He snickered.
“Don’t laugh, please,” I begged because every sound was a hot poker to my skull. When he grew silent, I straightened, the towel sliding down. I glanced at Kal to make sure I hadn’t hurt his feelings.
He kissed my temple before putting the cloth back. “I'm fine, Mate.”
Eventually, Kal left to feed Lucy, who’d screeched repeatedly for her breakfast. He refilled my water cup when it was empty and re-moistened the towel. When I finished my second cup of water, I laid down, and Kal settled beside me. I snaked my arms around his waist and burrowed against his back. This close, I could hear a deep thrum. The sound was different from the thump of a human heart, but it had to be Kal’s heart. I liked it. A lot.
When my headache dimmed, my stomach growled in hunger.
“What do you want to eat?” Kal asked.
“Nothing.”
He released a breathy laugh. For whatever reason, Kal was in averygood mood this morning. “How about bread?”
“Fine, but you can’t move.”
Kal chuckled again. He rolled over in my embrace. “Why don’t you clean your teeth, then we’ll both eat?”
My breath must be absolute shit. I started to shift back, but Kal held me fast, his body flush against mine. His lips hovered over my mouth. “Can I kiss you?”
“You probably don’t want to.”
“Not true.” Kal waited, his lips right above mine. I nodded, and our lips molded together. The pressure was soft and the pace was achingly slow.
He whispered, “I will always want to kiss you.”
Scary thing, I was pretty sure I would always want to kiss him.
I entered the cafeteria alone, though Kal had promised to join me when he finished with Pimtimzol. Drakcol filled the space, and the lively conversation hummed. I searched the crowd for a familiar face. Urgg was supposed to be here. Instead, I spotted Wyn, who had his head on the table.
“Are you still hungover?” I asked, sitting next to him.
“No.”
“Then what’s wrong with you?”
He hit his head against the table with a thud. “I puked on Commander Monqilcolnen.”
“What?”
“I puked on him. Three times. I didn’t remember, but he sent me a note this morning to remind me,” Wyn said in a thick voice. “I’m never going to be able to look at him again.”
“Three times?” I asked, swallowing the laughter that threatened to erupt.
Wyn released a strangled sound and hit his head on the table again. I awkwardly patted his back, unsure if it would help, but he didn’t stop making the noise.
When Kal arrived, he raised an eyebrow. “Does this have to do with you puking on Monqilcolnen?”
“He told you?” Wyn asked.
“Isawthe first time. Thankfully, I missed the second and third times.”
A strangled cry came from Wyn, and I said, glaring at Kal, “You’re not helping.”
“I wasn’t trying to.”
Wyn sat up but froze when he saw Kal, then inclined his head, exposing his throat. “Prince Kalvoxrencol, I didn’t realize it was yourself.”
