Meeting Adam's gaze, he reminded himself that he had to speak. He couldn't make assumptions or decisions for both of them. "I want to try courting you." Then they could see if they liked each other at least. Courting didn't mean they were going to be forced into a relationship. "But I wanted you to be sure that it's your choice and not the temple's. I didn't like it when my parents arranged for me to marry. I don't want you to feel the way I did."

Returning his attention to his hand, he gave Adam a small smile when he realized that most of damage was gone. "Keep going. If you don't finish, it may take a long time for it to get better." As he spoke, he tried to ignore how loudly his stomach growled at the mention of food. More than just exhaustion had been wearing him down over the past few days. "It was a silly question. I can look up the answer in the library. The banquet is probably still waiting for you. The magic here usually preserves food."