Sword in the Stars (Once & Future #2) - Cori McCarthy Page 0,112
to Val, arms around his waist, his chin resting on Val’s shoulder. “You two already have your happily ever after.”
“It’s got to be Mercer BS that’s holding her up,” Merlin said. “This is the cost of putting her in charge of the universe.”
“She’s only interim Administrator. She’s setting up something she calls an ‘elective congress’ to oversee the first age of the Mercer Trading Company.”
Merlin made a terrible face. “Sorry, just got a bad historical taste in my mouth.”
“What?”
“Remind me to talk Gwen through the better examples of democracy… as well as the ones where fascism leaked in and trumped everything else.”
Val and Ari watched Merlin shiver away whatever he was remembering. “I don’t actually envy how much you know about humanity and all of time in general.” Val’s arms were looped around Merlin’s shoulders.
“This is what I get for not going with her,” Ari said, typing a quick message to ask if Gwen was all right. “The lovebirds in action.”
“Time away from each other does build up the missing,” Merlin said, nuzzling Val’s neck.
“If you take even one portal away from me before I’m ready, you’ll be sorry, mage. Very sorry.” Val wore a solidly no-nonsense look.
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Merlin said, placing a light kiss on the back of Val’s hand.
Ari groaned and turned away, glancing out the picture window on the balcony. “You’d better get that out of your system before she arrives. I might not go full mama bear on you two, but she’s likely to punt the PDA out of the nightclub.”
Ari’s watch buzzed, and she warmed throughout at the short message on the small screen. ETA five minutes. Ready for me, baby girl?
Ari looked up and found Merlin and Val in the sort of hands-everywhere kiss that no parent cared to witness. Most of the time, when she looked at Merlin, she saw her best friend. The person she’d crawled through history and across space with, surviving side by side. This time, however, when she looked at him she was seeing entirely too much tongue.
“That’s it. Out! Go dance. She’s almost here.”
Val looked back at Ari, dark eyes gleaming while Merlin breathed heavily, the collar of his shirt opened up, no doubt by Val’s teeth. They led each other with a double set of locked, entwined hands, off the balcony and through the curtains that led to the thrumming bass of the club.
Ari sighed and fussed with her short hair. She stared out into the endless black nothing, the stars twinkling through like the kind of hope that had always been, and would always be, too expansive to be snuffed out. Not by any evil company, or disgusting Administrator, or uncaring time enchantress, or even grief.
Ari felt Gwen before she saw her. Arms circled her waist, and Gwen’s cheek rested on her shoulder. “Missed you,” Ari managed, feelings swelling into each word. “Too much.”
“We’re in recess for a few weeks. Long enough to go home with you for a spell.”
“You’re going back to Ketch with me?” Ari turned around in Gwen’s arms, leaning against the glass and pulling her tight. She wasn’t ready for how Gwen looked. Short shorts, dancing flats, a goldenrod tank top that slipped off one of her shoulders like a silky bedsheet. But that was nothing compared to her powerful, certain eyes rimmed with determination and the kind of charcoal liner that Lam seemed to be born wearing.
Ari drew light fingers down her cheek. “Nice eyes.”
“Lam taught me. Forever ago.” She tugged at Ari’s cuffed sleeves and biceps. “This is a nice look. Val?”
“I am his living doll. You’ll know I’m back in control of my wardrobe when—”
“You wear the same sword and ripped-up pants for two weeks straight?”
Ari smiled dreamily. “I loved those pants. Although, I come to this date unarmed.” She showed off her waist, belted but unsheathed. Gwen’s hands moved fast, stealing Ari’s hips and pulling them toward her. The hunger in her eyes was momentarily stunning.
“We could go back to my ship,” Ari whispered. “Like right this second.”
“You promised dancing.” Gwen tugged Ari by the hand, pulling her toward the dance floor. Ari watched as Gwen’s gaze skimmed the crowded space until she found Val and Merlin. Val danced with his thin, toned arms in the air, closely shaved head thrown back. Merlin danced like he had yet to be introduced to his lower half, like—
“Oh my gods!” Gwen placed her hands over her face. “He dances like Kay.”