Behind him, one of the vulture women laughed louder, like she'd heard the whole thing. Another called out teasingly, "Prince, are you guarding your bride from us?"
Veer's ears went red.
He shot a glare back over his shoulder. "Shut up!"
Kaya's eyes flicked to the women again, still impressed, still a little stunned that faces like that existed without effort.
Veer saw it and made a sound of pure suffering.
Then he leaned closer to Kaya and hissed, low and urgent, "If you ever leave me for a woman, I'm jumping off the mountain."
Kaya finally looked at him properly, expression deadpan.
"Don't," she said. "You'll land on someone and cause another rumor."
Veer's face twisted.
He didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or throw himself into the nearest wall.
So he did the only thing he could think of—he stepped even more in front of her, blocking the view again like a jealous, overgrown bird guarding a treasure.
Kaya sighed, already tired of him.
But she didn't shove him away.
