Watcher above, her kiss was so warm and soft. Her mouth on his sent lightning tingling up to the top of his head, to his fingertips, sparking through his chest. She clutched his shirt, arching into him. Weysh broke off the kiss, but only to bury his nose against her neck and breathe deeply of the maddening scent of her. It went straight to the base of his brain, stirring something primal and possessive.

“You. Are. Mine,” he said, punctuating each word with a kiss along the column of her throat. He moved in for another taste of her mouth only to be shoved back. Hard.

He blinked, stunned. “What—”

“No,” Yenni said firmly.

“But your scent—”

“No,” she said again.

“All right. I apologize.” He’d never been more confused. He knew he was not mistaken about her scent, and yet she clearly told him no, so how could he argue?

“I am meant to marry, Weh-sheh.”

“So you’ve told me,” said Weysh, annoyed. “But do you even want to—”

“There you . . . are?”

Yenni whipped her head to the gate and then quickly skipped back, widening the gap between them. Weysh followed her gaze and saw Carmenna standing on the lantern-lit path, her eyes darting from Yenni to him. Weysh let out a whooshing breath. Apparently a demon of mischief was plaguing him. Of all the awful timing.

“I heard the news. About your exams,” she said to Yenni.

“Oh,” said Yenni. Her chest heaved up and down with heavy breaths.

“Yes,” said Carmenna, though she came no closer. “I came by to see you earlier, but you were out.”

Yenni swallowed. “Thank you for your concern.”

“Good evening, Carmenna,” said Weysh. Things were awkward enough without them pretending they didn’t exist to each other.

“Weysh,” she said, nodding back politely. She rubbed her upper arm. “Were you able to find a way to stay, Yenni Ajani?”

“I was. I’m to be a teaching assistant.”

“Oh! That’s wonderful! I’m so happy for you!” And Weysh could tell by the soapy, clean scent of relief that she was—but also a little not if that quick, sour whiff of disappointment, like milk gone off, was any indication.

“Well, I simply came by to see how you were. I have a lot do, so I’ll be on my way.” She curtsied to them. “Good night.”

“Good night, Carmenna,” said Yenni.

“Be well,” Weysh called after her as she hurried down the path so fast she was practically running.

“Thank you for a beautiful evening, Weh-sheh, but I must go.” Yenni bowed and hurried away almost as fast as Carmenna, slipping through the gate and into her residence. Weysh sighed, tipping his head back to the night sky. He’d been so close! What, by all that was holy, could he do convince her, his own Given, that they were meant to be?

“Kindly Watcher, why have you done this to me?” he muttered.

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