Page 150 of Death of a Mortal

Gods help me.

Chapter 35

Tomorrow Never Came

He had tobe joking.

“I can see you’re surprised. But I would like to keep you closer for your safety. Surely, after last night, you can understand why.”

“What if I say no?” Having Drayce as a roommate was…concerning. I’d at minimum need to stay away from wine. I’d come dangerously close last time to crossing a line I knew I shouldn’t cross with this male.

He raised an eyebrow at me. “You can say no. But I would ask that you stay here and give it a few days’ thought. I have to leave for a mission, so you’ll have the place to yourself starting tonight.”

“What about the optics? Won’t people…talk?” I walked over to the dining room table and leaned back against it.

“I didn’t realize you were one to care aboutoptics.”

“Well, at this point, nearly the entire base hates me, so not trying to give them any more fuel by shacking up with their leader and receiving preferential treatment.”

“Since I’m their leader, as you pointed out, they’ll go with what I say. And I say that you’re staying. That is, if you consent.”

I crossed my arms, not seeing how this solved anything with the rebels.

“I’ll stay for now until you get back.IfI consent, there will be ground rules.”

He laughed and threw his hands up in submission. “Naturally. You can take the room down the hall on the left. Make yourself at home and try not to burn the place down. It’s not much, but I’ve grown fond of it over the years.”

I summoned a ball of fire the size of my fist in one hand. “But I enjoy playing with fire.” Gods, Naci, stop flirting…

He shook his head with a sharp-toothed smile and headed toward the front door, but paused before he opened it, hand already outstretched for the knob. “You know, I think I forgot something.”

He turned and walked toward me, taking slow, deliberate steps, keeping his eyes glued to mine. The closer he got, the more I had to lean my head back to hold his sultry stare, making my neck and ears grow hot. He stopped mere inches from me, close enough that if he leaned down, we would…

Gods, was a kiss what he forgot? Was Drayce going to kiss me?

He slowly leaned down toward me, making me take in a sharp breath, the flames extinguishing from my hand.

“Don’t want to leave without this…” His lips were a breath away from mine as he reached behind me…

And grabbed a rolled-up map from the table while giving me a devilish smile, then stood up once more.

What a motherfucker. It felt like a bucket of ice had been dumped into my stomach.

He headed back toward the door, and when he opened it, Kaelor was there.

“What’s got you grinning like a schoolboy, Dray?”

“Let’s move,” was Drayce’s only reply. With a glance back at me over his shoulder, he was gone.

Gods, this male was frustrating, but I knew one thing for sure now.

I had wanted him to kiss me.

* * *

Since I hadn’tfinished my books for Sevrin yet, I had nowhere I needed to be until dinner, so I settled myself in the bedroom Drayce had pointed out. The room was larger than the one Nella and I shared in Briarstead, and it was the first time I’d ever had a room to myself other than my cell in Ashthorn’s dungeon. I’d, for sure, give Drayce a hard time when he got back about me staying here, but this room alone made it worth it.

The bed was perfectly made and twice as wide as my bunk in the barracks, complete with small tables on either side. A mirror taller than me was propped up in the corner next to a chest of drawers, a plush chair in the opposite corner pulled out from under a wooden desk.