>>Aelin
His shoulders tensed, just for a heartbeat, before he sighed and awkwardly returned the hug with one arm.
"Vesper," he said, his tone caught somewhere between surprise and resignation. "You're early."
"You're late to welcome me," she teased, pulling back just enough to grin up at him.
I stood there, watching them—my heart an uncomfortable knot in my chest.
Her arms were still around him.
She hadn't even looked at me.
Draegon gently unwrapped himself from her hold and took a half step back. "You remember how to knock, right?"
Vesper snorted and gave him a light shove. "Why bother when I've known you since you had milk-teeth?"
Then, finally, her bright, burning eyes slid toward me.
She looked me up and down. Not rudely. But not gently either.
"And you," she said, voice drawing out the words like a slow song. "You must be the little wife."
I blinked. Little wife?
