Page 83 of The Dawn of the Cursed Queen

“I’m going with Hellem’s caravan to the prison.” He glanced at Samkiel. “I’ll let you know if I hear anything else.”

He opened the door and hopped out, the guards yelling. I shifted, turning into a small bug. Orym spoke with them, laughing and gesturing toward Samkiel. One of the guards shook his head and approached, reaching in to cuff Samkiel’s ankles, chaining him within the wagon. He said something that made Samkiel’s jaw clench, then closed the caravan door. I waited until the noise picked up, hooves beating on the ground and the caravan jolting, before I changed back. Samkiel and I were alone.

Samkiel glared at me.

I shrugged, tossing my hands up. “What?”

He sighed and shook his head but didn’t say anything as the caravan rumbled forward.

I GROANED AND KICKED SAMKIEL’S KNEE. HE’D BEEN MEDITATING FOR the last hour, but I suspected he was ignoring me. I even gifted him the wrapped treats Miska had sent for him. He ate them and said she was sweet, but then returned to that quiet calm.

I sighed loudly. “How long are you going to act like a child and ignore me?”

His eyes cracked open. “Me? Acting as a child?”

“Oh, there it is.” I leaned back, folding my arms.

“Why must you be so difficult?” He rubbed his brow and shifted on the uncomfortable seat. He sat up, breaking out of the pose he assumed when he let his mind wander far from here.

“I’m not.”

“You are,” he said, his voice filled with frustration. “I promised to help. Can you at least attempt to be nicer?”

My lip curled. “No.”

“Why?”

“Why do you trust him so easily, or anyone for that matter?”

He leaned closer, bracing his elbows on his knees. “That’s what this is about?”

“Have we learned nothing? I don’t trust anyone, and neither should you. How many times do we have to be stabbed in the back to learn that?”

What if I lost you again? My lips didn’t form the words, but the sentence coated my tongue like acid. The fear consumed any bit of trust.

I didn’t care if he was mad at me for not immediately being Team Orym. I couldn’t. His own family, the people he would have done anything for, betrayed him. As a result, he got a death spear rammed through his gut, and they left him to bleed to death on the floor. They didn’t just take him from the world but robbed me of him, our future, and any plans we had. They nearly took the one person I cared about the most. I’d never be trusting when it came to him or his safety, never sweet or kind if I thought he was in danger. I wanted to be daggers and steel and something the realms could fucking choke on.

“Dianna.” He said my name softly, dipping his head to catch my eyes. “Akrai.”

I folded my arms and leaned against the wall. “Don’t use that name to make me relax.”

“Baby,” he said, running his tongue along his lips. “We have to make alliances, especially here and now. Do I fully trust him? No, but I trust you, and you’re here. I know you have my back regardless of what we face, as I have yours. He has not once given me any reason to distrust him, and I will not hold him responsible for the sins of others. That’s not fair. Not to anyone.”

I turned from him. I knew he was right. He usually was, but I couldn’t be like him. No matter what life seemed to throw at him, he handled it with grace and understanding, but when someone burned a bridge with me, I made sure that bitch was nothing but pebbles in the waiting abyss below.

“Dianna.”

I blew out a breath and dropped my hands, studying him across the space between us. Unable to tolerate the distance, I stood and stumbled forward. The caravan hit a bump, jolting us both, but Samkiel just watched me. I moved his hands out of the way and pushed him back before straddling his lap.

“What are you doing?”

“We are alone, and gods know when that will happen again once we arrive at the prison. Plus, I’ve missed you.” I idly ran my fingers over the shorter part of his hair near his ear. The marks I had shaved in were almost gone. My knees pressed against his hips, and I slowly rocked my heat against his groin.

He shifted under me, his hands cupping my ass and holding me still. “Who is distracting who now?”

My gaze softened as I slid my arms around the back of his neck. “It’s not a distraction.” I leaned forward, kissing the side of his neck, his stubble rough against my skin. “It’s merely a slight pause in conversation.”

I ground my hips against him a fraction harder. He groaned and gripped the back of my head, pulling me back.

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