Page 75 of Kissing Potions and Elves

“Never?” He grins. “Well, then, we’ll just have to teach you.” He looks at his brother. “You two can team up.”

Lyrion sits next to me on the sofa as Rhystan explains the rules.

At first, it seems a bit complicated, but after a few rounds it becomes fun. Especially since I’m teamed up with Lyrion, the two of us whispering quietly amongst each other as we conspire to win against his brother.

Eventually, exhaustion gets the best of me. After a while, I curl onto the sofa, my eyelids drifting open and closed as the sounds of voices, quiet laughter, and the crackling fire on the hearth lull me into sleep.

I’m vaguely aware as Lyrion carefully lifts me into his arms and carries me to the bed in the corner. He settles me on the mattress and removes my slippers. Placing a soft blanket over me, he tucks it around my shoulders.

His violet eyes are full of warmth as he brushes the hair back from my face and whispers, “Sleep well, Isobel.”

His lips press against my temple, the gentle caress lingering sweetly for a moment before fading away.

Turning onto my side, I close my eyes and fall away into dreams filled with the beautiful magic of this perfect night.

CHAPTER 36

LYRION

Gently, I drape another blanket over Isobel’s sleeping form to ensure she remains warm for the night.

“Well, aren’t you the attentive caretaker,” Rhystan says in a low voice so as not to awaken her.

I narrow my eyes at my brother even as heat creeps up the back of my neck. He leans casually against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest, his nightclothes loose and comfortable, eyes dancing mischievously in the firelight.

“Shouldn’t you be asleep?” I grumble.

“And miss witnessing such tender moments I can tease you relentlessly about later?” He smirks. “I think not.”

Suppressing an irritated sigh, I stride past him into the adjoining bedroom. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re utterly smitten,” he tosses back cheerfully, following closely behind.

Instead of taking the bait, I close the cleansing room door in his face so I can change into my own nightclothes. Besides,there’s nothing I could have said to convince him he’s wrong, because he isn’t.

When I step back into the bedroom, the room is quiet. Silvery moonlight filters in through the curtains, providing just enough illumination that I can see Rhystan’s already in his bed.

Lying down, I pull the covers up to my chest and stare at the ceiling. Closing my eyes, I allow my thoughts to drift to the memory of my dance with Isobel.

“Lyrion,” Rhystan’s voice whispers loudly through the darkness. “Are you asleep?”

My eyes snap open. “If I were,” I grumble. “I’m definitely not anymore.”

Rhystan chuckles. “Just making sure.”

I hear him shift, then the gentle snap of his fingers as he directs the Fae lights, in the corner of the room to brighten, filling the room with faint golden light.

He rolls onto his side to face me. “Doesn’t this just remind you of when we were children? Whispering in the dark so as not to awaken Mother and Father.”

“Yes,” I reply flatly. “And I distinctly remember you being as equally annoying then as you are now.”

Rhystan huffs out a laugh. “And I recall you being just as grumpy.” He grins. “Nice to see some things never change.”

Despite my best efforts, my lips twitch. Shaking my head, I stop short of rolling my eyes. “We need to leave early tomorrow. You should go to sleep, Rhystan.”

“Not yet. We need to talk, Brother.”

“About what?”