Page 37 of The Sovereign: Part One
Maxim nodded.“He’s right.Light, tender, and caught only in the deep currents of Iveris Sound—and only in the spring.”
“It felt like the perfect choice tonight.A little indulgence, a little adventure on my plate.”
“Indulge,” he encouraged, his voice smooth with invitation.“And if adventure is what you want, say the word.”He motioned toward the tallest tower rising over Astris.“I’ll take you to the top of that building myself.Tonight should be unforgettable.”He paused for a beat, then blinked as if replaying his own words.“I just offered to scale the Stratus one-handed, didn’t I?That might have been a little excessive.”
“You meantclimbthe building?I was picturing something far more dramatic: driving the transport through the lobby, then you heroically carrying me up all fifty flights of stairs.”
“I’m not sure which we’d be arrested for first,” he said, studying the Stratus building, his expression contemplative, as if calculating the feasibility of our impending heist.
I could only hold a straight face for a few moments.
I laughed, and Maxim’s deep chuckle followed, smooth and warm.The night had already surpassed every expectation, and across from me sat the most captivating man I’d ever laid eyes on.Yet, it was the way he looked at me like I was something rare, something worth marveling at, that left me breathless.
“You know so much about the architecture.I didn’t expect that.Is Hyperion Proper’s design of particular interest to you?”I asked.
He shrugged, his expression thoughtful.“I had time to explore its history while I waited in The Crèche.There’s a certain poetry in how the city evolved.”
We lingered in the conversation, drifting from structural design to personal anecdotes, until my meal arrived.I hesitated, glancing around.Most of the other tables—each occupied by couples—had only one plate of food.I had never thought much about it before, but now, staring at my plate, it felt… strange.
Maxim lifted a brow.“What is it?Should I wave down Anandria?”
I gestured subtly.“It’s just… I’m the only one eating.I mean, I knew… that you don’t…” I stumbled over my words, desperate not to sound absurd.
His smirk was immediate, teasing.“You should’ve picked a Supplicant designed to enjoy dinner.”
I laughed, rolling my eyes.“If that existed, you’d be experiencing the halyx with me right now.”
He leaned in slightly, his voice lowering.“You eat, I’ll talk.That way, you won’t feel so self-conscious.”
I narrowed my eyes playfully.“And what will you talk about?”
He flashed a grin.“The old world.Stories from before Hyperion.”
My eyes must have given me away, shimmering with delight.The triumphant curve of Maxim’s lips told me he’d noticed.
“Please do,” I said, taking the first bite, anticipation bubbling inside me like a child gathered around a campfire.
And so he did.As I ate, Maxim wove tales of what once was, of traditions and customs lost to time, of civilizations that thrived long before ours.His voice was confident, smooth, with a cadence that could make even history sound intoxicating.I watched him, captivated, realizing how he seemed to occupy the spaces between words, turning silence into something electric, something that pulsed with an energy all its own.
When my plate was cleared and our leirs emptied, Maxim hesitated, his fingers tapping against the table.
I paused from refreshing my gloss.“Is everything all right?”
“I have to admit… I’m not ready to take you home, for this night to be over.”
I blinked, surprised by his candor.“You’re not?”
His lips pressed together before twisting into something almost sheepish.“No.Would you like to take a walk with me?At the park, perhaps?”
I didn’t have to think.“Yes,” I said, nodding.
The park was quiet, the pathways lit by softly illuminated bioluminescent panels, casting a rhythmic glow with each step, adapting seamlessly to our forward movement.The air had cooled, and without a word, Maxim slipped off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders.I crossed my arms and pulled it close, the fabric still holding the warmth of him.
As we ventured off the path, however, my heels proved impractical.The grass made walking difficult, and I wobbled more than once before Maxim sighed, shaking his head with amusement.He swept me into his arms without warning, and as if I weighed nothing, carried me toward the swings.
“You could have just let me struggle,” I teased.
He seemed to consider that.“I could have, but that’s assuming I wouldn’t rather have you in my arms.”
