Heir of Deception

Chapter 44

Stepping out of her rooms, freshly bathed and dressed, Della went to find Fenrys. She hoped he was still in his rooms, as she wanted to speak with him before the group discussion.

To her luck, he was eating breakfast and reading a report at the table in the sitting room. He smiled brightly when she entered.

"How was training with Aelin?"

"It was fine..." she paused. "Um, I—I mentioned us to her."

"Us?"

Della blushed hotly, feeling the warmth reach the tips of her ears. "I get that not a lot has... happened. I just want to make sure I'm not going to put anyone in a bad position if more... happens?"

He nodded slowly. "What do you mean, 'bad position'?"

"Just... I'm a princess, and you're... noble and blood sworn. Things aren't simple, and I wanted to—just check." Della was frustrated by how much she was stumbling over her words. "So, when I went to ask Aelin for her counsel, she suggested the four of us meet to discuss it."

"I see," Fenrys said, his eyes questioning. He paused briefly, then asked, "Do you want things between us to progress?" His tone was careful and neutral, giving no indication of what he hoped the answer would be.

Della blushed again and turned slightly away from him, trying to hide her face while she formulated an answer. Of course, she wanted things to progress, but saying it so plainly—without any plausible deniability or room to backtrack—was terrifying.

Fenrys, never content to let her cower, rose from his seat at the table and gently pulled her toward him. Tilting her chin upward, he made her face him.

"I'm not saying this to pressure you, but to assuage any doubts you may have," he said softly. His eyes bore into hers, strong and kind. "Della, I do want things to grow between us. At any pace, in any manner. Anything you choose to give me, I will gladly accept."

This damned male. How could someone be so impossibly handsome and so genuine? How was she supposed to respond to that? She was thankful she was still blushing from his question, because it meant she could hide behind the warmth that spread across her face.

Instead of blubbering out a response, Della slowly moved forward, reaching for him. He obliged her with a small smile, tilting his head down to meet hers. They kissed slowly, gently, letting the warmth between them spread.

Della pulled away, her own smile small. "I would like that too," she said softly.

The two of them arrived at Rowan and Aelin's chambers together. Months ago, Rowan had told her that she didn't need to knock to enter the sitting room, and while Della was now comfortable with that familiarity, in this moment, she found herself resisting the urge.

Rowan and Aelin were seated on the couch—Aelin reading, and Rowan had Goldryn across his lap, sharpening the sword while he waited. His eyes flicked up to hers, marking their arrival.

The two of them settled onto the couch opposite. Della immediately began fidgeting with a loose thread on her skirt. She hoped, in vain, for someone else to start the conversation. But given the three pointed stares directed at her, Della sighed and summoned what little confidence she had left.

"Father, I'm sure you've pieced together that Fenrys and I have grown close." She took a deep breath and forced her hands to still. "And before things progress further, I thought it would be wise to see how this might affect other situations."

She met her father's gaze. "You don't need to worry about what other people think," he said.

She fought the urge to roll her eyes. Of course he would say that. While she was appreciative of her family's willingness to take care of her, she, in turn, wanted to support them in the ways she could. That included not causing international incidents just because she had a crush.