And he couldn’t imagine a life with anyone else now.
Was it possible Corentin would stay in Tournai with him? Would it be too much to ask of him?
Bastien stopped. He’d made a decision, hadn’t he? Without realizing it, he’d made his decision. He was going to talk to Corentin. He was going to ask—plead, maybe—for Corentin to stay with him, make a life with him. And having made the decision, Bastien couldn’t wait one more minute to do it, because maybe he’d waited too long or pushed Corentin away too much already. But he had to try.
CORENTIN SLUMPED DOWN on the couch in his sitting room. He’d been going through his days over the last week—since he’d last seen Bastien—as if nothing was wrong. As if he’d never met and loved Bastien and felt hope begin to crumble. As if he hadn’t revealed his Talent purposefully and put his people at risk, just to save Bastien.
Granted, he didn’t regret revealing himself, and it seemed all was well among the people who knew. Corentin saw no indication that anyone had divulged his secret, nor had he found himself interrogated about his Talent or his people. Etan had been curious, but their conversation could hardly be called an interrogation, and Etan had been happy enough to accept whatever Corentin was willing to give him without pushing.
He’d sent letters home, writing in code so he could explain what had happened. He couldn’t be the first person who had told someone outside Ivria about their people, but he didn’t know. And he had no idea how anyone, from his king to his family, would react. Part of him wanted to pack up and go home, to tell them in person, to face what consequences might come his way. But duty made him stay to make sure there wouldn’t be problems from Tournai, and love made him want to stay for Bastien.
Never mind that he hadn’t seen Bastien in a week. Or that he and Bastien had essentially ended their affair. It seemed they had no future together, but somehow he couldn’t bring himself to do something so irrevocable as leave Jumelle forever, not yet.
He sighed and was contemplating a drink when a knock on his door startled him out of his thoughts. Ignoring the knock was tempting, but he heaved himself to his feet and crossed the room in a few steps. And froze when he opened the door.
Bastien stood in the hallway, staring back at him with wide eyes.
Surprise left Corentin speechless for a moment, then another, and the brightness of hope began to drain from Bastien’s eyes. Something in Corentin broke a little seeing it, and he found his voice. “Bastien, what are you doing here?”
“I-I love you.” Bastien sucked in a breath and looked briefly horrified, but Corentin only dimly noticed in the rush of feelings the words provoked. “May I come in?”
“I…” Corentin cleared his throat. “I think you’d better.”
Bastien walked past him into the sitting room when Corentin stepped aside. Corentin closed the door and took a deep breath before he turned. Bastien stood in the middle of the room. He hadn’t removed his cloak, and one of his hands twisted in the fabric, a nervous gesture that was somehow endearing. They stared at each other for a few moments. Bastien loved him? The words elated him, filled him with joy—and confusion.
“You love me,” Corentin said when it became obvious Bastien wasn’t going to speak, or perhaps didn’t know what to say either.
“Yes.” Bastien didn’t look away from Corentin even as he continued to fidget, not something the polished earl usually did. “Do you, maybe, love me too?”
“Does it matter if I do?” He hated Bastien’s flinch, hated himself for loving Bastien too. Bastien had been trifling with him when he’d already decided he would marry and produce heirs for his earldom. “What does it change, Bastien? You’re still going to marry some woman, and I’m still going to leave.”
“What if I wasn’t going to marry because of the title? What if I want to marry the man I love?” Bastien took a small step toward him and stopped, as if unsure of his welcome. “Do you have to go? Would you consider staying…with me?”
Bastien’s words stole everything from Corentin for a moment—thought, breath, any ability to respond. Finally, he managed to slowly ask, “Are you asking me to marry you?”
“Yes, though I hadn’t planned to do it quite this way. I’m probably getting everything wrong.” Bastien shrugged helplessly. “I only know I love you, and I want to be with you. I want to share a life with you.”
“That doesn’t sound as if you’re getting everything wrong.” He spoke carefully, his mind still slow to give him the words he needed. “What would you have done differently?”
Bastien’s lips curled just slightly into a small, shy smile. “I would have liked to know if you loved me before I asked. And if you might be happy in Tournai with me. I don’t want to keep you from your home, but I also can’t leave. Too much ties me here that I can’t abandon.”
“I’m not sure how the people at home will feel about me after they find out I’ve revealed our secret here anyway.”
Concern immediately blanketed Bastien’s features, chasing rising hope and tenderness away. Bastien took another step toward Corentin, a bigger one this time. “Will you be in trouble?”
His tone was almost fierce, and his protectiveness brought a trace of a smile to Corentin’s face. “I don’t know. I hope not, but I guess I’ll see when I hear.”
“I’m sorry. You told everyone because of me, to save me, and now it could hurt you.”
“Don’t be sorry. It was my decision, and I don’t regret it.” How could he, when it had saved Bastien?
“Nevertheless. I hate to think of you being hurt because of it.”
“Don’t. I would make the same decision again in a heartbeat.” He took the last step that separated them and cupped a hand around Bastien’s cheek. “Because I love you.”
A smile spread across Bastien’s face, slow but bright as the sun. “You do?”
“Yes.” He slid his hand around to the back of Bastien’s head, threading fingers through his hair, gently tugging Bastien closer.
Bastien pushed back against his hand, keeping them separated, just a little. “Marry me?”
“Yes.”
If Corentin had thought Bastien’s smile was bright before, it was blinding now. Then Bastien was kissing him, the kiss as joyful as the brilliant smile had been, more perhaps because Corentin was kissing him back. Then it truly dawned on him what had just happened—Bastien loved him, wanted a life with him, wanted to marry him.
He pulled back from the kiss and stared into Bastien’s eyes for a breathless moment, letting everything settle in around him. But the rush of emotion refused to slow. They were going to marry, and Corentin would stay here in Tournai with Bastien. The thought of such a change was terrifying but exhilarating too.
“Corentin?” Concern clouded Bastien’s eyes.
He shook his head. He didn’t want to see anything but happiness in Bastien’s eyes tonight, and maybe ever again. He hadn’t thought he’d get the chance for a life with Bastien, to stand with him, to protect him, to love him, though he had to admit he’d been craving just that for a long time. The words to explain all of his feelings escaped him, so he leaned into Bastien for a long kiss and then led him into the bedroom without another word.
Epilogue
STEPPING OUTSIDE THE house, Bastien took in a long breath of the crisp chilly air and smiled. He finally felt as if he could breathe again. Being back at Ardesia helped, certainly, but more…he knew now. He knew what had happened to his parents and Philip’s. The hurt and betrayal still roiled inside him sometimes, but it was getting easier to bear. Corentin’s support and love were a big part of how he could live with the pain of his uncle’s actions and cope with the guardianship of his cousins.
So much had changed. So much of it for the better.
He set out into the garden, his purposeful steps carrying him through it and into the woods beyond. It was a clear morning, the bite in the air a harbinger of the onset of winter. Corentin had told him about winters where he’d grown up, of blankets of snow swat
hing the ground in pristine white for months. Bastien chuckled. Corentin wouldn’t have the same experience here. Snow was rare and light in Tournai. Hopefully Corentin wouldn’t miss it. Bastien worried sometimes that Corentin would miss more than the snow, though he tried not to. Corentin said he was happy to make a home in Tournai with Bastien, and Bastien had to trust that he was. They had more to settle on—how they would split their time between Ardesia and Jumelle, for one—but Bastien was confident they could.
He and Corentin had escaped Jumelle together as soon as everything began to settle down. Bastien still felt as if he was running away—the situation might have settled, but it was far from calm. But Corentin took delight in reminding him that he wasn’t—usually right before he dragged Bastien off to bed.
Despite Bastien’s conflicted feelings about leaving the mess in Jumelle behind for a while, he enjoyed showing Corentin his home and thrilled to each indication that Corentin liked it. Corentin hadn’t yet received a response to the letters he’d sent home, which he assured Bastien wasn’t unusual given the distance involved and the complicated methods for getting them there, but Bastien could tell it wore on him nonetheless. He did all he could to distract Corentin and make him happy. Fortunately, being out of Jumelle gave Corentin more opportunities to use his Talent, something he seemed to need.
And speaking of using his Talent… Bastien stepped into a large clearing in the dense wood and found Corentin as a dragon, lying in a patch of sun. Bastien stopped to admire him. He didn’t think he would ever look his fill. Corentin was beautiful, inside and out, as man or dragon, but there was something about seeing him as a dragon. Finally seeing him in the light. Sunlight shimmered on midnight-purple scales teasing out swirls of copper and gold. Even at rest, the sinuous body was both powerful and graceful.
Bastien didn’t think he’d made a sound, but Corentin’s eyes opened. The vibrant violet remained the same whether he was man or dragon, as did the love and affection that filled them. Just seeing them there, directed at him, filled Bastien with a quiet joy.
Corentin’s mouth curved in what Bastien had come to learn was a dragon smile. “There you are. I missed you.”
He laughed even as warmth rose up inside him. “We only parted an hour ago.”
“Doesn’t matter. Didn’t you miss me?”
“Of course.” Bastien went to Corentin, dragging a hand over the warm scales of his side as he settled on the grass beside him.
“Good.” Corentin curved a wing around and gathered Bastien closer until he curled at Corentin’s side, resting against the warm scales. Corentin murmured in contentment, the sound a rumble against Bastien’s back. Corentin had taken him flying a couple of nights, and would again, but as exciting as flight was, Bastien preferred these quiet moments, held safe and warm in the circle of Corentin’s wing. He still marveled sometimes that he was lucky enough to have this, to have Corentin in his life.
He had work to do, but it could wait. He snuggled in closer, content to while away the morning with the man he loved and dream of many more such mornings to come.
About the Author
Antonia Aquilante has been making up stories for as long as she can remember and, at the age of twelve, decided she would be a writer when she grew up. After many years and a few career detours, she has returned to that original plan. Her stories have changed over the years, but one thing has remained consistent—they all end in happily ever after.
She has a fondness for travel (and a long list of places she wants to visit and revisit), taking photos, family history, fabulous shoes, baking treats (which she shares with friends and family), and of course, reading. She usually has at least two books started at once and never goes anywhere without her Kindle. Though she is a convert to e-books, she still loves paper books the best, and there are a couple thousand of them residing in her home with her.
Born and raised in New Jersey, Antonia is living there again after years in Washington, DC and North Carolina for school and work. She enjoys being back in the Garden State but admits to being tempted every so often to run away from home and live in Italy.
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://facebook.com/AntoniaAquilanteAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/antoniaquilante
Website: http://antoniaaquilante.com
Also Available from NineStar Press
www.ninestarpress.com
The Dragon's Devotion (Chronicles of Tournai Book 5) Page 34