Leonie's heart was still pounding wildly when they started back toward the others. It wasn't just because of the kiss, but because Dorian was still holding her hand as they walked. She kept stealing incredulous glances up at his face, wishing she could read his thoughts.
Dorian looked utterly calm. In reality, however, he was just as unsettled as she was. The kiss had carved itself deep into his soul, and he wanted more—much more. But he had to restrain himself. He knew very well Leonie wasn't ready. Not for physical intimacy, and not for letting him truly close or trusting him completely.
"Dorian," Leonie finally couldn't take it anymore and brought the blond elf to a halt. She had to know where they stood. They couldn't simply walk back into camp hand in hand and pretend nothing had happened.
"What happens now?" she asked, her face immediately turning the same shade as her hair. She felt unbearably awkward. She didn't want to seem hopelessly inexperienced, but she was, and there was no point trying to deny it.
Dorian, however—contrary to Leonie's worries—found it utterly endearing. Her flushed face, her lips still slightly swollen from his kiss, her messy hair, and above all the way she was so self-consciously flustered…
"You don't have to worry," he reassured her, stepping a little closer. "Whatever happens is what you want."
He caught a loose red curl and gently tucked it behind her back, "accidentally" letting his fingers brush along her shoulder.
"If you want to, we'll forget the whole thing," he said, and for a heartbeat a flicker of sadness crossed his gaze. "Or we can just keep traveling and let things happen the way they're meant to."
Leonie thought over the options he laid out. Forget it? How was she supposed to forget that kiss? She knew she would remember Dorian's gentle touch even on the day she died. Back in the baron's castle, the men had always been rough with her; she had almost come to believe she would never deserve anyone who was caring or tender.
"I don't think I could forget," she admitted, her face burning even hotter.
Dorian's smile turned quietly satisfied. It was exactly the answer he had wanted to hear, and yet it also unsettled him—how instinctively, how completely Leonie trusted him and allowed herself to be so vulnerable in front of him. He simply couldn't fathom how she had remained like this after growing up among monsters.
"Neither could I," he said. "And we'll figure out the rest along the way."
His tone was far more casual than the weight that actually dropped from his heart—and than the knot in his stomach when he thought about how he was going to protect her from his father's court and from the humans hunting them.
"Come on, it's time we left," he said with a smile, guiding her back toward the camp ahead of him.
When they arrived, every pair of eyes turned toward them, which made Leonie feel more and more uncomfortable.
"Well, well! We thought you two were lost," Marcus greeted them with a satisfied grin. He had been nagging Dorian for a week to talk to the girl; now he congratulated himself silently.
"I think we were right," Aeson chimed in loudly. "Those two are completely lost… in each other!" He jerked his chin in their direction.
Leonie's eyes flew wide, and she had no idea where to look. She didn't dare glance at Dorian, but she couldn't bring herself to look at the others either, so she ended up staring fixedly at the horses instead. She felt completely inept.
"Seriously, Aeson? That's the best you could come up with?" Marcus rolled his eyes, though he was clearly amused, just like the others.
Except for Xavier, who only muttered something disapproving under his breath, then stood and walked away. Dorian watched him go with furrowed brows but said nothing. Instead, he slid his right arm around Leonie's shoulders in a possessive gesture and led her to his midnight-black horse.
"You're riding with me today?" he asked quietly.
"If you'd like," she said, twisting her fingers together. Then she glanced at Marcus, who clutched dramatically at his heart and pretended to be mortally wounded.
That finally coaxed a smile out of her. Marcus could be so wonderfully ridiculous.
"I hope you all know what your job will be once we're home," Dorian said as he lifted Leonie onto the horse with an easy motion and swung up behind her just as gracefully. He didn't look at his friends, but his voice had the hard edge of a command—one everyone but Leonie understood.
"I think we already did," Filarion replied, bringing his horse alongside them and sending Leonie a gentle smile. Of course, they had all realized long ago how important she was. Not only because she was descended from a line of elves who might be the key to their future, but also because they all loved Dorian like a brother. For centuries, his suffering had been their suffering—and now that there was a glimmer of hope for his happiness, they all knew they would have to protect Leonie with their lives.
"Good. Then we can go," Dorian said, satisfied, and slipped his arm around Leonie's waist as he urged his horse forward. The others followed suit.
"What's their job?" Leonie asked over her shoulder, curious. She hated it when the elves talked over her head like she wasn't there.
"To protect you, no matter what," Nir chirped.
Leonie's eyes widened, and a slow dread began to creep up her chest. Every passing day, the thought of her reception in the elven court weighed on her more heavily—but was it really going to be that bad?
"There's nothing to be afraid of," Dorian murmured into her ear when he felt her body tense.
It had quite the opposite effect; she went even more rigid. His breath against her ear brought their kiss crashing back into her mind… There simply wasn't room in her head for this many thoughts and feelings at once.
"I–I'm not… not afraid," she stammered, and magic tingled down her spine.
"Well, you're a couple now, so we're basically your bodyguards. Since Dorian's the king, that makes you—" Nir began matter-of-factly, and Dorian growled. He was very seriously considering wringing the boy's neck.
"What are you talking about?" Leonie almost squeaked. She had no idea what shocked her more—that Nir had just described them as a couple, or that he had casually called Dorian a king.
"Dorian," she said in disbelief.
"Let me explain." Now it was Dorian's turn to tense. "According to my title, yes, I'm called a king. But I don't rule our people. I've been in command of the army for three hundred years, and I don't concern myself with the throne. My father is the one who governs—his word is law."
He fell silent and gave her time to absorb his words. He wished she would say something. Had he ruined everything again? Was she going to pull away because of another secret?
"All right," Leonie whispered after half a minute.
"All right?" Dorian sucked in a sharp breath between his teeth. He must have misheard.
"All right," she repeated.
Maybe the kiss had knocked some sense out of her. After all, she was young and had never experienced anything like this before. The fact that Dorian was literally the king of a people was shocking, of course, but in light of everything that had happened over the past weeks, she no longer knew what she should or shouldn't be surprised about.
She should at least be surprised by the fact that Dorian hadn't protested when Nir had called them a couple. The thought warmed her in a strange, fluttering way. A couple. The word filled her with an odd, glowing heat.
She leaned back against his chest and closed her eyes.
Dorian rested his chin on the top of her head.