Chapter 199: Not ready yet
AYLA
For the first time, I had slept without dreaming.
I woke up to the soft chirping of birds and a pale morning sky. The air was cool against my skin and there was an arm wrapped securely around my waist.
I smiled.
Last night had been amazing.
We had simply talked with Damon regaling me with tales about their childhood and Cassian unhealthy fear of ants.
Cassian insisted it was very well exaggerated and he had retaliated by telling an embarrassing story about Damon and the one time he had been afraid of his own shadow.
Ares did not have any embarrassing tale.
According to Cassian and Damon, he had always been so serious even as a child.
We had even reached a point where we were no longer talking about anything at all... just reveling in each other’s company and staring at the stars.
It was beautiful.
For the first time since I returned from Emberfall, I had not felt that strange trepidation that seemed to follow me everywhere.
I had simply slept and that realization made my smile grow.
I slowly turned my head to my right.
Ares’ black hair had fallen messily around his face, some of it covering his forehead. He looked almost nothing like the terrifying blood prince everyone feared.
Although, somehow, he still managed to look serious even while sleeping.
I bit back a laugh.
How was that possible?
I watched him for another moment, my eyes softening.
To my left, Cassian was pressed against my side, and I realized with a jolt that I was using his hand as a pillow.
His silver-white hair was scattered across the grass, making him look almost ethereal... beautiful in a way that stole my breath. A small frown creased his forehead, and I wanted to reach up and smooth it away.
At my feet, I felt the weight of Damon’s arms wrapped around my ankles,I shifted my gaze downward. I could not see his face from where I lay, but the sight of him curled around my legs made something warm bloom inside my chest.
I had never imagined I would wake up like this.
Surrounded by people who loved me and had gone out of their way to make me feel safe.
I closed my eyes for a moment, wanting to remain in that feeling and keep it forever.
"You are up." a muffled voice reached me.
I opened my eyes and turned to my right.
Ares still had his eyes closed but I could see the smile on his face.
His green eyes slowly fluttered open and I immediately forgot what I had been about to say.
He looked...stunning.
His eyes were brighter in the morning light, his hair was a complete mess and yet, somehow, that only made him more attractive.
He caught me staring.
"What?"
"Nothing." I blinked. "You sleep like a baby."
Ares chuckled. "Excuse me?"
"I was having the time of my life, watching you."
His arm tightened around my waist, and he pulled me against his chest.
I squealed softly.
"Ares." I chided him. "You are going to wake them."
"Already awake."
Another voice called from my feet.
I turned, my cheeks heating, and found him propped up on his elbows, his hair falling loose around his face, the careful ponytail of the night before long gone.
He looked like he had been dragged through a hedgerow and back, and he had never looked more beautiful... that dangerous, bad-boy beauty.
"Oh," I said. "Hi."
"Hi yourself, princess." His grin was slow and wicked.
Cassian shifted beside me, groaning, and flung an arm over his eyes. "What is the ruckus?"
"Ruckus?" Damon’s voice was dry. "It is morning."
Cassian groaned again and I giggled.
He slowly moved his arm and popped open one blue eye in my direction.
"Sleep well?" he asked.
"Amazingly, thank you." I looked at all three of them. Thank you to all of you for doing this. I have not felt this peacefully in days."
"It is our pleasure, Ayla." Ares rose to his feet in one fluid motion and offered me his hand.
I took it, and he pulled me up. I stretched, feeling the stiffness leave my body.
Damon rose to his feet.
"We need to return the princess to her room before anyone notices she is missing."
"Urgh. No." I groaned. "I want to live here, in this grove, forever."
Cassian sat up, his smile soft. "We can always come back here. Our own little cave away from everything."
My throat constricted. I nodded, not trusting my voice at first. "
Yes," I managed. "I would like that very much."
"Come on. Time to take you back." Damon stepped forward.
Ares drew me to him, then he leaned down and kissed my forehead.
"See you later." he murmured.
"See you." I smiled.
I turned toward Cassian who was still sitting on the grass and I bent down and kissed his cheek. He caught my hand before I could straighten and kissed my knuckles.
"See you" I murmured.
He nodded at me.
I straightened and followed Damon.
The walk back was silent.
I was very aware of him and my thoughts kept drifting back to the previous night. To his mouth on my breast, the way he had looked at me with his lips slick and his eyes burning. And the promise in his voice when he said we would pick this up next time.
Once he glanced at me, and I felt the heat climb my neck, and I looked away, and I knew he saw it.
I swallowed.
Why was I suddenly so aware of everything he did?
My heart kept beating a little faster as we neared my chambers.
We both stopped in front of it at the same time.
"So..." I cleared my throat, looking up at him.
"So." He smiled.
"I should go in."
"You should," he agreed but neither of us moved.
The silence stretched and I could feel my pulse in my throat.
When I could not take it anymore, I turned around, my hand reaching for the door knob.
Before I could open it, Damon moved.
He spun me around, his hand coming up on either side of my head, caging me between his arms.
His body was close enough that I could feel the warmth of him through my gown.
"No goodbye kiss for me?" he smirked.
My heart was pounding and I wanted to close the distance, to reach up and pull him down to me, to find out exactly what his mouth tasted like but a throat cleared in the hallway.
Amara stood several feet away.
Her expression was disapproving. She looked between Damon and me.
"I must be interrupting something," Amara said.
Damon inclined his head slightly, not moving or pulling back.
"Yes, you..." he began.
"No!" I cut in quickly. "Nothing at all."
Damon turned back to him, his eyes glittering with mirth. He leaned forward.
"Coward," he said, low enough that only I could hear.
Then he released me and stepped back.
"See you around, princess."
Then he walked away.
I stood there watching him, my chest was hammering.
I turned to find that Amara was still staring at me, her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Men, am I right?" she approached.
"What?" I asked, still breathless.
"We need to continue your training." She said instead. "You must master and advance your powers, Ayla."
"Yes, I know that." I muttered. "But I am just not ready yet."
Amara’s eyes dimmed.
She opened her mouth, as if to push, but then thought better of it.
"Okay," she said. "You should rest, then."
"Thank you," I murmured.
The smile she gave me was strained. She nodded once and backed away from me, disappearing down the corridor.