Page 25 of Ruined Kingdom

I’d already forgotten what I was mad about. All thoughts of this morning were a mere spark in the flame that always smoldered when I was with Kaine in this way.

His warm lips left mine to blaze a path down my neck from my jaw to my collarbone. I threw back my head to give him better access and to gulp air into my lungs.

As he sucked and kissed, giving both sides of my neck equal attention, his fingers gently began pulling at the laces of my nightgown.

He pulled away for a moment, his mouth agape and breathless as he watched me with an intense hunger burning in his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

I snapped out of my daze long enough to be surprised. “Did the great Alpha King himself just apologize to a lowly peasant?”

His smirk turned mischievous. “That’s all you get, my lady. Don’t expect me to get on my knees before you,” he growled, his beast surfacing to warn me.

“Really? I do seem to recall you having no problem being on your knees before me at another time,” I purred, my face flushing with heat even though I was the one doing the teasing.

His playful smile stretched into a dangerously wide grin. His teeth glimmered like sharp pearls in his mouth. “Upon my word… Miss Everly, I never imagined that you were capable of being so crude.”

“Perhaps I’ve been corrupted by a certain ill-mannered Beast I know.” I crinkled my nose at him in humor.

He let out a long sigh, admiring my face with a gentleness that was rarely found in his eyes. “You say that as if you don’t mind being corrupted.”

I felt my expression soften as well as I reached up to cup the side of his face, loving how he leaned into my hand as though he craved my touch and couldn’t wait a second longer. “Not if it’s by you.”

He didn't utter another word. Instead, his gaze bored into mine for another moment before he leaned in, bringing his lips to mine once more. He breathed in deeply, and I melted into him—our kiss more drawn-out and tender this time.

I was lost in a sea of bliss until I heard someone clear their throat right beside us. I snatched my lips away from his to see who it was.

I almost yelped when I noticed the small white orb hovering closer than I’d expected. How had I not noticed it before?

Kaine, on the other hand, let out an irritated huff at the sight of the Light Fae. It was Andromeda, I noticed after taking a closer look through the warm glow that always seemed to accompany her and all her kind.

She stood in the air with her arms crossed over her little chest, impatiently waiting for us to step away from each other and pay attention to her.

“An—”

I’d been about to say her name, but remembered the conversation I’d had with Garmilen after the battle to retake the castle a mere few days ago. Their names were sacred, and were only told to someone whom they trusted with it implicitly.

“To what do we owe this pleasure?” I turned my whole body away from Kaine so that I was not tempted to continue to hold onto him.

Andromeda couldn't look any more annoyed if she tried. Her body seemed tense, and her brows were contorted with displeasure. “I'm here to seek an audience with His Majesty.”

I looked up at Kaine, who waited without a word for her to state her purpose.

It only took a few moments for her to catch on. “Our queen is requesting your presence. Though she did not give me all the details, it does appear to be a matter most urgent.”

Kaine pinched the corner of his mouth in thought as his eyes remained unmoved and razor-sharp. “Very well, we shall leave within the hour.”

Andromeda’s head snapped up as she looked at me and then back at him. “I don't mean to question Your Majesty?—”

“Then don’t.” He was quick to stop her.

Her eyes widened, and I could tell she didn’t plan on backing down just yet. “But bringing a mortal to Solanas is inadvisable.”

Kaine had already turned to leave the conversation but stopped to look over his shoulder and shot her a frightening look. His eyes flickered with that beastly, inhuman yellow.

His voice lowered to an almost threatening tone as he said, “It’s a very good thing, then, that I did not seek your advice.”

She knew better than to continue pursuing the subject. Instead, she hung her head, bowing to him. “Of course, Your Majesty.”

I remembered when I’d first met Andromeda. I had thought her callousness was due to the fact that her sister, Theodosia, had just died and that she had a grudge toward me.

---