Chapter 43
TINY RAYS OF sunlight danced across our faces hours later. We’d talked all night.
We’d pulled the black-and-gold-embroidered pillows from his bed and placed them on the huge window seat, which was as wide as my twin bed back home.
Soren had started the night on the opposite side of the window, facing me, but somehow, now we sat side by side.
One of his wings gently cradled my back, which he’d apologized profusely for multiple times, but I’d only laughed each time because why would he apologize when it was so incredibly comfortable?
We’d stared out at the night sky together, and at some point in the last hour, without even addressing it, Soren had taken my hand and never let go. His thumb now stroked the soft skin of my palm.
Though my eyelids drooped, I curled toward him unconsciously, settling deeper into the soft warm feathers of his wing. It twitched slightly in response.
“I’m sorry, is that uncomfortable? Are you sore?”
“Don’t you dare move,” he replied with a grin, and I couldn’t help but smile back.
Early-morning sunlight peeked over the horizon now, creating a stunning sunrise with hues of pink, orange, and gold.
I soaked up the sensation of growing warmth on my face, tilting my head to expose my skin to more of it.
I’d only been in the Hollow Court a few days, but I’d missed this.
I couldn’t imagine years away from the sun.
“I can’t believe you left all of this to go live underground,” I murmured, awestruck by the view.
Soren shrugged, and the motion jostled me slightly. “I was—I am—expendable.”
When I made a disgruntled noise at the word, he sighed.
“I appreciate that sentiment, but it’s true.
My father has more children than most fae rulers, since he chose to marry again after his first wife died.
My sister and I have a different mother, and it’s well-known to most members of the court that we are less favored.
Karina gets more leeway than me, as the only daughter, but we would never be allowed to rule. ”
A prince who could never rule.
Something about the way he said it hit me the wrong way, like he’d somehow told a lie.
I pulled back and tilted my chin up until I could look at him. “You do know that doesn’t make you any less important.” I’d meant it like a question, but it came out as a statement.
Soren swallowed visibly. He looked away, staring at the growing dawn for a long moment before he whispered, almost to himself, “I think I’m finally beginning to believe that.”
I lowered my head until it rested on his shoulder, and we enjoyed a comfortable silence for a few minutes.
I considered leaving it at that. But after everything we’d shared tonight, both lighthearted and serious, I found myself wanting to cross the line, to take a risk and say what I really felt, even if he didn’t feel the same . . .
Swallowing, I scooted up to a seated position again, and he shifted over a bit to make room for my legs, though he didn’t let go of my hand.
“I know I’m not supposed to say this, but .
. . thank you, for everything you’ve done.
I wrecked your whole life there, and now you’re probably not welcome back, and I didn’t even make a deal with you or anything .
. .” I trailed off, thinking I probably shouldn’t have reminded him how annoying I was, but it was a little late for that.
He gave me a tolerant look, shaking his head. Though he tried to hide his smile like he used to, he couldn’t fully pin it down, and his dimples peeked through.
“Brynn, you must know . . .” He reached up to brush his fingers across my cheek. “You’ve made everything better, not worse. I don’t need to bargain with you. I never will.”
“You don’t?”
I couldn’t quite find the words to ask why he’d say that, but the longer he stared down at me, the more I desperately wanted to know.
The space between us closed as he leaned forward tentatively and brought my hand to his lips.
I smiled.
It lit up his face when he smiled back, and the corners of his eyes wrinkled as he came to rest his forehead against mine and whispered, “I thought it was obvious. I did it all for you.”
Speechless, I let that sink in.
A line formed between his brows as he misunderstood my silence.
He pulled back, letting go of my hand for the first time and shifting so there was space between our bodies as well, swinging his legs over the side of the window seat.
“If you still feel the same way about me as you did when we met, merely say the word. I can show you to your room and leave you in peace, as I should’ve done hours ago. ”
Slowly, I pressed my lips together, and I didn’t say anything as I held his gaze.
He leaned back in. “If, on the other hand, your feelings have changed, I’d like to make a confession.” He swallowed audibly. “I’m glad you’re not going home. I’d like the opportunity to spend more time with you.”
I couldn’t stop my smile, but I pretended to squint at him. “Are you sure? Because I’m pretty weird.” I thought about what Mom had always said—that this was what made us special. It was finally starting to make sense. The right people would like my kind of weird.
“In case you forgot,” he said softly, “I think you’re perfect just the way you are.”
Grinning like an idiot, I leaned closer to him as well, daring to tip my face toward his. “You really mean that, don’t you?”
He lowered his head until his lips brushed mine and then lingered. Between kisses, he murmured, “I really do.”