Chapter Twenty-Five
The dining hall hadtransformed into something magical. Lanterns and candles flickered their light against the stone walls, setting the gems embedded into the rocks ablaze, rainbows arching from them. The lines of tables were gone, only a few remaining along the edges, food weighing them down. A group of musicians played in one corner, soft music trickling around and echoing against the walls. It was excellent music, but it lacked a little something. A little soul. Now I understood why they offered me a job teaching music to the people here. They understood the mechanics, but there was no emotion, no longing or joy or sorrow in the music.
Whist’s warm hand settled low on my back, brushing against the bare skin the dress revealed, Aster on my other side clutching my hand. I looked over at him and smiled, wishing we’d had more time together lately. He still looked at me when he thought I wasn’t paying attention with turmoil burning in his eyes, like he wasn’t certain I was truly his, like he was afraid to believe.
I hadn’t had time or the chance to reassure him and now there was a new kindred dividing my attention. Warmth filled me as he smiled back at me. His real smile, not the one dripping with charm, the one that brimmed with real happiness and a hint of wicked humor.
And once we left here, regardless of the outcome of the vote, we’d be back in the palace, constantly on alert for the king’s next attack. Would the group of us even know how to function as a family once things calmed down? Our entire relationship was mostly stolen moments together before diving back into intrigue and danger. How would things fold out if we ever found peace? Would we realize we weren’t a good fit once we had more time to truly get to know each other? Or would our relationship finally flourish?
Aster leaned over to whisper filthy words in my ear. “I want to fuck you in that dress. You look beautiful.”
I quivered and tightened my grip on his hand. “You’re almost as bad as Sky.”
“You have no idea, gorgeous.” Whist snorted. Did he hear?
Indigo drew our attention as she gasped and clutched her chest with both of her hands, her eyes wide as she stared across the hall at a male dragon, tall and lean with dark brown skin and hazel eyes. He stared back at her, disbelief on his face. It was like the rest of us disappeared and no longer existed as they gazed into each other’s eyes.
I recognized the way she rubbed at her heart. I knew what it meant. I just couldn’t believe it was happening.
Princess Indigo had met her third kindred.