Page 75 of Keeper of the Word

When she gazed into Hux’s eyes, Elanna beheld a dark depth to them that she had never taken the time to notice. She didn’t want to stare into them to find traces of his fortune as she so often did. She didn’t want to stare into them to gauge his motivations for being near her. She simply wished to stare into them.

Hux, too, regarded her.

Elanna’s heart grew restless.

He leaned in. And in a fluid movement, he leaned away. “Lady, I?—”

Her breath held.

“I did hear you the other day. I must respect your”—he lifted his hand and gazed at her own as if he might take it— “position. Lord Tolvar’s position. I…”

And then, Elanna Saw her first visions of Hux’s fortune. It doused her in a mixture of emotions. Some of the flashes were years from now. Some would come to pass before the Solstice Moon. One was hostile. One was happy. One was heinous.

But there was one flash of the future that wasthismoment.

And what she Saw inthismoment was not whatshedesired.

Elanna came to and perceived that Hux had continued his stuttering speech. “…You mistake me, Lady. I have so few”—He dropped his shoulders—“I have so few beautiful moments in my life to hold on to. I hate to ruin this one.”

Just as she’d Seen, Elanna placed her hand over his and said the words she’d heard from the stars. Just as her duties as a StarSeer commanded. “Worry not. Your fortune may yet be filled with goodness.”

He stood, releasing her hand. She knew he would. He took a few steps before obviously realizing he could not leave her alone in the garden.

The stars had given her words of comfort. The words that a priestess or an advisor would give. Not the words of a woman who felt a strange allure to the man who stood here.

StarSeers aren’t meant to act. StarSeers aren’t meant to love. StarSeers are meant to follow the stars.

What Elanna had Seen of this moment ended. Ended here. With Hux several feet away. It had ended just as Hux had feared. Ruined.

She ached with sorrow.

Beautiful moments.

Elanna realized that she, too, had only a handful of beautiful moments to call her own. And as far asthismoment was concerned, the rest of it would belong toher.

“Hux.” Elanna rose from the bench, coming to stand before him.

He did not retreat.

Elanna’s hands trembled. Their eyes met.

As natural as taking a step, the two leaned into each other, and their lips touched.

Kissing Hux was more extraordinary than Elanna had imagined. His lips were warm. He smelled like evergreen. Her starlit blood surged through her. She wanted more. Her lips sought his, and when he returned her force in kind, her toes tingled.

Everything tingled.

They parted; the sensation of his scruff against her chin lingered.

“Lady, I apologize, I?—”

Elanna’s knees wobbled. Hux walked her to the bench to sit.

“I am sorry. I should not have?—”

“Cease,” Elanna said. A lightheadedness warmed her. But it was so unlike when she’d had an important vision from the stars. She felt alive. “You did naught wrong. I took part, too.”

“I do not understand all of it; I’m not a keeper of the star faiths, but I do know you are important, as you said, an ordained being. ’Tis one reason why I’ve tried to keep my distance. And my distance I shall keep.”