Delta [Epsilon #2]

Chapter Forty-Five

Rose hastily grabbed Azure's hand, and I watched as pain flitted over Raina's face. I knew I shouldn't, but part of me ached for her. With a sigh, I shuffled across. "Come to sit down, or what?"

Raina swallowed, bowing her head gratefully before settling down on my right, though leaving a full person's-space between us. I frowned, but she kept her gaze on the table, as though afraid to look up at me -- at any of us. 

Uncomfortable silence drew out between us. Luc, thankfully, always had something to break the tension. He turned to me, his eyes shifting from cold to mischievous. "So, Kyra, did you and the Delta make up?"

I was about to answer when someone slid into the seat next to me. I whirled, my stomach flipping as I spied Faelen's face, hovering just inches from mine. He shot me a crooked grin, his eyes alright with a mischief that looked uncannily similar to Luc's.

"Fae-- Falcun," I said, though the greeting came out as more of a question. His smile widened. 

"That's me."

I glanced around at my company, all of which had varying reactions to the Delta's presence. Rose looked positively horrified, along with all the other strangers within the ten metre radius of our table. Azure looked bemused, and Luc looked irritatingly amused. I couldn't see Raina's face, but her rigid posture told me enough. 

"What are you doing here?" I asked. That's when he shuffled closer to me. I sucked in a sharp breath as he leaned forward, and then right to impale a honeyed stake and put it on his plate. That's when I also noticed his leg was touching mine. 

"To eat. Why else?" he asked innocently, giving me a pout as he leaned back.

"But... why aren't you sitting up with them?" I asked, nodding my head towards the royals at the front. I resisted the urge to look down at my leg. Surely he should have noticed that we were still touching by now. 

"You mean those royal pain in the asses? Please. Why would I listen to their war-talk when I can talk to my darling Sun--"

I elbow him in the side before he could finish the word. He choked out a laugh, and I had to press my lips together to stop my own. Still, my mind caught on his words. 'My darling Sunshine'. My heart rate ticked up a notch. 

"You have a mean elbow, Sunshine."

"Keep this up and you'll find I have a mean knee as well," I said, giving him a teasing look.

Our legs were still touching, but neither of us moved away. Maybe we don't want to. 

Finally, Faelen leaned back in his chair, shoving a chunk of steak into his mouth. He chewed thoughtfully, twirling his grease-streaked fork before pointing it at me. "Something's different about you today. What is it?"

"Same could be said about you," I replied, though I'm not sure how well my quick words managed to hide my shock. Had I really had a shift in attitude? And, more importantly, had Faelen actually noticed it? 

He grinned. "I know. But I'm asking you--"

Just then, Alpha Osyn stood, the scrape of his chair silencing the hall. We whipped our heads forward, staring at the dark-haired man before us.

"Welcome, citizens of the North Court. Please, join me in prayer."

I gave Faelen a wary look as everyone bowed their heads. I knew he wasn't the type to pray -- he'd made his opinion on their god more than known. So, you could imagine my shock when Faelen bowed his head along with everyone else. Though his eyes weren't closed and he didn't even mutter the words, it was still the most I'd ever seen from him.