Seven Courts of Love and Magic

Chapter 10

Zaria

Atlas turns to me. "So, what should we do while he's gone?" I roll my eyes and fall back on his bed, grabbing a book from the nightstand and flipping through it. "Do you really think this is going to work? Seven orbs, and the magic is restored?"

I don't look up, my mouth tense. "It has to."

"It sure does, or we're all done for." He sits down beside me. "You and Nyx, huh?"

I look up at him now. "How about we just sit here, in silence?" Does he know about the mating bond? He couldn't. Nyx would never tell him, not about something he's ashamed of.

He leans down next to me, smug. "Oh, come on. Is this really how you're going to treat me before you've gone off? You might never see me again. Don't act like you won't miss me."

I laugh, wanting to smack the smirk off his face. "I—"

"Atlas? Are you in there?" Atlas curses, panicked.

"Is that—" I don't have time to finish my sentence because he's on top of me, pressing his lips to mine.

Cassian opens the door. "Nesta wants—oh." He stops mid sentence at the sight of his son on top of me, closing the door shut again. "I'm so sorry," he calls from behind the door. "Proud of you son!"

"Get off of me." I shove him with my shoulder.

His face is red and he raises his hands in defense. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. He would have recognized you otherwise."

I eye him. "It's fine. Just...don't do it again."

He clears his throat after a beat. "Was I, was it good?"

I burst into laughter for what seems like minutes, tears spilling from my eyes. When I stop to catch my breath, Atlas' gaze is towards the wall, a faraway look in his eyes. I can barely speak between laughs. "Oh. I didn't mean to offend you."

He waves me off with his hand. "No, it's not that."

I hold back my remaining laughter at his serious expression. "Then, what is it?" I lean my head in his line of vision, twirling my fingers in front of his face. "What are you looking at?"

His eyes snap towards mine, smiling. "I think...I just realized where the first orb is." My mouth opens in surprise but he speaks before I can. "So, was it good?"

"I—"

Nyx walks in. "Was what good?"

"Nothing," we say at the same time.