Page 355 of Elemental Becoming

And before that, hadn’t Lyra teased him about sneaking off with someone after one of our nights at the pub near the outpost?

I tap my fingers against the stem of my glass. If Kieran had feelings for me, wouldn’t I have noticed? Wouldn’t he have said something? Or maybe I had never thought to look.

“Amara, love, your shields are down.” Thane chuckles, the sound low, rich with amusement.

I freeze mid-thought. Shit.

“You heard all of that.”

“I did.”

I groan and rub a hand over my forehead.

“I forget to keep them up when I’m here. When it’s just us,” I admit.

A quiet satisfaction settles into his expression.

“Our quarters,” he corrects.

I pause. Then a smile finds its way onto my face.

“Our quarters,” I echo.

He’s right. I stopped living out of a bag long ago. My clothes hang in the wardrobe, my weapons rest on the walls and across the desk, my oils and soaps line the tub in the bathing chambers.

At some point, without even realizing it, I had settled in.

Thane extends a hand toward me, palm up.

“Come here, my zephyr.”

I reach out, placing my hand in his. He pulls me firmly, though gently, drawing me out of the chair.

He guides me effortlessly into his lap, his arms wrapping around me as though I belonged there all along. I settle against him, drawn into the warmth of his body and the certainty of his presence. His arms tighten around me, keeping me close as I rest my head against his shoulder.

“How do I navigate this?” I ask softly.

I don’t have to explain. Thane knows exactly what I mean.

Kieran.

Especially now, with everything we’ve just learned. With the possibility that his family has been connected to the truth about the Shadow Clan for generations.

Thane presses a kiss to my temple, his arms strong around me.

“Gently,” he murmurs. “You have to be gentle with him.”

He exhales, his breath stirring my hair.

“I imagine getting over you isn’t easy.” His voice is low, thoughtful. “I hope I never have to try.”

Something soft unfurls in my chest. The words settle deep, lingering in the quiet between us. I close my eyes for a moment, letting myself feel them.

Then I lean back just enough to look at him.

“Are you saying you wouldn’t recover?”

A hint of amusement touches his expression, but his hold onme never loosens.