Page 39 of The Sovereign: Part One
“No,” he said, shaking his head.He met my gaze, his smile laced with something both certain and sincere.“I just don’t want to spend a moment without you.Good night, Isara.See you in nine and a half hours.”
“Yes, you will,” I said, stepping back as the panel slid shut between us, the muted hiss of its seal the only force that could have severed our lingering gaze.
Chapter Ten
A soft melody drifted into my consciousness, each note wrapping around me like a whispered invitation to wake.As my eyes fluttered open, Calyx adjusted the room’s temperature by a fraction, just enough to ease the contrast between my sheets and the cool morning air.The blinds retracted in slow increments, revealing a sky that gently wept, streaking the transpane with delicate rivulets.
The rich scent of Vinterra blend reached me before the machine had even completed its cycle.It was my single daily moment of excess, one I’d chosen to start my mornings with long before I realized how deeply rituals rooted themselves in my life.I stretched, allowing myself to indulge in a slow, Sunday morning moment as Calyx’s voice smoothed over the final touches of my transition to consciousness.
“Good morning, Isara.It is Sunday, March 22.Current time is 07:45.The temperature outside is a brisk six degrees, with light rain expected to persist throughout the morning.A reminder: Maxim will arrive at 08:30 for breakfast.Your weekly reports are available for review.Would you like me to summarize?”
“Later.”
“Acknowledged.”
There was a slight pause before Calyx continued, the hesitation barely perceptible but intentional.“You have seven messages from Bellam Erel.”
I sighed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.Of course, she was impatient.She’d warned me that she expected a full report of last night’s date, and she would demand every detail.I swung my legs over the side of the bed and reached for my robe, wrapping it around me as I padded toward the stairs.
As I descended the stairs, the smooth composite flooring was warm beneath my feet, a contrast to the large, misted transpane that lined the main level.I made my way to the sitting area near the galley, where my Vinterra blend waited on the credenza, and I took it with me to the window, observing the city across the sound, its skyline blurred by the silken veil of rain.
“Call Bellam.”
The moment the connection was established, Bellam’s famous scowl appeared on the floating interface, her caramel curls pushed back with a thick headband, a few spirals escaping at her temples, the wisps curling around her damp forehead.She looked flushed, her skin still carrying the glow of exertion.She had been in her kinetic suite already—of course, she had.Even on a Sunday.
“You are unbelievable,” she declared, her voice brimming with urgency, though her background suggested she hadn’t yet moved past the lazy sprawl of post-exercise recovery, a protein smoothie half-forgotten on the table behind her.
I smirked, taking a sip of my drink.“Good morning to you, too.”
“Don’t yougood morningme.Seven messages, Isara.Seven.And not one response?I should have called in a welfare check.”
I lowered myself onto the cushioned bench, watching as droplets clung to the transpane before merging into tiny, delicate streams.“I have breakfast with Maxim.I don’t have long to chat.”
“You do?”she said, nearly squealing before she remembered she was angry with me.“You’d better make the few minutes we have count, then,” she said, breathless with anticipation.“Was it everything?Was he everything?Did he tell you you’re stunning?Please tell me there was chemistry.If not, don’t tell me, just let me believe there was.”
I laughed, shaking my head.“There was chemistry.”
She made a triumphant noise.“Go on.”
I obliged her, in excruciating detail, about the way his presence transformed the atmosphere the moment he arrived, how he pulled my chair out for me as if he’d done it a thousand times before, how he asked questions that weren’t part of a script but rather born of genuine curiosity.I described the flickers of humor, the shared glances that felt heavier than they should have, the way the moment folded in on itself when his hand brushed mine.And, of course, the kiss.
Bellam shrieked.“He kissed you?”
“He absolutely did, and could barely wait, if you want the truth.”
“I want every last detail!Every heart-stopping, thrilling, toe-curling, blush-inducing moment!What did it feel like?Kissing a Supplicant?Was it familiar?More intense?Something entirely new?”
I practically melted into my seat, clutching my drink as if it could calm the rush of excitement in my veins.“Bell, it wasn’t familiar… it was life-altering.It’s as if you could combine everything you’ve ever liked about everyone you’ve ever dated into one person.He’s the best at making me laugh, at conversation, at kissing, and affection, and on top of all that, he’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen and Bell, when he kissed me…” I pressed my free hand to my chest and sighed.“It was everything.I felt butterflies, fireworks, tingling in my toes, and this man is going to be my accordant!I can kiss him every day, as much as I want!”
She exhaled as if she’d been holding her breath, her entire expression lighting up with infectious excitement.Her giddy smile widened, and she clapped her hands together.“I told you!Didn’t I tell you?That you shouldn’t do anything absolutely insane until you meet your actual soulmate?Was I right or was I right?”
“You were right,” I said, leaning back, my brain spinning with dopamine, a swirling mix of elation, disbelief, and pure joy.
Bellam was suddenly quiet.
I sat up.“What?What is that look?”
“Have you thought about Joss?You’re not still considering The Vale, right?”
