“You giving me orders, mage?”
“Mmhm.”
“There’s that silver tongue I fell in love with.”
His eyes shot open with surprise at that, and she smiled sleepily down at him, her chin resting on his chest. The wondering smile on his face only made hers widen … then he brushed her cheek with his fingertips. “Still not used to seeing you smile.”
“Well, you’d bettergetused to it. Especially if you plan on doing that again.” She nodded towards the bath, and his grin widened.
“Iinsiston doing that again.” He hesitated for just a moment, those gray eyes darkening. “Provided I’m staying.”
“You are.”
“But if—”
“Youare,” she said again, pinning him with a glare that made him quail enough to mollify her. “I’ll petition the Queen herself if I have to.”
“You’re sure you want me to.” His voice suddenly sounded small. “After everything, you’re sure…”
“I trust you,” she said simply, knowing without even having to think that it was true. “I know who you are, Cato, and I trust you.”
He closed his eyes for a moment, clearly overcome… and then they were open again and he was kissing her with the same fierce, fervent love as before. He was right to worry, of course. It was a complicated situation, put lightly, and if Cato was going to make amends for his crimes and find a place among the dragons here… well, they’d have mountains to move. And Acantha smiled against her soulmate's lips, just before she lost herself again in the rising heat of their embrace.
Moving mountains sounded like exactly the kind of challenge she was ready for.
*****
THE END