A Court of Innocents

37: Tranquility

I froze. Not at the accusation of the question, but at the steadiness of the words. As if he had said that word before, as if—

"How long have you known?"

His mouth tugged up in a smirk. "Longer than you." He said it with such unwavering confidence that I had to wonder... "Please," he said. "I've been wanting to hear this story for a while now."

"Exactly how long ago did you figure it out?" How long had he known that I felt the bond between us, the golden thread that tugged with each breath?

"When we'd dined together in Hollin. When I did this—" he sent a gentle caress down the bond, and I felt it like a brush of his hand against my cheek— "and you didn't panic, wondering what that sensation was. When your only response was to kiss me through the bond, as if you'd been aware of its presence for a while now."

"Was that why you had the urge to whisk me away from the Day Court?"

"Forgive me if I wanted a few moments to gather myself with my mate."

My mate. I could get used to Tamlin saying those words, and the way they made my toes curl in my heels.

He looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to provide answers.

"I'll tell you everything, but first," I said, deciding something at the last moment, "do we have any food?"

He snorted. "Hungry now, are we?"

"Something like that."

He brought me into the kitchen without another word. It was spacious and open. Branches of ivy hung from the tops of cupboards, potted flowers decorated marble countertops, the dishes all shades of pastel. It was like the Spring Court had thrown up in here.

I loved every square inch of it.

I moved to the fridge, discovering dried meats and fresh vegetables inside. Someone had been living here recently. "Um... whose apartment is this?"

He leaned against the entryway, watching me rummage through the cupboards. "The penthouse belongs to the Higher Circle."

"Higher Circle?" I repeated introspectively, albeit slightly cynically. I gathered two tomatoes, mixed greens, reduction of balsamic, and enough mozzarella to feed an army.

"The Night Court has its Inner Circle; I have mine," Tamlin explained, watching me dance around the kitchen with light in his eyes. "It consists of my two best army generals, my emissary for the mortal lands, me... and Lucien. Or at least, it did until a year ago, before he left. But we've been saving room for my new Second in Command to join us."

I couldn't keep from smiling at that. There was ample life for me within his crowd, his court, his life. "But... Higher Circle?"

"Is there something wrong with that name?"

Everything was wrong with that name, and when I imagined a group of the wealthiest men in all of Spring gathering to drink whiskey and calling themselves higher than everyone else, I cringed. "I'd love to be a part of it, but we're changing the name."

"I'm fine to call it anything, but there will be a few complaints—"

"Then they can consider it my first official decree as your Second." I gave him a defiant smirk, and he again surprised me when his own smile simply grew.

There was no frustration in his voice, only amusement as he said, "You have no idea how long I've been waiting for you, Yara Vanserra."

Heat spread in my chest, pricking the back of my eyes. I returned to tossing the salad.