t understand it. I wasn’t sure I evenwantedto understand it.
