Before I Let Go (Skyland #1)(47)

“Here.” Thalia shoved a glass of wine in my hand, and she couldn't hide the grin on her face. “Whatever you did to mess Evren up, I am forever grateful in your debt. I have never been able to beat these two.”

I shook my head gently. “I didn't do anything.”

“Don't let her lie to you, Thalia. She did far more than even she realizes.”

Thalia looked back and forth between us, and there was a spark of mischief in her eyes as she watched us. “Come on. The moons will be at their fullest in a few minutes. We should get outside.”

Evren grabbed my hand and helped me down from the table, and he didn't drop it even as we walked out of the pub. Sorin led the way with a defeated pout on his face, and I couldn't help but laugh.

“Go ahead, Adara.” Sorin shot me a look. “You might as well celebrate because this will be the one and only time you all beat us.”

I laughed again as we pushed through the crowd, the streets had gotten busier since we entered the pub. Everyone was taking to the streets to watch the moons, and their prince stood amongst them.

He didn't move to push his way to the front or demand an audience to notice he was there. He simply stood with his people and looked to the sky as he searched for the moons that promised prosperity.

He moved me in front of him and pressed his chest against my back. “Any moment now.” He wrapped his arms around me and held me against him.

I could feel people watching us, dissecting our every move, but I couldn't bring myself to push him away.

“The twin blood moons are considered a bad omen in the human lands,” I whispered the tale I had been told for many years to distract myself from the way my hands trembled before me.

Evren scoffed and pushed a bit of my hair over my shoulder. “And what exactly do they think happens with the blood moons?”

“Vampyres.” I smiled up at him over my shoulder. “It is legend that any human that isn't locked away in safety during the twin blood moons would be taken by a vampyre who is being driven mad with thirst.”

Evren chuckled as if the thought was ridiculous. “So what? You all bar up your doors and spread your salt in an effort to keep us away?” A chill ran down my spine as I simply nodded my head.

“That's exactly what we do.” I stared up at his jaw as he searched the sky. “But I'm assuming neither would actually keep you away if you wanted in.”

He looked back down at me, and his eyes seemed darker than only a moment before. “Princess, there isn't a single thing in this world or the next that could keep me away from you.”

I let out a breath as my magic flared inside of me and my heart raced to an erratic beat.

“There.” Evren pointed to the sky, and I pulled my attention away from him for long enough to look up at the moons. Both were perfect circles, still mostly the cream color that normally hearkened our skies, but ever so slowly the tent of blood pushed along the bottom surface.

“In the Blood Court, the double blood moons is our season of change,” Evren spoke softly against my ear as he still stared up at the sky. “They are a sign of what is to come. But the moons don't determine our future, princess. It is up to us to make something of the prosperity they give us.”

The vampyres that surrounded us were gasping and taking in the moons. Some held their hands up toward the sky, while others simply took it in with wishful eyes.

“I want to show you something,” Evren whispered against my ear, and a tremor ran down my spine.

“Okay.” I nodded as he took my hand in his and pulled me toward him. He led me through the crowd, and almost none of them paid us any attention as we got lost among them.

He pulled me through the crowd, and I didn't question where we were going. I simply held my hand in his and let him pull me to wherever he wanted me to go.

We broke through the line of people, and I lifted the hem of my dress with my other hand as we moved down one of the side cobblestone streets. Evren looked back at me with a smile on his face, and my stomach fluttered as I watched his joy.

“Just a little bit farther.” He continued forward until we slid around the back of the building and into the grass.

“Hold on.” I pulled my hand from his and quickly pulled my shoes from my feet. My toes sunk into the cold grass, and I let my shoes dangle from my fingers as I gathered my dress once again.

Evren swallowed as he watched me, and he backed out toward the line of trees.

“Are you luring me to my death?” I laughed even as my stomach flipped. “Maybe the legends of the human lands aren’t as far-fetched as you had me believe.”

Evren chuckled as he ran his hand down his chest. “I may be luring you away, princess. But it isn't for your death. I could've done that long ago if that was what I wanted from you.”

“You think so little of me?”

“The contrary, princess. I think far more of you than I ever have anyone else.” He reached his hand out toward me, and I slid mine back into his as he pulled us out of the light of the moons and into the shadows of the trees.

“Then what exactly are you luring me into the forest for?”

He didn’t answer me at first. He simply pulled me deeper into the dense trees as I tried to match him step for step. The trees were thick with moss that hung from their branches and kissed against my cheeks.