Well. Interesting. There was something Dain didn't want told, and that he had already asked for promises of silence on. He'd already told me about Phazikai, so it couldn't be that. I didn't even think it was necessarily something awful; Dain seemed to have no problem with shoving his gory reputation in my face. I thought maybe it was something that set him apart, like the god thing, or something that touched his secret heart. Zhiolas was one of his closest friends—his only friends. Surely he knew things about Dain that could wound him just by being spoken aloud.

Dain nodded, then looked back at me. "I will listen to your petitions," he said with a smirk. "Think of something good to trade, though. There's only so many embarrassing stories a man can tolerate."

"Fair's fair," I said. "For every embarrassing story you let Zhiolas tell about you, I'll tell you one of my own."

His chin lifted, his ears coming forward and face going softer with what looked like genuine interest and pleasure.

Zhiolas laughed. "She knows your measure," he said. "The prince I know would never turn down that bargain."

"She's my soulmate. Of course she does," Dain said, looking at me with a momentary happiness that left my heart beating harder and my skin feeling flushed. "I accept, Leah. Why don't you watch the fights while we wash the sweat off? We'll come meet you when we're fit for polite company."

"My company's hardly polite," I said, smiling so that the racing of my heart wouldn't be so obvious, and so I might not end up as breathless as I'd been when caught in Zhiolas' eyes. "But I'll wait for you, anyway. Make sure you wash your face, you've got a little something-something," I added, tapping my cheek in the rough location of where he had a smear of what looked like blood.

His hand went up automatically to that spot on his face, his eyes not leaving mine. A smile tugged at one corner of his mouth. "You make me want to avoid washing my face," he purred at me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Zhiolas looking between us with a very satisfied expression. I guessed it was nice to see your aggressive soldier buddy unbend a little around someone. "Suit yourself," I said cheerfully. "You're the one who's gonna get acne. Zhiolas," I said, running right over Dain's protesting voice and giving his friend a deep nod.

"Your highness," he said, with great amusement, and bowed in return.

Feeling quite smug, I turned and sauntered off, back out towards the sounds of clashing swords and the thrum of magic.

19. Wedding Crashers

Chapter 19

Wedding Crashers