“Thinking about life...and our future,” she replies.
“A future with lots of sex, I hope?” I jest, earning a light giggle from her. “Seriously, what’s on your mind?”
“I’m figuring out what I need to do,” she says, and I wrap an arm around her shoulder.
“What we need to do, you mean. We’re a team, remember?” I squeeze her a little tighter. Her recent melancholy weighs on me. I wish I could break through her defenses, understand her thoughts and feelings every second of the day—especially now. “Let me in.”
“I think we should meet with Nyx and have a serious talk, all three of us,” she suggests, and I close my eyes,dreading the thought. Nyx is insufferably stubborn and righteous, but for Lyra, I’d walk through fire.
“How about I invite him to join us for dinner tonight?” I propose instead.
“Here?” she turns to me quickly, a flicker of a smile crossing her face that unexpectedly stirs a hint of jealousy within me.
“Yeah, Rix and Rune are cooking enough to feed a small army, so why not tackle this tonight? It might ease your mind,” I say, noting the slight furrow of her brows.
“But how will we get him to come here?” she asks, her concern palpable.
“Leave that to me. Why don’t you go freshen up for dinner and let Rix or Rune know that Nyx will be joining us?” I suggest. She nods, leans in to kiss my cheek, then hurries inside. Chepi, stretching leisurely as I give him a couple of pats, glances at me before bounding after her.
“Well,isn’t this like old times?” I chuckle as I materialize in Nyx’s study, skipping the pleasantries—I know he adores it when I channel directly into his sanctum But he’s currently preoccupied. A blonde woman is bent over his desk, and Nyx is rather...engaged with her. She looks up at me and smiles. Her face seems familiar, but her name escapes me.
Nyx hastily adjusts his pants, and I can’t help but stroll leisurely toward his fireplace, taking in the room. “Don’t stop on my account. I can wait... I’m sure it won’t take you long.”
Nyx’s tone is sharp as he dismisses the woman. “Leave us,” he commands. She quickly pulls her dress back on and vanishes, and by the time my gaze shifts back to his desk, she’s gone.
“What the fuck are you doing here, Colton?” Nyx snaps,clearly irritated. I revel a bit in catching him like this. Lyra’s always worried he’s sulking over her, yet here he is, clearly not suffering too much.
“I came to invite you to dinner,” I say, my smile smug and wide.
“Well, you’ve wasted a trip. I have no desire to dine with you,” Nyx states flatly, settling into his chair and pouring himself a glass of whiskey.
“That’s a shame. I’d hate for you to have dismissed...whatever her name was...for nothing.” I take a seat across from his desk, near the fireplace, making myself comfortable.
“She can easily be summoned again,” he retorts, downing his glass with an air of defiance.
“Naturally. Well, Lyra sent me in hopes you would attend dinner with us, but you’re preoccupied,” I say, pressing my hands against the chair arms, poised to stand.
“What did she say?” he asks, a trace of eagerness betraying his usual reserve.
“She wants to talk to you. Not sure why though. Maybe she’ll worry less about your poor broken heart when I tell her how I found you,” I chuckle, enjoying the rise I’m getting out of him. He slams his fist down on the table, ruffled.
“Give me a moment to change, and I’ll come with you,” he concedes, snapping his fingers and instantly appearing in a clean black tunic and pants.
I roll my eyes. “Who are you trying to fill the void for this time, Nyx? Still Lyra, or are you ready to admit you miss—”
“Don’t speak her name,” he cuts me off sharply. “Let’s go.”
We both materialize outside the back door simultaneously. Striding into the dining room, I find Rix and Rune absent, though the table is laden with food. Lyra is seated at the head of the table. Her smile blossoms as she sees me, and she rises to greet me. I walk over, leaning in for a kiss that I deliberatelyprolong, pressing against her a bit longer than necessary—a small jab at Nyx, who I’m aware is behind me.
Lyra allows this moment, but as I finally pull back and move to take my seat, she catches sight of Nyx. Her eyes widen slightly, her cheeks tinting a brighter shade of pink. If only she knew what he was just up to...
“Nyx, you came,” she remarks, stepping toward him then halting as if unsure of how to proceed. He nods stiffly and takes the seat opposite me, Lyra settling between us at the head of the table.
Preferring to let Lyra lead the conversation, since she’s the one eager to speak with him, I start piling my plate with food, hoping the others will follow suit to cut through the tension. The spread includes fish garnished with fresh lemon, pasta, and a vegetable casserole—looks like Rix and Rune went all out.
Thankfully, someone had the foresight to place a decanter of whiskey at the end of the table. Nyx seizes it, quickly filling his glass, then courteously offers it to Lyra. She accepts with a smile, her glass brimming under his attentive pour. The bastard doesn’t bother to offer any to me, simply setting the decanter back on the table.
I clear my throat conspicuously as I grab it and pour myself a generous amount. “So, my shadow, what would you like to talk about?” I ask, the affection in my nickname for her hanging in the air.
