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    *****


    ELRETH


    Something about going to bed in the middle of the day had never sat well with Elreth. So when she got into the Cave, she pulled one of the rugs up onto the lounge in the Great Room andid down on it. Her head was spinning, and her stomach a little sick after that conversation. She didn''t think she''d get to sleep easily. But to her surprise, she remembered nothing else until she heard the door creak open.


    "Elreth? El?"


    The voice was deep. But not as familiar as Aaryn. Or her family. It dragged her out of sleep. She needed to open her eyes. There might be an emergency. She was Queen now. Those things happened. She yawned and stretched, then blinked.


    She wasying on her side on the lounge, her head on one of the cushions, facing the door when she opened her eyes—then gasped.


    Dargyn knelt in front of her, smiling, one of his hands extended toward her shoulder. "Hey."


    "Oh my gosh, did I sleep through dinner?" she said, pushing up to sit.


    "No, no, you''re fine. I just wanted toe see how it went this afternoon," Dargyn said, still crouched in front of her. Still smiling.


    He really was huge. Even bent in on himself like that, crouching in front of her, their eyes were on a level. "What—uh, thank you, I guess?" she said running her hand through her hair and looking around. "What time is it?"


    "Dinner''s pretty soon. I wanted to see if you wanted a…panion to get to the meal."


    Elreth sucked in a breath and chased away thest of the sleep clouding her mind.


    Dargyn stayed kneeling, but she realized then just how close he was. She blinked at him and tilted her head. "I''ve made it to every dinner of my life without help walking, Dargyn. Why are you really here?" she asked quietly.


    Her voice was hushed because she felt like she was confronting him. And she didn''t want to embarrass him.


    But, far from embarrassed, Dargyn ran a hand up her arm and said, "You caught me. I… I really just wanted a chance to be alone with you."


    His eyes locked on hers and she stared back, trying to figure out what to say.


    But apparently Dargyn took herck of response as an invitation, because before she knew what was happening, he leaned in and kissed her.


    It was gentle and sweet, and the way he cupped her face showed her that he knew what he was doing.


    But it felt all wrong.


    Elreth put a hand to his chest to push him back, and he stopped kissing her, though there was a sh behind his eyes as he leaned away. "Sorry," he said, his voice a low grumble that, when coupled with those incredible eyes and his dark hair, lit something in her belly. "I thought we were on the same page," he said.


    "I… no. I''m not on that page, Dargyn," she said baldly.


    He slumped and she felt terrible about the look of disappointment on his face. But did she imagine there was also a hint of… annoyance?


    "I think it''s good you came, Dargyn," she said quietly. "I think we should get something sorted out."


    *****


    AARYN


    He''d been torturing himself all day, nning to catch her at dinner. But then he realized they wouldn''t be able to talk there, either, because she''d have everyone so close. So he''d picked himself up by the balls and headed over the cave. He wanted to know how things had gone with the Security Council… and he needed to see her. To figure out if there was still any chance of… them. Or if she wasn''t ever going to forgive him for leaving her like that.


    But as soon as he stepped out into the meadow, he saw Gar who must have just left his Tree House and was trotting across the grass towards him.


    "Aaryn!"


    "Hey! You''re back."


    "Since… yesterday? I''m not sure. How''s it going, brother?" They shared a brief hug and Gar pped him on the back so hard he had to swallow a cough.


    "It''s been… quite a week. Did you hear about Elreth and your Dad?"


    "Yeah, she came and talked to me yesterday. Or was it this morning? I don''t know. I''ve been sleeping too much. Anyway, I know what''s going on and…" he nced uneasily towards the cave. "I''m thinking you probably don''t want to disturb her now. She''s got a meeting going on. Did you want toe over to my ce instead?"


    Aaryn frowned. It wasn''t like Gar to be hospitable. He''d was more likely to interrupt whatever Royal meeting Elreth was in to steal her food, charming everyone on his way through, and as he left.


    And the way he kept looking at the mouth of the cave.


    "Gar, what''s going on?" Aaryn asked in a low growl.


    "Nothing! I''m just d to be back and I wanted to see if you''d had a chance to talk to Elreth yet—"


    The sound of the mming door cracked across the meadow and Aaryn turned. He''d had his back towards the cave, but now he watched as the tall, dark Dargyn, his hair tousled and shirt rumpled, stepped out of the shadows of the cave mouth and into the afternoon sun.


    Aaryn growled in his throat and Gar put a hand to his shoulder and muttered, "I''m sure it''s not as bad as it looks."


    "I''m not," Aaryn seethed.


    "Well, hi!" Dargyn said as he crossed the grass towards them, his long limbs swinging easily. "I wasn''t expecting a weing party," he chuckled.


    Aaryn red, but Gar nodded at the male and smiled. To Aaryn it looked forced though.


    "What are you doing here?" Gar asked ndly.


    Aaryn awaited the answer with a certain degree of tension. But nothing could have prepared him for the spear that would fly right into his chest as Dargyn grinned, shed those eyes he had that all the females loved, and said, "Kissing the Queen."


    And then, as Aaryn gaped, the prick winked.