Page 51 of Heavenly Bodies

She forced herself to look into his eyes, the warmth of the ambrosia settling over her. ‘Please don’t remember this in the morning, but I think I missed you too.’ There was a beat of silence, too heavy in the night air. ‘So,’ she continued airily, ‘do you have any other poetry to proclaim to me?’

Enzo turned then to study her, head propped on his hand. His gaze skimmed up her waist, her neck, the stray flowers in her hair. She saw a small smile form on his lips. Then he looked at her sincerely.

‘You’ve caught the Light,’ he said thoughtfully. ‘But you’re not just lightkissed…’

He looked down at her arm, tanned more deeply from hours training in the Light’s rays, and he took it in his hands. The bare contact of skin made her breathing shallow as he held it gently. His eyes found their way back to her.

‘You look like the Light has made love to you.’ He scraped a rough thumb over the inside of her elbow, heat sparking, and she shivered, her lips parting. He gazed at her. ‘Was that poetry enough?’ He smiled wryly, and the moment was broken.

She gave an unsteady laugh. ‘No wonder rumours of your rakish ways chase you.’ She smiled back, noticing that his own smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.

‘Ah, with looks like this and the words to match, how could you not fall at my feet?’ He stood, taking her hand. ‘I think it’s time I escorted you to bed.’

She looked at his hand disapprovingly.

‘Yourbed,’ he amended.

‘I’msureyou didn’t mean to insinuate what you just did.’

His lips quirked. ‘Why, of course not, Princess Elara. How could you ever think me anything but a perfectally?’

She bit her lip, smiling, allowing him to pull her up and lead her into the palace.

When they reached her room, she turned to him, smoothing her skirt.

‘Thank you,’ she said, ‘for walking me back. You didn’t have to.’

He inclined his head. ‘Yes, I did.’

‘Why?’ she asked, her voice low.

Taking her hand again, he raised it as he looked at her, and she had to tilt her head back to follow the movement.

‘So that I could do this,’ he said quietly, pressing her hand to his lips. A soft kiss like a feather sent shivers up her arm.

‘Goodnight, Elara.’ He turned.

‘Goodnight, Enzo,’ she replied, closing her door softly.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

The next morning, pain pulsed through Elara as she lay glowering between her sheets. Merissa tutted in sympathy as she fussed around her, bringing her breakfast.

‘You get them as badly as me,’ she sighed. ‘I’ll fetch you some peppermint tea.’

‘I’ll be damned if I get out of this bed today,’ Elara muttered. ‘Not even His Highness will drag me out of it.’

Merissa chuckled, setting to work with the tea. There was a knock on the door, and it swung open, Enzo standing at the threshold.

‘Dear skies, Enzo, I’m barely decent!’ Elara yelled, grabbing a robe from the armchair beside her and wrapping it around her thin slip. His smile curled as he looked at her.

‘As always, walking in without permission serves me well.’

‘I’m not in the mood for your taunts today. Leave me be.’

His brow furrowed. ‘You’re late for training.’

‘Oh really? Merissa, fetch him a medal for stating the obvious, will you?’ She lay back on the pillows as Merissa hid her smile. Enzo took a tentative step into the room and looked around it, his eyes snagging on her open copy ofThe Mythasof Celestiaand the pressed forget-me-nots that she was now using as a bookmark.

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