Before I Let Go (Skyland #1)(32)

“Of course.” She nodded and wiped her hands on her cream apron. “Whose tab are we putting this on? Yours or Thalia’s?” She grinned as she looked back and forth between them, but they were too busy looking at each other with smirks on their faces to notice.

“Evren’s.” Sorin wrapped his arm around me and pulled my chair closer to him, the sound of wood scraping against the floor ringing out through the pub. “We are out with his mate. He might as well pay. Don't you think?”

I opened my mouth in shock, but Lis only laughed as if this was the best idea she ever heard. “Of course, it’s nice to meet you, Starblessed. I've heard so much about you already.”

I was caught off guard by her, but I quickly recovered. “It's nice to meet you as well, but please call me Adara and please don't get any information from the wild ideas these two share with you.” I hiked my thumbs in the direction of my two companions and both of them started with laughter.

“Don't worry, Adara.” She shook her head. “I haven't trusted these two in years.”

I liked her instantly. She smiled one last time before she walked away from the table and back toward the bar to get our wine.

“I cannot believe you just did that.”

“Why not?” Thalia nodded and tapped her fingers against the table. “The prince owes me.”

They both smiled, and I wondered if Evren would have been the same if he were here. I wanted to see him like this, to see him carefree with his friends, to see him living life.

It was all I could think about. My desperation for him to be here, to see him alive and not in danger. How could I hate someone if I cared so deeply for their safety? When they were so willing to risk so much because they cared for my own?

“Here you go.” Lis set the wine down in front of us, and I reached out quickly for a glass.

I brought the deep amber liquid to my mouth, and a small moan left my lips at the taste. “Oh my gods. This is divine.”

“I told you.” Sorin lifted his own drink and brought it to his lips.

I watched the people around us. Each one of them were laughing and singing and enjoying their night. I slowly sipped my wine as I watched them and thought about how fearful I had been of this kingdom. I thought of all the histories I had been told and how none of them appeared to be true. That was a hard truth to face. Everything that I thought I knew was wrong.

Was everything my mother had ever told me a lie?

I was still contemplating that thought, thinking of how foolish I felt, when a large man stopped at our table. His beard was full and his smile even fuller, and he was staring straight at me.

“Come on, you.” He waved me up from the table. “You can't just stay here with these two bores. Let me spin you around the floor.”

Sorin laughed, and I looked back and forth between them as a smile formed on my lips.

“Since when did you learn to dance? Last time I checked you had nothing but two left feet.” Sorin leaned back and rested his arm along the back of my chair.

The man rolled his eyes before winking at me. There was a softness to his smile, so I scooted out my chair and avoided looking at Sorin when his gaze flew to me. Instead, I put my hand to the man's outstretched one. “Let's prove him wrong.”

The man chuckled and pulled me into him, his grip strong, and I laughed and almost tripped over my own two feet. But he pulled me toward the dance floor and spun me around quickly until I had no choice but to stop overthinking and just enjoy dancing with this man.

“Two left feet.” He scoffed. “That boy doesn't have a damn clue what he's talking about.” He took my hand in his and spun me out from his body before spinning me back quickly. My head was dizzy and my smile full, and I busted out in laughter as my chest slammed back into his. He wasn't a good dancer. Sorin was right about that, but gods he was fun.

“He does seem pretty full of it.” I laughed.

“I’d say, but he’s got that face and all that hair.” He waved his hand in Sorin’s direction. “It gets him away with far too much.”

“I’d say that he and Prince Evren have that in common.”

He chuckled and almost stepped on my toes. “Our poor prince. He’s going to have his hands full with you.”

“You don't think the prince can handle me?”

The man spun me around again, and I couldn't tell if it was the wine or the dancing that was getting to my head.

“Oh, I’m sure he'll handle you just fine. But I have a feeling it'll be fun watching you test him every step of the way.”

I smiled, but this was foolish. Talking to these people like my presence in their kingdom was permanent. He spoke like I belonged to Evren, like I belonged to him and no one else.

That was foolish.

The pressure to make a choice about my future was heavier than ever. What was I going to do? I knew that I would never return to Gavril. No matter what they did or threatened. I would never go back to the fae kingdom, but would I so willingly become a part of Evren’s?

I had barely seen Queen Veda since we had arrived, but I didn't trust her. She had given me every reason not to.

When her men attacked us in the woods, any chance of me trusting her was lost, and I didn't know how controlled Evren was by his mother. I knew he was nothing like Gavril, I knew that deep in my gut, but I would be a fool to blindly believe that he would have chosen me had I not been the perfect pawn in his game. Evren had already proved to me that he was capable of betraying me, and I wouldn't be foolish enough not to remember that.