Page 9 of Kingdom of Crowns and Daggers

Thankfully for my best friend, he has lightning-quick reflexes and manages to pull back before being caught by the blade. Raising a brow, he looks at my shocked expression and then the blade in my hand.

“Whoa. Calm down, Red.” His crooked grin only ignites my anger. “Are you trying to kill me so you can take my throne?”

He makes no mention of the fact that I’m sleeping with a blade, but I’m sure he probably has several dotted about his bedside. You can’t be too careful in this industry.

His familiar drawl has me relaxing, my heartbeat slowing even as adrenaline still pumps through me. His dark eyes watch me carefully while his plump pink lips smile lazily. His right brow arches, making the scar that cuts through it more visible. As usual, his dark, shoulder-length hair is scruffy, and he has day-old stubble marking his jaw. He tries to hide it, but he’s handsome in a rough way. His once noble nose is crooked thanks to one too many fights, and I have to stop myself from reaching out to trace the line of it.

“You shouldn’t sneak up on an assassin when they are sleeping,” I scold, hitting him across the head with a pillow.

Of course, Crux just laughs and steals it from me, climbing farther up the bed. Throwing the pillow back down, he lies on his side, resting his head on his hand as he looks up at me, that stupid grin still splitting his face.

“I’m serious.” I know it’s pointless arguing with him, but I can’t seem to stop myself. “I could have killed you.”

“Probably, but I’d have made you work for it.” Shrugging as if we aren’t talking about his death, he drops his smile, but I still see humour in his eyes. “I didn’t want to wake you.”

“Well, you did.”

Snorting a laugh, he makes himself comfortable, pulling the discarded blanket over himself and lifting one of his arms in invitation. “Alright, grumpy. Come back to sleep.”

Blinking at how blasé he is about this whole situation, I shake my head after a moment. “You really think I can sleep after you just scared the crap out of me?”

“Alyx, lie down and go to sleep.” There’s an order in his voice devoid of humour.

As it has started to recently, my body hums to life at his dark tone, and I do as he instructs.

His arms wrap around me, and my body comes alive as he breathes in my scent. I’m not sure when things started to change between us. We’ve always been friends, and he’s had my back through everything. However, in the last year or so, I’ve started to notice the way he watches me when he thinks I’m not paying attention, not to mention these little cuddles we’ve been having.

They seemed to start out of nowhere, but now I miss him when he’s not crawling in my bed to wrap his arms around me. It’s easy to think that he’s got feelings for me, but things have always stayed friendly between us, and I have to think that is intentional on his part. Sure, I flirt with him, kissing his cheek and making suggestive jokes, but nothing has ever gone any further. I don’t know when I started thinking of him as more than my friend and how my breath is literally taken away when I watch him spar, his movements so smooth and fluid. When we’re pressed against each other like this, I want more of him against me, more skin, more of him.

Of course, nothing ever can or will happen between us. In his mind, I’m sure I will always be the young girl he helped when she was in danger and that I’m imagining any looks he might send my way. There are no illusions that he’s remained celibate while waiting for me, and even just the thought makes my eyes roll. He’s fucked more women than either of us could ever count.

Besides, he’s the king of the underworld down here, and his kingdom means everything to him. He built this sanctuary, and he’s not about to give it all up for me.

“I can practically hear your mind turning,” he comments sluggishly, his arms tightening around my middle. “Whatever it is, worry about it tomorrow.”

He’s asking for the impossible, but as I allow myself to relax against his warm body, his tight embrace and his rhythmic breathing start to lull me to sleep.

This time it’s not blue eyes I fall asleep thinking of, but his dark ones.

Chapter

Seven

JOHA

“Your Majesty,” Orion hisses, hurrying after me. His steps are loud on the packed dirt road as we head away from the palace, the shadow of the castle and the Imperial Mountains cooling our backs. It was hard to hide Orion’s hulking form or for me to get him to agree to come, but when I simply informed him I would go alone, he relented. After borrowing two kitchen servants’ cloaks, I almost look the part this time as we move deeper into the Lowers. I make sure to hide my jewellery, but Orion will not cover his sword. He did, however, cover his armour, which is something.

His hard eyes coupled with his square, scarred face has many moving out of our path as we cut our way through the Lowers. “Do not call me that here,” I remind him, “unless you wish to be mobbed.”

“Joha,” he snaps instead, catching my arm. “What are you doing?”

Covering his hand, I lean in. “Trust me, brother,” I beg, my eyebrows raised. He has always looked out for me, both as a friend and my guard, so I understand why he is concerned by this.

When he sighs reluctantly and releases my arm, I grin, tightening my cloak to ensure nothing shows underneath. “I have a plan.” That is all I will tell him. I know he will try to convince me this is a bad, reckless idea, and maybe it is, but I have to do something. This needs to be done. I cannot continue to live like this, and neither can our people, as evidenced by the ruins and starvation surrounding me.

Children run around half-clothed, messy, and begging for food. Men fight others for scraps of bread, and women sell their bodies to dress their children. It must change. While the Lowers struggle to survive, the nobles thrive with feasts, banquets, parties, and opulence. It will only continue this way unless I can do something about it. I know most think of me as a useless king, but I never wanted to be. I want to change it all, which is exactly why I am here, potentially risking my life for the betterment of my people like a true king, searching for the woman with the emerald eyes and bright hair.

Alyx.

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