Page 74 of Winds of Darkness

She shook her head. “I spent the hours debating if I would come to you.”

He knew that. Having been in her private bedchamber, he could now use his water-gazing gifts to enchant the water there. He’d done so tonight, not entirely trusting her to summon him if she needed him.

Without a word, he conjured a water portal, guiding her through into his private rooms, just as he had before. Ashtine looked around the space, a frown forming.

“There is only a sofa and chairs in here,” she said.

“It is a sitting room,” he replied.

“I have only been intimate in a bed. Is a sofa the same?” she asked, her head tipping to the side as she studied the furniture.

“I was attempting not to be presumptuous,” he replied. “However, apparently you had presumptions of your own.”

“I did assume this situation would involve a bed,” she retorted.

He rolled his lips, fighting the smile, but when she glanced at him, he couldn’t hide it.

“Briar Drayce, it is rude to continually tease me when I do not understand when you are doing so,” she chided.

Reaching for her and intertwining their fingers once more, he said, “This situation indeed involves a bed for the sole reason that neither of us has slept tonight. The intimacy part will be left up to you to decide.”

He pulled her to the bedchamber, candles already lit to illuminate the room. There wasn’t a fire because the heat of the summer still permeated the air, but—

“Do you want the windows and veranda doors closed?” he asked, while she again took in his space.

“No,” she murmured. “The winds are calmer when I am with you.”

“Are they silent?”

“Not silent. They simply … wait for me. Until I am ready to hear them,” she answered.

“Then we need to figure out how to carry that over whether I am with you or not,” he said.

She sighed, and he could hear the exhaustion in that single breath. “I have tried for decades. They do what they wish.”

“Our magic is not meant to control us, Ashtine,” he said gently.

“The winds are different.”

He didn’t think that was true, but he also recognized this wasn’t the time to argue with her. Instead, he asked, “Do you wish to rest in that dress, or would you like to borrow a shirt?”

She turned to him, her expression one of curiosity. “One of yours?”

“I do keep only my clothing in this space.”

“You jest.”

“You are a quick study,” he said with a wink.

Ashtine clicked her tongue in annoyance. “Again with the teasing.” Then she added, “Different sleeping attire would be appreciated.”

He nodded, retrieving a light-weight tunic that would be more than oversized on her frame. While she changed, he did the same in the bathing room, and when he returned, she was already nestled on the bed.

“You will stay? Like before?” she asked the moment he stepped back into the room.

He smiled softly, making his way to the bed and blowing out the candles as he went. “I am stealing every moment I can with you, Ashtine.”

She smiled at that, and it was one of the most beautiful things he’d seen. He immediately made a silent vow to pull more of those smiles from her. And laughter. He wanted to hear more of that from her too. She deserved to smile and laugh. She deserved so much more than duty to her people and indiscernible musings from the winds.