Page 19 of Swift Wings Shadowed Heart
“Vaylen Everett Stormsong,” I say, savoring each syllable and keeping eye contact. “Nice name.”
“Skysinger Wyndward…” he leans close, sending my heart into a wild patter. Could it possibly be this easy? “Earlier, I thought you were a mere guest. Your pin was missing. If it hadn’t been, I would have never… interacted with you the way I did. In no way, shape, or form are you to entertain any ideas that there could ever be anything between us besides the relationship between a Skyrider and her mentor and leader. Is that clear?”
Nope. Not easy at all.
Delicious.
“Erase that smirk off your face, Skyrider. This is not a joke. Or should I remind you of the clause I mentioned earlier?”
I compose my features into a stern mask. “No need,High Prime.” I pause, then decide to give it one last push. “May I askonequestion?”
His eyes tighten, a few small lines appearing at their corners. I can tell he wants to sayyes. He’d like to know what query my curious mind has concocted. Yet, this code that rules his life dictates he denies me permission. Something tells me that whatever he chooses will reveal whether my carefully laid plans are destined to succeed or fail.
“What question is that?” he says at last, confirming that the sizzle of attraction we felt earlier is quite real—not only that… it’s strong enough to make him ignore his code, if only for a second.
I don’t let my satisfaction show when I ask, “Why didn’t you say your name was Vaylen? Do you prefer your middle name?”
He smirks. “No, I don’t prefer my middle name.”
I wait for more, but he stops there.Oh, that’s not fair.
I’m trying to think of a way to pry more when someone comes running into the room, his high-pitched voice laced with panic.
“Neutro Cindergrasp’s been murdered in the privy!”
8
Vaylen
“Vaylen Everett Stormsong,” she says, her perfect teeth grazing her lower lip at the Vs. It’s as if she’s tasting me and liking the flavor.
Fuck!
I knew I shouldn’t have chosen her. She may be the most powerful candidate I’ve ever tested, but she spells trouble. Forget the way our powers reacted to each other—it’s unheard of, and I still have to figure out what that was all about. And the way my body responds to her… well, that is also unprecedented. When we were on the balcony, I thought I’d struck gold. Instead, I ran into a treasure trove of the forbidden, the illicit.
Fuck my luck.
I have to nip this in the bud.
“Skysinger Wyndward,” I say, leaning closer to make sure she gets the message, “earlier, I thought you were a mere guest. Your pin was missing. If it hadn’t been, I would have never… interacted with you the way I did. In no way, shape, or form are you to entertain any ideas that there could ever be anything between us besides the relationship between a Skyrider and her mentor and leader. Is that clear?”
She smirks. She actually smirks. Something like anger unfurls in my stomach, but I’m not so sure that’s what it is. This woman might make me regret giving her a dragon.
“Erase that smirk off your face, Skyrider. This is not a joke. Or should I remind you of the clause I mentioned earlier?”
The smirk disappears. “No need, High Prime.” She pauses, and I think we’re done, but then she says, “May I askonequestion?”
The way she pronounced the wordoneis wistful, almost as if she’s saying,What could be the harm?With her, I’m starting to suspect the harm could be catastrophic, if I don’t keep my guard up. This isn’t the first time one of my female subordinates has behaved this way, but it’s certainly the first time I’ve felt tempted. If only she were unattached to my world.
Perhaps, there’ll be no harm if I allow one question, the last foray into her dangerous territory.
“What question is that?” I ask.
“Why didn’t you say your name was Vaylen? Do you prefer your middle name?”
Not a harmful question, after all. Still, an important one.
“No, I don’t prefer my middle name,” I answer, knowing full well that’s not what she wants to know. She wants to know why I tried to hide my true identity, my rank as High Prime. Everyone knows the name Vaylen Stormsong, after all. Still, I never said I would answer her fairly.
