couldn’t get himself to deny Kalai. “Sure.” He filled a glass with water, retrieved the tin box from the desk and shook out two pills on Kalai’s request, and then a third, holding it up to Kalai when he returned to him. “Do you mind if I hold on to this?” he asked. “I’d like to ask the guard physicians about them.”
“No problem,” Kalai said, accepting the pills and the water.
Tauran pocketed the third pill, then sat on the stairs beside Kalai. They were both silent for a moment before a tired smile spread on Kalai’s face.
“I had a really good day,” Kalai said. He held a hand out, palm facing up.
Tauran took it, fingers sliding between Kalai’s. “So did I.”
Kalai’s smile faded a little. “I’m sorry I had to go and ruin it by the end.”
“You didn’t. We sorted it out, didn’t we?”
“How’s your leg?” Kalai’s eyes were full of concern.
“It’s fine,” Tauran assured him. When his words didn’t smooth the wrinkle between Kalai’s brows, he leaned in to kiss it away instead.
Kalai’s smile returned, and he rested his head against the side of Tauran’s neck. “I don’t want to spend all day in bed, tomorrow.”
“Then come with me to the guard grounds,” Tauran suggested. “Leyra misses you. I’m taking her out for some wing strength training. We’ll bring a table out. Some chairs. A parasol. You can chill in the shade and watch me get munched to shreds.”
Kalai’s laugh was sweet as sugar. “Falka won’t protest?”
“Falka isn’t around,” Tauran said. “And even if he’s back by tomorrow, I don’t care. If I insist, he’ll relent.”
“He respects you a lot.”
“He was like a father to me when I was younger. Skies know I needed someone to put me in my place.” Tauran huffed. With the amount of shit he had been up to lately, he probably still did.
“All right,” Kalai said and raised his head. “I’d love to come with you.”
CHAPTER 24
Spending the day with Kalai at the guard grounds was a welcome break from Tauran’s work routine, and while they could show each other little public affection, simply having Kalai nearby brought Tauran a sense of ease and comfort he realized he had missed on long days in the tower alone. Leyra was stoked to see Kalai, and they had to postpone her training for an entire hour because she kept getting distracted whenever Kalai spoke, leaping into his lap for scratches.
Eventually, Tauran had to put her lap-climbing to an end, since Kalai was still tired, and Leyra was starting to grow far too large and heavy for those kinds of games. Despite it, Kalai indulged her with treats and attention. Seeing how much Kalai had missed her, too, filled Tauran’s heart with equal parts fondness and sadness. She had been with Kalai before she had been with him, after all.
Tauran withdrew a leather ball from his pocket and wiggled it in front of Leyra’s face. The distraction worked. She turned her attention from Kalai and hopped after Tauran, flapping her wings to gain more height. Tauran tossed, tracking her movements as she hopped after it, stumbling a little on still uncoordinated baby legs. It bounced off the wall and straight over her head, making her flop backwards. She let out a yelp of indignation before shifting upright and darting after it.
The ball rolled to Kalai, who stopped it with the toe of his boot. “I can’t believe how fast she has grown,” he said, lifting his foot when Leyra chomped down on the ball. He leaned forward to take the ball from her. “How heavy do you think she is?”
“I don’t know,” Tauran said, ready to step in if Leyra decided to start a game of tug-o-war, but she surrendered the ball to Kalai without protest. “The assistants weigh her regularly, but I don’t keep track of it.” He rolled his jaw. “They keep telling me to weigh her food portions. Think I should?”
Kalai tossed the ball, and Leyra eagerly chased after, nearly falling over her feet with haste. “You know her better than they do,” he said. “Listen to your gut. Or hers, I guess.”
Leyra’s claws dug up the sand when she leaped for the ball, catching it in the air. Growling, she shook her head.
“Here, girl.” Tauran kneeled to take the ball from her, but she only growled louder and rolled onto her back, kicking at his outstretched hand.
A whistle from Kalai made Leyra pause, and she rolled back around, tilting her head.