Fyon Hawkkyn’s silver eyes widen, his lips parting in evident astonishment. Then a wide smile forms on his mouth and he laughs.

He’s quite handsome when he smiles, I realize. In the whole time he was my professor, I rarely saw him smile, and never like this. Mora hops onto the banister, her legs dangling as she levels her own broad, dazzling smile at him, her expression turning playful.

“So, may I take you to the gardens this eve?” Professor Hawkkyn asks, as if both dazed and overcome with elated emotion.

“No, Fee,” she says, a sultry edge entering her voice. “Not tonight. I need to watch over the children. But you may take me there tomorrow night on Xishlon, when a first kiss is a special Xish’nir blessing.”

Professor Hawkkyn swallows. “You’ll kiss me then?”

“Oh, Fee,” Mora says, lowering her voice to a more intimate register. “I will kiss you many, many times.”

Another low laugh bursts from Professor Hawkkyn as he stands blinking at Mora’lee, his expression full of almost disbelieving awe.

“I would kiss you now, Mora,” he offers, a tad breathlessly.

“That would be nice, Fee,” she says. “But delayed pleasure can be so gratifying. And we’re just in time for Vo’s Xish’nir blessing. So, kiss me in the Voling Garden Wisteria grove tomorrow eve. We’ve been friends for so long.” She shrugs, biting her lip as if in delicious anticipation. “Tomorrow night, we’ll see if we have a taste for each other.”

Professor Hawkkyn holds out his hand, and Mora’lee grows serious, almost shy, as she takes it. She slides off her perch, an intensity flaring in her eyes that matches his as Professor Hawkkyn gently lifts her hand, keeping his eyes on hers, and presses his lips to the back of it.

I draw back, abashed to be witnessing this private moment between them, even as I grapple with the possibility of Professor Hawkkyn finding me.

He won’t come in here, I reassure myself. Why would he? He didn’t enter this way.

“You should go, Fyon,” Mora says softly. “Because if you stand here for too much longer, there’s no way I’ll be able to keep from kissing you. Come for me tomorrow after we close.” A smile brightens her face, her playful ebullience returning as he releases her hand and she moves toward the ship’s prow. She pauses, looking to him with heated affection. “Get some sleep, Fee. I need to check on my passengers. You don’t need to moon over me so. I’ve always been sweet on you.” Then she turns and strides off.