บท 96: Balls Are No Joke

RETH

He woke earlier than Elia and forced himself to leave her sleeping, grumbling to himself when she only woke as the lanterns lit. When they didn't have time to do anything except get ready for breakfast.

He was anxious, he realized, as he kissed her shoulder and whispered good morning, his stomach churning with nervous anticipation as they got out of bed and readied to face the day.

He wanted to warn her what might be coming—how the people might react, not only to her chosen companions, but also to the claiming. But she was so happy. She kissed him and told him how handsome he was before she jumped out of bed, hugged him when he got up too, and danced to the closet to find her clothes. She sang in the bathing room and skipped—skipped!—on her way into the kitchen for a drink of water before coming back to get dressed.

"You're happy this morning," he said, biting back his own tension because he didn't want to ruin her mood.