Page 39 of On Silver Winds
As Mareda rose from her bow, he took a small step backward and craned over her head. He was saying something, apparently speaking to the Queen and her eldest daughter – so, Adeline thought it rather rude that he still held her gaze so firmly from across the room even if she couldn’t quite bring herself to look away. Until a serving boy emerged to her right and hurried forward to present his tray to the King.Ah, right,she thought, as the King selected a glass goblet for her sister, and one for her mother.
“That’s him, then?” came a familiar voice.
Gerard appeared at her side.
“I suppose it must be,” said Adeline, still staring. She frowned slightly. “That’s not what he looked like when I met him.”
“Well, sure. If he’d turned up looking half as devastating as he does right now,they’d have had no choice but to let him in.”
“Mmm,” she returned, still watching distractedly as the King nodded politely at something Mareda said, hands folded behind his stiff, straight back.
“Don’t mind me, I’ll wait,” said Ger. “We can exchange pleasantries whenever you’re done ogling.”
Hearing the smirk in her friend’s voice, she finally turned to grin at him, and found her grin mirrored in the boyishly handsome face she knew so well. He lunged without warning, and a squeal escaped her as he pulled her into a ferocious embrace.
“Hello, gorgeous,” Gerard growled. His signature bone-grinding hug squeezed the little air from her lungs that hadn’t been crushed out by her bodice.
“Ow, Ger, my dress,” she wheezed.
Gerard let go, and stepped back. His eyes bulged unashamedly and even though it had beenyearssince she’d craved his attention like that, she couldn’t help the ghost of the blush that rose to her cheeks.
“Daughters fuck me sideways,” he exclaimed.
“Ger!”
“Are yousurethat’s a dress? Is some of itmissing?”
Adeline tried to nudge him in the ribs, but he dodged her elbow and grabbed at her hands, spinning her out in front of him.
“I’m teasing, you look beautiful.” He bit his lip. “In fact, I may have made an awful mistake, not proposing when I had the chance. You may have given me some thinking to do–”
“Think all you want love, it’s never going to happen.”
“Never going to happenagain, you mean? I’m almost certain that’s what you said the first time, too.”
She reached up and ruffled the tousled sandy blonde hair that he had clearly spent some time arranging. Ger cried out and dodged her again, grumbling about a truce. A serving girl passed by and he took two tall glasses from her tray, toasting to their temporary peace.
It was for the best; they did have a tendency to regress around one another, and Adeline was supposed to be the portrait of royal grace and poise tonight. Perhaps it hadn’t been the wisest idea to send that invitation to the barracks, but she couldn’t find it in herself to regret it. As she said in the letter she’d sent him that afternoon; she missed her best friend.
“Thanks for coming,” Adeline told him. “No Gard duties tonight?”
He scoffed.
“I swapped with Bryony. An invitation to court? A front row seat to the social debut of thelegendaryMerrow King? Wouldn’t miss it. Plus, you know, I missed you too I suppose.”
Adeline nudged him with her hip, and he conceded with a warm arm slung around her shoulders. And it was easy,soeasy to fall back into their comfortable, tender dynamic. No matter how many weeks or months it had been since they’d last seen each other. No matter whom may have broken who’s heart, however many years ago.
“What is this?” Ger said, smacking his lips at a sip of his drink. “It’s delicious.”
Adeline looked down into her glass. It was clear and cool and smelled of the sharp, sweet fruits Silas had served her every morning of that warm summer in Dhalias.
“I’m not sure,” she said, then gestured at the room at large. “It’s all a bit different tonight. I think it’s supposed to be a way to welcome the King, you know? Water instead of ice.”
Ger looked around. “Oh it’s atheme. Okay. Silk and lights to look like water, sure. You’ve lost me at the brown sugar all over the floor though.”
Adeline spluttered hard into her drink.
“It’s sand, you twit.”
