Cassius had no reply to that.

And it could be argued I ruined my clever statement by going on to mutter, “Though I wasn’t alone, I had Jasmine. Still. I think you understand my point.”

“I do indeed, Elena.”

“Good,” I replied. “Now will you slide off?”

He did not slide off.

“Cassius,” I prompted, lifting my hips a little to further communicate my request.

His response was to cup my jaw in his hand and murmur, “Cease doing that, lamb, it’s stirring.”

I grew very still to the point I wasn’t breathing.

I forced myself to breathe.

But that was it.

That said, the breath came uneasy, especially when his thumb started to stroke the edge of my bottom lip.

He was right.

Stirring.

I took it, liking it too much, confused by how much I liked it considering the state of play between us, and just when I was about to say something to stop it because I couldn’t bear it any longer without doing something about it that I might regret, he spoke.

“I’ll send a bird to Queen Ophelia tomorrow, informing her of our visit.”

I stared up at him through the dark.

He continued to stroke my lip, though it was no longer stirring.

Had he been present at all that night for either of our conversations?

Most precisely the parts about him making decisions without my consent?

“I’ll tell Mars and True in the morning,” he carried on making decisions. “Hera and Jasmine will ride with us, as will Mac and Ian. I’ll have to leave the rest of my men behind to make certain my father doesn’t do anything foolish while I’m away. But three Nadirii warriors and three Airen soldiers won’t have any trouble. Not in Wodell.”

Now I was not only breathing, I was deep breathing to control my anger.

“Bonus, you and I will have time to get to know one another much better without so many distractions. And you’ll have opportunities to have some time to yourself, which I sense is important to you. Last, by the time we arrive, Aelia very likely might be there and I’m eager to see her as I miss her.”

That first, I wasn’t sure I hoped for any longer.

The second might be considerate.

And the last was sweet.

But…

In order to perhaps not shout the tent down around us, something he didn’t like, but mostly something I didn’t have the energy to do at that time, I focused on something else.

“You’re thinking Mother will allow three Airenzian men into The Enchantments?”

“Yes.”

“Cassius—”

I ceased speaking and his thumb ceased stroking, both as he pressed his lips hard to mine.

I pressed my head hard to the pillow.