Page 37

FRIENDS

RAE

“Come on, big guy. Let me take her out!”

After another lesson with Amra, I said goodbye to Rinlora and turned as Ash approached with the woman I’d met in the hallway the other day. He kept his gaze on me while she continued to talk loudly at his side.

“Hey, Little Blackbird.” He wrapped a muscular arm around my waist and pulled me up against him, kissing me deeply. When he pulled away, he grinned. “Have a good morning?”

“Better now,” I said, looking down as my cheeks heated under the attention of our audience. “How was training?”

“Tiring. Ezra and Cyn wanted to stay longer, and Zeke didn’t want to leave without Cyn, so it’s just me. I’ll have to go back out once I take you home. Need to pick up a few things and send messages out to the guards at the northern wall.”

“That’s why I’m saying you need to let her come with me!”

Ash rolled his eyes. “Do you know her?”

I looked at the copper-haired woman and nodded. “Yeah. Kavina, right?”

“See! We’re friends.”

My brows rose.

“Doubtful.” Ash let me go and crossed his arms. “Do you want to go with her?”

“Where?”

Kavina turned her attention to me. “You’re going to the Divine Fortune Ball, right?”

I nodded.

“I thought I’d take you to get fitted for a dress.”

“I told her that Cyn’s mom already said she was going to take you into Alonia to do that later this week.”

“Yeah, but I need to go anyway. This saves Her Grace a trip.”

Ash tilted his head, considering Kavina’s words. He looked at me. “What do you think? It’s your dress.”

I looked between him and Kavina.

If Ash didn’t trust her, he wouldn’t ask if I wanted to go. He’d outright refuse. Not that he could stop me if I wanted to go, but I trusted his judgment.

“I mean, I have to get a dress…” I shrugged. “Might as well get it over with.”

“That’s the spirit. I hate dresses, but I want to get it over with, so we can commiserate together.”

“But you’ll look cute in a dress,” a guy said, throwing his arm around her shoulder.

Kavina shoved him off. “Maybe you, but not me.”

The guy pulled his face mask off and shook out his long, curly hair. He smiled brightly at me. “Hey, new girl.”

“She has a name, Jax,” Kavina said.

“Rae, yeah?”

“Yeah.”