My heart drops through the floor. Or ground, rather, since the wood floor was burned to ash, which we swept out before setting up camp.
“I’m guessing you didn’t.”
His mouth quirks up at the corner. I can’t help but smile. “Would I be here if I had, princess?”
I launch myself onto a tiptoe kiss.
“She maintained her hold on power. But Brenica told me to go and find you, satisfy my curiosity about the outside world, and learn about your people. If I still decide I want you, she’ll respect my decision.”
But his people would not. That went unspoken.
“What do you think, Sunshine? Can you take time away from the war effort to take me home?”
Torn between shock and excitement, I bounce on the balls of my feet.
“Yes! Orisa can manage things. Ephram and Luza have the Oceanside resistance under control. My father has been asking me to come home for months.” I clap my hands. “He’ll be very interested to meet you. We can swing by the Sun Temple and check on Lorcan and Saskaya on the way.”
Tovian wants to meet my family. I still don’t believe he’s serious about marriage, but apparently he is?
“Getting to River Bend will be dangerous.”
“Not if we go through Canavale. We can blend in with the refugees.”
“Aren’t the pirates in charge there?”
“Yes, for now. We don’t have enough fighters to take it back. The danger is that the longer this goes on, the more people will decide the invaders aren’t so terrible. They’ll make their peace with the new reality and stop resisting.”
“Which is why you need Princess Zosia. To inspire them.”
“Yes.”
“And you need Lorcan to find her.”
I nod, too overcome to say more. He understands. I can’t describe what a relief it is.
“What do you say we swing past the castle and get the lay of the land, Sunshine?”
“You’d do that for me?”
He kisses the tip of my nose. It should be ridiculous. It is, I guess, but it’s so cute and affectionate.
“You’ve got it wrong, you know.”
“Hm?”
“You’re the sunshine, Tovian. When you show up, my day gets better, no matter how bad it’s been. And there have been a lot of terrible days lately. For everyone.”
His arm tightens around my waist. His other hand tangles in the loosening braid at the back of my skull. This kiss is sweet and slow, full of emotions we haven’t had the time or space to express with words.
He tugs the shirt out of my waistband. At least I’m not covered in filth for once. His hands skimming up my ribs to the close-fitted undershirt holding my breasts. Tovian has no trouble removing ordinary Auralian clothing either. A momentary impulse to ask him just how much time he’s spent disrobing women while pretending to blend in among Oceanside’s easygoing population flickers through my brain before I decide I don’t care. Nor do I wish to explain my sexual history, either. Neither of us are virgins, and yet this feels completely new.
I tug his tunic up. He shrugs out of it, leaving an undershirt, belted trousers, underwear, socks, and boots to remove. He makes quick work of my bodice, blunt fingers popping small buttons with ease. I shiver when he tosses it aside.
Unhurried, he rests his hands gently on my waist. His gaze skims down, then back up to hold mine.
“No injuries.”
“Is that why you needed to remove my clothes? To make sure I’m still in one piece?”
