Attes adjusted his sword as he helped himself to the seat in front of the desk. “Is she a godling who already called Lethe home?”
Irritation burned on my tongue. To sit and be spoken about as if I were not in the room was the height of infuriating.
“No,” Nyktos said.
Attes raised an eyebrow. “Then where did you find her?”
I’d just told Nyktos that I knew when to be reserved. This was one of those moments. A Primal sat before us. That alone was a precarious position to be in. So, I kept reminding myself of that as I searched for the veil of emptiness inside me, the one that allowed me to feel nothing—not even anger—and to justexist. I’d worn it so often that it almost felt like it had truly become who I was. But I struggled to find it.
I had a feeling it had to do with the hand on my leg.
“I found her in a lake.”
Attes’s brows snapped together. “I’m really hoping you’ll elaborate on that.”
“In my lake.” I spoke then, unable to stop myself. “He was—” I inhaled sharply as Nyktos shifted his legs, drawing my backside more fully against his lower stomach. Nyktos’s finger began to move, drawing a short line along myinner thighnow.
“He was…?” Attes prodded, his gaze lowering to where Nyktos’s hand had disappeared. Suddenly, I knew why Nyktos had felt the need to apologize ahead of time for his behavior. Everything he was doing was in plain sight of Attes. Nyktos was making it very clear that I washis.
The problem was, I didn’t entirely mind it.
Which presented another problem since my lack of disgust over this meant there was truly something wrong with me, and I would really need to think long and hard about that later.
“He was trespassing while I was swimming,” I managed.
A brow rose as Attes glanced between us. “I think I need to visit more lakes in the mortal realm.”
“You should,” Nyktos suggested. “Though I doubt you will find such unexpected treasure as I did.”
Treasure? There was a silly jump in my chest that happened before I could remind myself that if I took away the embers, atreasurewas the very last thing Nyktos thought I was.
“Sadly, I think you may be right,” Attes said after a moment. “I doubt I shall find a treasure as…unique.”
Nyktos’s finger halted. There was something in Attes’s tone and the slight, almost secretive smile that graced his lips—something that caused tiny balls of unease to form in the pit of my chest.
“What’s your name?” Attes asked, his thumb tapping the arm of the chair.
Nyktos said nothing behind me, so I took that as permission to answer. “Sera.”
“Sera,” he repeated in a low voice. “No last name?”
It was doubtful that he could find many in the mortal realm who would recognize my first name. The last would be an entirely different story. I gave a coy shrug.
“Intriguing,” he remarked. “I think the others will understand why you’ve taken a Consort once they see her.” The Primal gave a slow grin, showing off that dimple in his right cheek. He winked at me. “I have a feeling many of them will find themselves wishing to adorn themselves with such an alluring accessory.”
Anger gathered in my chest for a second before Nyktos’s arms gave a warning squeeze. I’d likely projected that emotion right down his throat. Because…anaccessory? There wasn’t enough common sense in the entire realm of Iliseeum for me to keep my mouth shut. “I doubt you prefer the taste of eyes more than your steed, but refer to me as anaccessoryagain, and it will be you who feeds on them.”
The moment those words left my mouth, I almost regretted them. The Primal of Accord and War went impossibly still in the same way Nyktos often did. His glowing, silver eyes fixed on me. Icy, dark energy ramped up, brushing against my skin as it built frombehindme. I was suddenly unsure which Primal I’d angered more.
Attes smiled, revealing straight teeth and fangs. “This one has bite.”
“You have no idea,” Nyktos murmured, and my head whipped toward him. His eyes briefly met mine as that damn hand slippeddeeperbetween my thighs. His thumb gave a swipe, nearly brushing the thin undergarment there. “Behave.”
I drew back, my restraint cracking again.
“Has Veses seen her yet?”
Veses. My attention snapped back to Attes as the memory of the Primal touching Nyktos filled my thoughts.