Page 136 of Esperance

Amryn flushed.

Carver punched Argent’s arm, but he couldn’t stop his grin.

The doors opened behind them and Jayveh walked in. She blinked when she saw them all, and one eyebrow slowly lifted. “I missed something, didn’t I?”

Carver climbed over the balcony railing, his body aching from climbing the walls of Esperance. It was still a couple of hours before dawn, and he hoped to get a little rest before then. His night had been eaten up with a visit to Ford; he’d needed to update his friend on everything they’d learned from Amryn, and tell him their plan to trap the rebels at the Feast of Remembrance. Before Carver could even ask if Ford would take Argent’s place, his friend had offered.

After plans were discussed, Carver thanked Ford for protecting Amryn on Zawri. This led to a cheeky grin from Ford, and some very personal questions Carver had avoided by leaving the cabin. But despite how tired he was, he couldn’t stop smiling the entire walk back to the temple compound.

As he slid quietly through the balcony doors and entered the dimly lit sitting room, he instantly honed in on Amryn, who was curled up on the settee, her head resting against the arm of the couch as she breathed deeply in sleep.

She’d come looking for him.

The thought warmed him, but was quickly followed by a worry that she’d needed him while he was gone.

He padded his way over to her, lowering himself onto the edge of the short table in front of the settee. No lamps were lit, but the moon gave off enough light to see by. She wore her nightgown and blue wrapper, which had been tucked around her folded legs. She looked even softer and more fragile now than she did when awake, which was a feat. His chest expanded, his protective instincts flaring even as liquid heat pooled inside him.

He set a hand on her bent knee. “Amryn?”

She stirred, her neck twisting as she lifted her head. She blinked, but the sleepiness didn’t leave her pale green eyes. “You’re back.” Her voice was husky with the dregs of sleep.

The sound tightened something inside him, and it was a struggle to find his own voice. “Yes.” His palm still rested on her knee.

He didn’t move it.

Amryn yawned, and her eyes watered, making her look even more tired than before. “How is Ford?”

“He’s fine.” He cleared his throat, hoping to drive away the low roughness of it. “What are you doing out of bed? Is anything wrong?”

“No. I was just waiting for you.”

Blazing Saints, that made his chest swell.

She pushed up into a sitting position, and only then did he let his hand drop.

He missed touching her immediately, but he held himself back as she re-settled on the couch. Her sleep braid shifted against her neck, and his fingers itched to play with the loose curls at the end.

“Did Ford think your plan was incredibly dangerous and idiotic?” she asked, sounding a little more awake now.

The corner of his mouth twitched. “No, actually. He likes it.”

She huffed. “I don’t know him well, but I think it’s a safe bet that if Ford likes a plan, that plan may just be reckless.”

He chuckled. “That’s a decent bet. But he helped me refine the idea. This is our best option for catching the rebels off guard.”

She sighed, her shoulders dropping as she folded her arms around her drawn-up knees. “Jayveh thinks it’s too dangerous.”

“And you agree.”

“Youdon’tthink it’s dangerous?”

“I think sometimes you have to take strategic risks if you want to win the battle.”

Amryn bit her lower lip and the sight snared him, re-awakening the hunger from their earlier kiss.

He held himself back, just as he’d done ever since they’d left Argent’s suite. The hardest moment had been when she’d told him goodnight in this very room, and he’d had to watch her disappear into the bedroom.

In this moment, it was hard to remember why he was fighting the pull to touch her. To hold her. To taste her. But he didn’t want to overwhelm her.