Wren never expected her life to change the moment she set foot in the Riders Quadrant at Basgiath War College. But everything shifted when she met Liam Mairi. Loving him was effortless, bright, and full of promise. Losing him was shattering.
His dea...
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"Will you just hold still!" I laugh, swatting at Liam's knee when he shifts again.
The dorm is dim except for the single lantern flickering on my desk, shadows curling across the stone walls. The air carries the faint tang of dragon smoke that always seems to seep in through the cracks, mixed with the chalk-dust smell of the Codex pages stacked on my shelf. My narrow bed is a mess of blankets shoved to one side, boots kicked beneath it, and Liam looks wildly out of place perched on the edge of my chair, this broad, battle-hardened rider crammed into a space meant for one.
He sticks his tongue out like a child before finally freezing in place, the dimple in his cheek daring me to lose focus. My pencil scratches against the paper, each stroke catching the firelight, my hand trembling slightly from how close he is.
"Make sure I look really handsome. Wouldn't want the history books getting an inaccurate account of my good looks," he teases.
I glance up from the sketchbook, rolling my eyes. "So cocky.
He leans forward slightly, the chair creaking under his weight. "Self-aware," he corrects, smirk tugging at his mouth. "Confident."
"Insufferable," I shoot back, though the grin tugging at my lips betrays me.
His eyes glint in the lamplight. "Admit it, you like drawing me because you think I'm the best-looking subject you've ever had."
I set my pencil down across the sketchbook, tilting my head. "Best-looking subject? Bold claim. I've drawn dragons, Liam."
"Dragons don't smile at you like this." He flashes that dimple again, leaning closer until I can feel the heat radiating off him.
My breath catches, but I play it off, lowering my voice. "And what makes you so sure I want to see you smile?"
His eyebrow arches, perfect and infuriating. "Because you're staring at my mouth instead of your page."
Heat floods my cheeks. I close the distance just enough to prove I'm not backing down. "Fine. I'll say it. I find you very... very attractive." My words come out soft, but laced with challenge.
His gaze drops to my lips for a heartbeat before he catches himself. He starts to lean in and I snap the sketchbook back up between us. "Now sit still, or history will remember Liam Mairi with one very crooked jawline."
He laughs, low and warm, the sound bouncing off the stone walls and burrowing under my skin.
When I finish, I turn the sketchbook to him. His mouth parts, caught off guard.
"That's..." His voice falters, softer now. "Is that how you see me?"
A blush rushes to my cheeks. "I mean...... it could be better. Maybe I should....."
He interrupts me by catching my waist, tugging me closer. The sketchbook slips from my hands as he studies it like it's a relic. His thumb brushes over the edge of the page with a reverence that makes my chest ache.
