Selene looked down with a small sigh. “So it has come to this. War will really be upon us.”

“Yes. But we will be ready, the best way we can be.”

“Still, there is no guarantee of victory.”

Damien glanced away. “No, there isn’t. But at least we have the gifts of five of the seven houses.”

“Five?”

Damien looked back. “Yes. House Rafel declined signing the treaty. So that leaves my house, Luceras, Merek, most likely Vivek. And you.”

She raised one eyebrow. “I’m not sure what help my gift will be, unless you plan on using my abilities in the same way my mother employs hers.”

He shook his head. “No. There is another purpose for your dreamwalking. Perhaps we can discover it together.” More than anything he had faith in that, despite the shadow across his heart. A muffled bell rang beyond the walls, signaling dinner would be served soon. They both glanced toward the aisle that led to the door and stood. Selene placed the book on the table and headed for the exit.

“Wait, Selene.” He reached out and gripped her elbow.

She turned around, a puzzled look on her face.

“I missed you.”

Her eyes softened, and a smile crept across her lips. “I missed you too.”

Before he could stop himself, Damien gathered her into his arms. She stiffened for a moment, then slowly moved her arms around his waist. He turned his head and breathed in the scent of her hair, some kind of attractive smell he could not place. Floral, maybe? His lips followed her cheek and jaw, but never touched her skin until he found her mouth, then he pressed his lips to hers.

She responded by tightening her hold around him and kissing him back.

He never wanted to let go. Her body was warm and solid within his arms, as if she had been made to fit there. And her lips tasted like sweet wine. This was what he’d dreamed of during his absence.

The bell rang again.

Reluctantly he pulled away. He didn’t want them to be late. And he hadn’t had a chance yet to change. “We should probably get ready for dinner.”

Her eyes appeared even darker in the dim firelight. “All right. I’ll see you then.”

She slowly drew away and slipped around the corner like a spirit. Damien stood there, staring at the edge of the bookshelf where she had disappeared, a trembling inside his chest.

Yes, Selene was filling the hole inside his heart his family had left behind. But there was still a fear there, a fear of losing those he loved. There was a strong possibility that could happen. Selene had a mark on her set by her own house. He doubted Lady Ragna would give up her hunt for her eldest daughter. And when war broke out, Selene would be a target—both as a member of House Maris and House Ravenwood.

But he couldn’t leave her here, in the safety of Northwind Castle. He felt certain she had a part to play in the upcoming conflict. Every house would be needed in order to push back the empire. The coalition would need her gift of dreamwalking, if they could figure out the original purpose of the gift. And when that moment came, he would have to let her go and leave her in the protection of the Light.