Page 36 of Extraordinary Quests for Amateur Witches

Which was what, exactly? Kieran wanted to ask. At the same time, he worried that Sebastian might feel like he was being interrogated if Kieran kept needling for details. I’ll save it for later, he decided.

“Well, I was never homeschooled,” Delilah said, watching with a smile on her face as everyone else around the table took sips of their drinks, Briar groaning as she did. “And I graduated with flying colors right before my Calling, for the record.”

They went for a few more rounds, bringing up foods they’d never tried or places they’d never been.

It seemed that Sebastian had traveled a lot, and Briar had covered more ground around Celdwyn than Kieran and Delilah had been aware of.

Their glasses grew emptier and emptier, and when they were close to finishing, Delilah proposed that they refill them and continue the game, to which everyone agreed.

And when they finished those, they did it again.

Kieran’s thoughts grew watercolored as the wine settled warmly in his stomach.

He became even more aware of Sebastian at his side, watching the way he smiled and laughed, the anxiety that had clung to him before melting away.

Even as he tried not to, Kieran’s mind began to fill with images of what Sebastian’s hands would feel like in his hair, or tracing the curve of his bare spine.

Typically, he wouldn’t have let himself consider it.

But now, with Sebastian’s knee almost touching his, and the way his expression had grown so bright as he finally relaxed around them, Kieran couldn’t stop himself.

Even as Ash hung in the periphery of his mind, waiting to chastise him for his infidelity.

The wine was making it much easier to ignore that feeling, however.

In the current round, Delilah and Briar had elected to gang up on Kieran, mentioning all the things they’d never had as children, like silk pajamas, maids, cooks, and the like.

Kieran took sip after sip from his glass, shooting them burning looks as it grew emptier and emptier.

Sebastian laughed along at Kieran’s expense, but for once, it didn’t bother him.

They were just friends enjoying their time together, simple as that.

The next turn went to Sebastian, who snuck a look at Kieran. He tapped the stem of his wineglass as he considered what he’d ask. Finally, he nodded.

“I’ve never been in love,” Sebastian said plainly.

Kieran froze, staring at the final sip of wine in his glass.

A few weeks ago, he would have instantly taken a sip.

It had seemed so normal then: He’d been with Ash for months, so of course they were in love.

Even if they’d barely spoken recently. Even if Kieran never felt that he could fully open up.

Even if some days he wasn’t even sure whether Ash liked him or found him irritating with his penchant for melodrama and overthinking.

But it wasn’t as if Kieran had much of anything to compare their relationship to.

Ash had been his first kiss, his first relationship.

Besides that, he could only compare it to other people’s relationships.

It had been better than what his parents had, and far more committed than the brief relationships he saw his cousins have with locals in the town near their estate.

It wasn’t as good as Briar and Delilah’s, but they were outliers.

Which, Kieran had decided months ago, meant that it was definitely love.

Right?

Delilah and Briar, meanwhile, both picked up their wineglasses, clinking them against each other before taking a drink. Briar, who had clearly been hit by the wine harder than anyone else due to her small stature, had started giggling and couldn’t stop.

Kieran sighed. Even if we never had anything like that.

He stared at his glass, feeling Sebastian’s eyes on him. Did I ever really love Ash? Or did I just love the idea of having what Delilah and my sister do?

After a long moment, Kieran sat back, leaving his glass untouched.

He’d expected Delilah or Briar to say something at that, but they were both too busy staring at each other. Delilah had Briar’s hand in hers, tracing her fingers with her own. It didn’t take a genius to understand that their thoughts had gone elsewhere.

Kieran cleared his throat to get their attention, but it was clear they were finished. They went around once more until Kieran had drained his cup, officially making him the loser.

Everyone else finished their wine as well, and Delilah set her glass down with a small smile.

“I think we should probably get to bed,” she said, nodding toward Briar, who had leaned against her and closed her eyes.

To Sebastian, she said, “Thanks for playing with us. It was nice hearing a little more about you.”

Briar hiccupped. “You’re way less uptight than I thought. Like, you don’t even have a stick up your ass. Maybe that’s what Kieran likes about you.”

Kieran flushed, shooting his twin a horrified look. Thankfully, Sebastian just chuckled.

“Thank you, Briar. I think.”

Delilah stood, holding out a hand for her girlfriend. They waved goodbye as they headed for the stairs, Briar giggling a bit too loudly as they ascended. Kieran felt a warmth in his chest that had nothing to do with the wine. Truly, he was so happy for both of them. They deserved a love like that.

And so, a voice in his mind reminded him, do you.