Page 74 of Ocean of Silver

A servant passed out drinks, and I greedily took two.

“It’s customary to have a celebratory drink after a successful meeting,” Tezya said, watching me down the first glass of fizzy contents in one sip. I was informed by a servant that dinner was being held during the meeting. They brought a small portion of food to where Brock and I were waiting earlier, but I didn’t touch it. I had offered it to Brock, but I couldn’t recall if he had eaten it or if he just sat with me. I was so caught up in my own head to pay attention.

“We only have to stay a little longer, then this night will be over,” Tezya whispered into my neck. His hand kept trailing up and down my back. Slowly. Agonizingly slowly. He really needed to stop touching me like that. I couldn’t focus on anything but his touch.

“We didn’t even do what the King requested yet.”

“I know,” he said, his brows furrowing. His hand felt electrifying as his touch got softer, gentler up my back. And now, I couldn’t stop focusing on his other hand still gripping my upper thigh. “I’m sorry for that.”

I met his silver gaze. “It’s not your fault.”

“I’m not doing anything to stop it either.”

His words shocked me. “What could you do?”

“Nothing. I’m just… I’m sorry for this. That you have to do this.” He gestured to me on his lap. My ankle had hooked around his calf without me noticing. My own hands were resting on his sculpted chest. When did I put them there?

“It’s okay,” I breathed. “With you, it’s okay.” His eyes widened in shock as I lowered my hands halfway down his abdomen, leaning forward. I had no idea what I was doing, but I didn’t back down from his gaze, from his unspoken question.

His fingers embedded into my hair, causing some of the curls to fall down over my shoulders. He met my stare and held it, and I realized that I meant everything I said. Doing this with him made it okay somehow. Even though my body was on display for the entire room to gawk at, and I hated every second of this night, I felt safe around him. I trusted him, and I hadn’t realized how badly I needed that—to be able to trust again. I felt like I truly knew and understood him. Like he knew me too.

“Rumor, I know you don’t want to, but I’m going to have to kiss you at some point tonight. Athler won’t let us leave here until we do.”

I looked over at the red-headed male. He was seated to the right of the Lux King and was watching us with a cruel smile plastered across thin lips. His grin widened, his lips stretching even further, as he noted my eyes drifting toward him.

Tezya shook his head violently as a shudder ran through him. I whipped my head back to face him. His tanned skin paled as a bead of sweat dripped down his temple and rolled onto his scar.

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

But it wasn’t nothing. His voice was strained. He shuddered again as if he was trying to fight something off. His grip hardened against my waist as a low growl escaped him. A low laugh echoed down the table, and I knew it was Athler’s without having to look. Not that seeing him would indicate what he was doing to Tezya. Luxians could use their powers without their markings flaring to life. As long as they weren’t sweating or covered in any form of liquid, their designs would remain hidden. But I just knew it was Athler’s powers…

“Rumor, I’m sor—”

Something snapped in him. He inhaled my scent loudly as he stood, taking me with him. The chair we were sitting on clattered onto the floor. The resounding thud echoed into the now-silent room. Everyone turned to look at us.

“Tezya, what are you doing?” I whispered to him, but his eyes were glazed over and focused solely on me. He picked me up, my dress hiking to my hips as he walked, half carrying me, and slammed me into the nearest wall with no care for the eyes on us.

“You smell divine.” His one hand gripped my ass, supporting my weight, while the other worked its way up my leg. His fingers trailing over the raised scar that was left from Kole. “I want you, Rumor. I’ve wanted you for so long now.”

He moved his hand from the back of my thigh to my head. I didn’t have time to answer as his fingers entwined in my hair, and he pulled hard, eliciting a moan from me. He grinned, purely satisfied, as he pulled again, this time pushing my head to the side before his lips met the sensitive part of my exposed neck. For a moment, I thought of nothing else but those lips as I surrendered myself to his touch. I was so taken aback, so shocked at what was happening. His aggression caused my own adrenaline to rise. The way Tezya was moving like he craved me, like he needed me, like I was the answer to all his questions. His lips were so full as they sucked along my throat. His tongue flicked over the spot he just bit into before he sucked again.

A chair groaned against the floor, drawing me out of my daze, and I realized that Sie was now standing. His hard gaze met mine from across the room. His black eyes darkened as pure as night.

Reagan glared at her fiancé, but Sie didn’t notice. His attention was pinned to me, to the Light Prince whose back was now to him. Tezya was holding me up with his hips, my open back pressed into the cold wall. His one hand still held my hair, holding me captive while the other explored.

Sie was livid. His jaw was clamped shut, and his fists were balled up, ready to throw a punch. His eyes met mine, and my heart stopped from the deadliness of them. I swore I saw his golden markings flare up under his clothes, but then it was gone. I had a sinking feeling that Peter hadn’t warned him.Sit down,I silently prayed to him, but I knew the Alluse was working against me. He couldn’t hear me.

I scanned the room, desperate for anyone to help, but it was hard to focus with the way Tezya was touching me, with how he was making me feel. Athler now stood, moving closer toward us. His grin told me everything that I needed to know. He was possessing Tezya somehow with his ability.

Something else dawned on me. Tezya already had heightened senses, so if Athler was messing with him, it was probably making it unbearable. Tezya was feeling everything stronger.

It would probably be equivalent to us fucking in public.Crap. How far would Tezya go?

Tezya’s lips were soft as they moved up my neck to my jaw, drawing my attention back to him. I whispered softly, desperate to break him from this spell, “Tez, you have to stop. Please, I know we have to kiss, but not like this. If you don’t stop, Sie is going to flip out. Then their plan—”

Tezya growled as he pulled back to stare at me. His face was deathly still, feral almost, waiting to devour me whole, but his one hand never stopped moving. He trailed idle circles up my inner thigh, and it took everything in me not to moan and lean further into the touch.

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