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Lukas had grumbled something under his breath about the wordnecessarybut I hadn’t caught it.

In addition to being physically close, Lukas had taken Eleni’s advice as an excuse to touch me.

Not more than he had before, I realized, but more than he had since I’d come back. Even now, his hand was placed low on my back as we walked through the portal and in between the large stone columns to the main hall of the university.

When we got close, the door burst open.

“Daphne!” Sabina shrieked, coming over to give me a hug. “How are you?” she asked as she rocked us back and forth in a crushing hug.

“I’m good,” I said. “The better question is how are you? Nervous?”

Sabina smiled, something close to mischief glowing in her gray eyes. She kept her hair cut in a chin length bob with wispy pieces over her forehead, highlighting the cat-like tilt of her eyes. “Not in the slightest. We’ve covered everything.”

Sabina was officially taking over as patron of the university today, leaving a healthy window for transition before our wedding in a few weeks. If that was still happening.

“I see you brought company,” Sabina noted, nodding at Lukas and Eleni behind me.

I hooked my arms through hers, starting our walk through the campus grounds to the building we were holding the transition in. The university was built in the traditional style of our ancestors, all towering limestone and greenery woven into the architecture.

“Between you and I,” I said, keeping my voice low so that they couldn’t hear me, “There was a little snafu with the power transfer, so Lukas and I have to be practically glued together.”

Sabina chuckled, then dropped her voice to match mine. “I’m sure you’re enjoying that one.”

I grinned. “If I told you I was?”

“Of course, you are,” Sabina said. “Look at him.”

I listened, glancing over my shoulder to see Lukas and Eleni chatting casually while still nodding politely at people passing.Some blushed and scurried away, some practically tripped over their feet, and some looked striken.

He looked calm to anyone who didn’t know him like I did. But we were garnering a bit of a crowd and I could see his shoulders bunch with tension.

I smiled softly at him and the lines around his eyes softened. With Sabina’s guards trailing in the crowd, we were well-protected.

Turning back to Sabina, I joked, “I do look at him. Multiple times a day even. It’s kind of a condition of our engagement.”

“And you’re happy?” Sabina asked. The edge of concern in her voice lifted my eyebrows.

“Yes, I am.” Despite the confidence in my voice, Sabina nodded hesitantly, and it clicked why she’d asked. “Sabina, not this again.”

Sabina’s lips broke into a chastised smile, a low chuckle leaving her. “I know. Iknowit’s not rational, but guilt hardly ever is.”

I stopped us, turning to grab her arms. “I promise you, I do not blame you for this.” I motioned to the grand buildings around us. “This was meant for you. And yes, I could have probably done a fine job as well, but half of my heart lies with the sea. Your whole heart lies here.”

Sabina gripped my forearms in return. “I just hate that you didn’t have a choice. We could have done this together.”

I knew that I was still dealing with the repercussions of that decision. Hell, I still had a hard time believing I was actually wanted anywhere. Or by anyone. But Sabina wasn’t responsible for that.

We’d talked openly about the choices our parents made ever since I called her out on avoiding me when we were teenagers. “I might have agreed with you when I was younger, but this isn’t for me. If I’m honest, I wouldn’t trade my life for a chance at this.”

Sabina breathed in, and I could see real understanding wash over her features. She nodded at me, quelling any concern I had for my friend. I didn’t want her feeling like she’d stolen something from me.

Satisfied, I started forward then tripped a step. I’d turned to Lukas without realizing I was doing it and was taken off guard by the arrested expression on his face. Eleni was saying something to him that he was clearly not listening to, just staring at me.

I realized he’d probably heard what I said to Sabina. It was the truth, one that I’d been intent on hiding from him. I loved our life. I loved my responsibility. I loved my power.

I loved him.

Logic told me to slam an apathetic mask down, to try to hide the raw honesty, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Instead, I just smiled.