so long as Leila remained just as she was with her arm slung around his hip and her head resting against his neck.
“Down there.” She gestured toward the fortress beneath them at a cluster of trees. “Do you see those darkened woods? That’s the site of tomorrow’s challenge.”
“Do you know what’s in store?”
She shook her head. “Just that it’s dangerous. Not that I would’ve expected anything less from Brontes.”
Tobias’s back shot straight. “Oh God, I nearly forgot…”
“What?”
“The Sovereign,” he said. “He spoke with me at the Welcoming.”
“What did he say?”
“He told me to stay away from his Daughter. That I wasn’t what She needed. And when I tried to defuse the situation, he mentioned you.” He swallowed hard. “I think he knows.”
Leila exhaled. “Tobias…”
“He knows about us. He knows I don’t care for Cosima—”
“Brontes has more important concerns,” she said. “I assure you, your cares and passions are the furthest thing from his mind.”
“That’s all well and good, but what about you?”
“I’ve been handling Brontes since I was a child. I can certainly handle him now.”
“Leila—”
“Listen to me.” She grabbed his hands. “Rid yourself of these worries. Just please…stay away from him.”
She’s wrong. This is serious. But Leila’s eyes had become desperate, pleading with him. He let out a long breath. “God, that family is mad. The Sovereign and The fucking Savior. I swear I loathe them more and more each day.”
Leila’s hands slipped from his, her gaze panning back to the realm. Tobias poked his head into her line of vision. “Apologies if I’ve burdened you. It’s just…it made me nervous when he said your name.”
“Why?”
“Why? What do you mean why? Leila, you are precious to me. I don’t want anything happening to you.”
A smile broke free from her lips, and her demeanor shifted from distant to devilish. “You know, I watched you. During the Reverence.”
“Is that right? From up here on your little perch?”
“Mhm.”
“Well then, did you enjoy it? Us big, strong men, pounding our chests like gorillas, smearing blood on our bodies like loons.”
Leila chuckled. “Oh yes, it was all very arousing.”
“It’s a shame you were so far away. You had to be right there to appreciate the manliness. You missed it all, really.”
Leila flicked her wrist at him. “Well, go on then. Why don’t you show me that mighty roar?”
“No!”
“Fine, what about that pounding thing.”
Tobias hesitated, then pounded his chest only to burst out laughing.
Leila pressed her hand to her chest, feigning awe. “Oh my, Tobias, that was so mighty! You have me absolutely trembling. Is this the part where I show you my tits?”
“I mean, if you insist, I won’t stop you.”
Leila swatted him on the arm, and the two lost themselves in a fit of laughter.
“I don’t think I’m a pound-my-chest sort of man,” Tobias said.
“No, I don’t think so either. But I like the sort of man you are just fine.”
There it was again—the warmth of her words, melting him like butter. She shifted in place, playing with the folds of her dress.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“For what?”
“For coming back.”
“What do you mean?”
She hesitated. “When you went out into the crowd, I thought for a moment you might be…trying to escape.”
“Escape?” He let out a laugh. “You think I’d leave you here?”
Leila’s lips parted, but she said nothing, blushing instead. Her eyes traveled down to his wounded hand, and she plucked it from his side.
“Let me look at your hand.” She unraveled his bandages. “So stupid. What was the point of this? Such mindless cruelty for the sake of entertainment. Poor thing. I’ll fix it.”
“But you don’t have your potions.”
“I can still make it better.” She trailed her fingertips over his scabbed palm, then gave it a delicate kiss. “Better?”
He grinned. “Not quite. Once more for good measure.”
Another kiss. “How about now?”
“Ah, yes. That made all the difference. I’m cured.”
Leila dragged her fingers down his wrist, drawing those circles she always drew. Tobias watched her, wearing a cheeky smile. “You know what else hurts?”
Her face dropped. “I swear to God, if you point to your cock…”
“My lips! I was trying to be romantic, you know. You’ve ruined it.”
Leila grabbed the front of his shirt and tugged him forward, planting a firm kiss on his lips. “Don’t be harsh with me, I’m a respectable lady.”
“And a difficult one too. You’re making it hard for me to court you properly.”
She pulled away from him. “You’re courting me?”
“Yes, Leila. How was that not clear?”
“Well, you never said so.”
“It doesn’t exactly work like that. You don’t say, ‘I’m