Page 34 of Caged By the Lich

"Like this," he says, the words coming out husky. He demonstrates the move again, his arms encircling me. The scent of his skin – sweat and spice – fills my nostrils, making my head spin.

I try to focus on the lesson, but all I can think about is the proximity of his body to mine. Every touch, every adjustment of my stance, sends sparks of electricity coursing through me. The attraction I've been trying to ignore roars to life, impossible to deny.

Olvaar's hand slides down my arm, ostensibly correcting my form. But there's a deliberateness to his touch that has nothingto do with combat training. His fingers linger on my wrist, tracing small circles on my pulse point.

I turn my head slightly, meeting his intense gaze. The air between us crackles with tension, thick and heavy. Olvaar's eyes darken, and for a moment, I think he might kiss me.

I try to crush the hope.

But my heart pounds in my chest as I stare into Olvaar's eyes. All I can focus on is the heat of his body against mine, his breath mingling with my own. My lips part involuntarily, and I see his gaze flicker down to them. The air between us is electric, charged with an undeniable tension that's been building for weeks.

And I want to give in so bad.

Olvaar's hand slides from my wrist to my waist, pulling me closer. I lean in, my body moving of its own accord. My eyes start to close as the distance between us shrinks, the anticipation of his lips on mine making me dizzy.

Just as I feel the whisper of his breath on my lips, a loud voice shatters the moment.

"V! Urgent news!"

We spring apart as if burned. I stumble backward, my face flushing hot with embarrassment and frustration. Olvaar's expression darkens, his eyes flashing with anger as he whirls to face the intruder.

Malakai stands at the edge of the courtyard, smirking as he takes us in. He only raises a brow as Olvaar's furious glare.

"What is it?" Olvaar snarls.

Kaz walks up then, and I feel like I could die of humiliation right now. He looks between the two of us, and then at Malakai. "Your immediate attention is required," the spymaster simply says.

"We have news about the southern territories," Kaz adds.

I wrap my arms around myself, suddenly cold despite the warm air. The spell is broken, reality crashing back in. What wasI thinking? What were we about to do? I know with certainty, it wouldn't have stopped with a kiss..

Olvaar's jaw clenches as he glances back at me. Gold and blue swirl in the depths, portraying his anger and… his desire? I'm still piecing together what the colors mean while the rest of his face stays unreadable.

"We'll continue this lesson another time," he says gruffly, not quite meeting my gaze.

I nod, not trusting my voice. As Olvaar strides away, following two of his advisors, I'm left standing alone in the courtyard. My body still tingles from his touch, my lips aching for a kiss that never came.

Confusion and frustration war within me. What just happened? What would have happened if we hadn't been interrupted? And why does a part of me desperately wish we had been?

I think about that for so long that it doesn't occur to me that he didn't invite me to join them.

16

OLVAAR

Istride into the house, my skin still glistening with sweat from the training session. The almost-kiss with Astrid lingers in my mind, fueling a fire I can't quite extinguish. It claws at me, demanding to go back, and I have half a mind to give the damned territories to Naevia if I could just get a fucking taste of Astrid.

Instead, Malakai will face my wrath.

"What's this urgent news?" I demand, my voice sharp as I glare at him walking in step with me.

I hate the damn smirk on his face. "Astrid's sister is here. She was caught trying to infiltrate the fortress."

I whip my head around to glare at Kaz. "You said it was about the southern territories."

Kaz shrugs, his face impassive. "You wouldn't have left Astrid otherwise."

I clench my fists, tamping down the urge to lash out. "Where is she?"

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