Page 67 of Shadow Kissed

“Have you written to her of us?” I ask, my curiosity piqued. I shouldn’t care what she has been writing about me, but I have to know.

Moryen’s pointed glare focuses on me. “I have. Considering the circumstances of your arrivals, she has been concerned for both of you.”

Saveya sighs and puts her hand over her chest, her purple eyes tearing up. “That’s so kind of her. Do you suppose she passes the updates on to her son?”

“From what I understand, she sees him when she can, but he’s often gone because of the war.”

Saveya claps her hands. “The prince will hear about us, Reya! Isn’t that exciting?” She grabs hold of my hand, bursting with excitement.

“Yes, very,” I say dryly, and I don’t miss the look Moryen sends my way. Saveya rolls her eyes at me and says that the only thing that excites me is swords and sparring. She isn’t wrong,but I doubt that is what the queen is looking for in her son’s future wife. I remind myself that Corlan said it was imperative that I impress at the academy and get myself in the elite selection. I need to try harder at being a lady of elegance.

Moryen stands and come rounds the table and I blink when she offers the note to me and not Saveya. “Saveya is too easily distracted, and she may drop it. However, be aware that I sealed this with my shadows, so if anyone but the queen opens it, I will know.”

I take the letter from her. “Message received. I mustn’t try to read what’s inside.”

Satisfied that I’ve got the message, she heads towards the door. “Oh, and Eretreya,” she adds, pausing at the door. “Please tell the Lord Commander if he wishes to take you out riding again at dawn, then he needs to run it by me first. You are my charge and therefore under my authority.”

I gulp, almost choking on the piece of bread in my mouth. How in the world did she know I had gone for a ride with Raegal? Saveya is almost foaming at the mouth at this news and no sooner has Moryen closed the door than she is in my space and practically on my lap.

“He took you out for a ride! Why did he ask only you and not us both? I knew he wanted you! You can see it in the way he looks at you. Like he wants to undress you and memorise every inch of your body.” She picks up her napkin and fans herself. “When did he ask you to ride with him? You were in bed all night?”

“He sent a note asking me,” I say, quickly coming up with the lie. “It felt rude to decline.”

Saveya grabs hold of both of my hands and shakes them with enthusiasm. “Tell me everything.”

I groan. “Must I? I’d rather talk about crocheting than that,” I say as I extricate my hands from hers and stand. “Beside we have an errand to run.”

I make for the main doors of the mansion and Saveya hurries after me, continuing to hurl a flurry of questions at me. “Did you ride on his steed? Oh my, imagine having those firm thighs holding you in place. What does he smell like? I mean, he looks like he smells amazing. Unless, of course, he’s like a boy from my village who didn’t clean his teeth with drae leaves very well and had the most horrendous breath. Such a shame as he was quite good looking, but oh that breath.” She grimaces. “It could knock you out cold. It was so bad.”

“He doesn’t have bad breath,” I assure her, then chastise myself for giving her information.

“So, he was close enough for you to smell his breath! Interesting! Where did you go? Did he take you out of the valley?”

“For crystal’s sake, Saveya!” I exclaim as we make our way into the army barracks. A soldier lets us straight through when I wave Moryen’s letter under his eyes. We take a left and then a right until we are standing outside the commander’s office. “Yes, we went out of the valley. It was a dull and uninteresting time. The commander is incapable of smiling or having fun.”

“Really? Because I’m sure you had a pleasant time this morning. A breathtaking time, in fact,” says a voice I now know all too well.

I gulp, my focus still on Saveya. “It’s rude to listen in on people’s conversations,” I tell him, not having the balls to look at him.

“Then maybe, Miss Lockwood, you shouldn’t stand outside my office talking so loudly if this conversation is private.” I force my eyes to his and hold out the letter in my hand, hoping to swiftly change the subject. I wasn’t expecting to see him againuntil this evening and it has thrown me off kilter. All I can think of is his lips meeting mine and the touch of his hands on me. “This is for you to give to the queen. Okay, we’re done, so we’ll leave. Safe trip, Commander.”

“Oh, if you could just hold on a second, ladies? I have something for you to take back to Moryen.” He fights the smile of amusement when I mutter under my breath and glare at him. He holds the door open. “Please come in and make yourselves comfortable.”

Saveya bounces in like an eager child whilst I reluctantly lean up from his doorframe, refusing to look at his smug face as I pass him to enter inside. He insists we take a seat whilst he rummages around in his desk drawers, looking for something. I tap the desk with my fingers in annoyance. I am sure he’s doing this on purpose just to irritate me. “Well?” I snap. “We don’t have all day!”

“Reya!” Saveya exclaims in open-mouthed horror. “You take your time, Commander; we are in no rush.”

Raegal smiles sweetly at her. “Thank you, Saveya. It’s good to know at least one of you has basic manners.” He taps his chin. “Actually, I think I left the correspondence in Jasiel’s office, two doors down from mine. They will be on his desk. Could you be a love and fetch them for me, Saveya?”

She is on her feet in an instant, eager to please him. “Of course, Commander, without delay.” She rushes from the room, and I’m left alone with him. He uses his shadows to close the open door and before I can blink, he is behind me, both hands on either arm of my chair, leaning over me. “You had a boring time, did you?”

I shudder, feeling his warm breath against my ear. His scent surrounds me, doing funny things to my senses. “Well, I could hardly tell her you ravished me with your tongue and your fingers, could I?” He chuckles in my ear, and I spin round in myseat, which brings our face less than a hair’s breadth from each other. “Ravished, huh? And did you find my ravishing boring? I’m sure you moaned it was magic.”

My heartbeat hitches in my throat, and I glance behind him at the door. “She’s coming back!” I hiss, pushing at his chest and urging him away from me, my cheeks crimson red.

“How does she know I took you out riding?”

“Moryen knew, somehow,” I say with a shrug of my shoulders. “She told me to tell you next time to run it by her first.”

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