"I'm your knight, remember?"
"Heh…" Irina blinked. Then a laugh escaped her before she could stop it. "Oh, so now you're playing into the bit."
"It was your bit to begin with."
"Yeah, but I didn't think you'd actually commit."
Astron gave the faintest shrug. "You seemed entertained."
Irina rolled her eyes, but she couldn't hide the pleased glint in them. "Great. Now I've got a man who improves my combat skills and humors my ego. What more could I ask for?"
Astron didn't respond right away. He turned his gaze forward again, back to the empty dueling floor where the afternoon sun was beginning to dip lower across the marble.
Then he murmured, just low enough for her to barely hear:
"Hopefully nothing more than this."
Irina's breath caught—not enough to show, not enough for him to notice, probably—but just enough for her grin to falter for a heartbeat.
She glanced at him again.
And for a moment, didn't say anything.
