Surprise cut through Kheir's chest—his or Maia's or both. She lifted her head, looking at Az over the back of the sofa.
"Right," Bryon muttered. "I'm leaving if you don't need me until tomorrow."
Kheir tilted his head, watching the man leave, and his golden wings twitched against his back.
"Don't even think about it," Maia warned when Bryon had left and Az took a step towards the door, too. "No work, no more obsessing over the map when Zamanya already plotted our route, anddefinitelyno training. You're going to pass out if you keep going, Azrail Plunaron."
Kheir's mouth curled. He loved seeing her bossy side, especially when it was trained on someone else.
Azrail crossed his arms over his dark shirt, looking surly enough that it was clear he had been planning to throw himself into more work.
"Food," Maia ordered. "And then sleep. Maybe with a slight detour," she added as Jaromir's hand glided up her calf, the shifter's eyes smoky with desire.
"I'll hunt down something to eat," Ark offered, leaning over the back of the sofa to kiss Maia, longer and deeper than usual. He was getting bolder around them, the stiffness in how he held himself fading bit by bit. "Don't start without me, my highness," he warned.
"Never, Arkie," she promised, a cheeky glint in her eye.
Ark narrowed his eyes but moved for the door, his steps understandably swift. Kheir would never have offered to pick up food; he refused to be parted from his mate's side. Ark was a nobler male than him, that was for sure.
"We're not all going to fit on the sofa," Maia warned as Kheir's hands began to explore and Jaro slid up her body with all the grace of a cat.
"We'll make it work, sweetheart," Az purred, getting on his knees in front of her. "Don't you worry about that."