“We can do that.”
Slowly, he cupped my cheek. I didn’t feel it, but Fyn’s lips quirked, and that was enough for me. “I wish to do something to please you,” he said, voice low.
“Being in your greenhouse would make me happy. I want to see your life and spend time with you. That’s all. We’redating,” I said, then amended in Drakconese, “courting.”
“Yes, we are.”
“In English, you would be called myboyfriend.”
His forehead crinkled in the cutest manner as he tested the word out. It was difficult to understand him because boyfriend sounded more like a groaning engine than the actual word. Sunshine repeated it a few times, perfecting his pronunciation.
“I’m your boyfriend,” he said.
“Yes.” I traced his lips with my fingertip, and he shivered.
“I like it.”
“I do too.” I truly liked it. More than I should have. There was no happy ending for us. No future. But here and now? It was enough. It was more than enough.
Chapter 20
Uncomfortable truths.
Fyn was finishing up his breakfast at the table, and I stared at him like the creeper I was. It truly didn’t matter what he was doing, I enjoyed watching him.
“What shall we do today?” my Sunshine asked, his tail sliding near my leg.
He’d asked this every day since we started dating. Usually, we remained in the palace. We would spend time with Kal and Seth or see Wyn and NAID. I still hadn’t been introduced to Urgg, but they were never with Seth when I saw him; it was annoying as hell.
NAID and Wyn had made no meaningful progress on the sensors being able to perceive me. They’d mentioned sometechno-babble I didn’t understand, but the bottom line was—the sensors didn’t perceive me yet besides the phase variance I caused. Wyn, and several of the other scientists studying NAID, had gotten super into it, though. Apparently, it was a fascinating thing to study, or, more accurately, I was an interesting problem for them to puzzle through.
And we hadn’t heard if the Luxnisian Assembly would allow us access to their technology or not. Our request was still waiting for review from the emperor before being presented to the Cohort, if it even was going to. Fyn didn’t know if his father would or not, because not everyone on the Cohort believed Fyn about his gift. Asses.
Mostly, Fyn and I spent our days in the garden, or he showed me around the palace. It was peaceful, and I loved it. My wanderlust usually made me seek out new places or explore all the nooks and crannies, but this time, it was different. Fyn had captured my interest so fully, I had no need to wander. He was the only thing I longed to explore anymore—my perfect Sunshine.
“My Caleb,” Fyn said, startling me. “Are you well?”
“Of course. Why?”
“You didn’t answer me. What should we do today?”
“I should go see Tinlorray.” A few days had passed since the last time I’d seen her. I worried she was still clinging to Yolkeltod, thinking he was there because of my dumb-ass mistake. Of course, she’d assumed it was her brother’s spirit, not some rando hanging around her. Because, let’s be real here, who would have assumed someotherghost was hanging around them?
He looked away, and I fought a smile. Fyn liked to worry. Honestly, worrying had to be a drakcol thing. Kal certainly did it over Seth. I hadn’t observed (or haunted by any other name) Hal and his mate Gil enough to know if he worried over her or viceversa, but probably. Drakcol were possessive buggers. Not that I was complaining.
I rested my chin in my cupped hands. “I’ll be fine.”
“I know.”
“I promised Yolkeltod.”
“I know.”
I laughed. “You want me to stay, though.”
“I worry something will happen or you will need me, and I won’t be there. I don’t wish to fail you.”
I frowned at his choice of words. “You won’t fail me, Sunshine. I’m an adult, and I’m responsible for my own choices.”
