Page 23 of The Iron Flower

I wrench my arm free from Lukas’s grip. “He won’t fight them.”

“Then he’ll be shot.”

A picture of Rafe effortlessly dodging countless arrows comes to mind. “Good luck trying to catch him,” I scoff.

“Elloren, he’s no match for the Mage Guard.”

I glare at him. “Well, maybe he’ll join the Lupines.”

Lukas lets out a short, dismissive laugh. “He’s the grandson of Carnissa Gardner, the only Mage ever to go up against the Lupines with some small measure of success. Don’t think for aminutethat the Lupines don’t have a very long memory regarding their losses during the Realm War. Your brother couldneverbe accepted by them, and Diana Ulrich is the alpha’s daughter. Do you honestly think that her people will let her go off with aGardnerian? They’ll kill him before they allow it.”

“I’m done talking about this,” I say angrily. “It’s not a game to me. I happen to love my brother.”

“Then do everything you can to convince him to break things off with Diana Ulrich. He needs to follow his head, not his—”

“I get the gist of what you’re saying,” I snap.

Lukas grows quiet. “I’m sorry,” he apologizes with a dip of his head. “That was in poor taste. It’s just... I feel compelled to be honest with you.” He looks away, momentarily frustrated, like he’s admitting to some weakness. “I think it’s because our affinity lines are such a close match. I’ve never been with a woman I feel this way about.”

“Is that why you agreed to fast to me?” I wonder, frowning.

“Yes,” he says, a slight smile forming on his lips. His eyes do a slow slide over me, “And the fact that I greatly enjoy kissing you.”

Heat rises in my cheeks. “So, you still want to...”

“Wandfast to you? Absolutely.” His grin warms to an alluring smile as he takes my hand in his. “There are a great number of things I’d like to do with you, Elloren, wandfasting being only one of them.” Lukas’s touch turns into a caress, his thumb tracing a line along the back of my hand.

Heat shudders through my fire lines, and I struggle to resist his pull, eyeing him with suspicion. “But...are you in love with me, Lukas?” I ask, remembering the ardent way he looked at me outside when he first saw my dress.

“Would you rather I lied to you or told you the truth?”

“Well, you can’t lie to me, and I would prefer the truth.”

“I don’t believe in all that romantic nonsense,” Lukas says, his expression hardening. “I think it’s ridiculous. So, no. I’m not in love with you, Elloren.”

“You’re overwhelming me with sentiment,” I snipe, offended by his blunt dismissal.

Lukas draws me close as the music around us slows. His voice is sultry, his breath warm on my ear. “I do, however, feel like we’re becoming friends. And that is something that is ofmuchgreater value to me than some false emotion that I don’t believe exists.”

Friends. It’s hard to figure out how I feel about this as my attention is slowly caught up in the feel of his hand caressing my back. His affinity lines reach for mine, the warmth of his fire sliding through me. I sigh and surrender to the heat, forgetting every reason why I should stay away from him as his lips find mine.

I know people can spot us through the greenery. I’m vaguely aware of their shocked murmuring, but I don’t care. He’s like the dark Asteroth wood that sends sparks through my skin. The branches of our affinity lines twine tighter, flames teasing through them as Lukas’s kiss deepens in hunger.

When Lukas pulls back, his eyes are strangely intense, and I feel a delicious undercurrent of wild danger. “Do you want to go somewhere more private?” he asks, his tone nocturnal.

A spike of both fear and desire ripples through me. “I don’t think that would be a good idea.”

He shoots me a knowing look, then steps back, deliberately formal, his arm outstretched in an unspoken invitation to dance once more. I let him guide me back onto the dance floor and into his arms, one slow waltz leading into another. I look out over Lukas’s shoulder, over the glittering couples and past them to...

Yvan.

He’s leaning against an Ironwood tree, far from the other kitchen workers, his eyes fixed on me. Heat suddenly flashes through me from clear across the room, like a streak of lightning through my lines, and I struggle not to gasp, stunned by the unexpected sensation.

I look away, thrown by this new awareness of Yvan’s astonishing fire, and struggle to collect myself as an echo of his heat shudders through my lines. My breathing erratic, I venture a glance back at him. He’s still watching me, with the same intense expression he usually wears, but deepened and simmering with something new.

Passionate longing.

Cast into confusion, I hold his fiery gaze as I move in perfect time with Lukas, filled with a sudden, overwhelming desire to be dancing with Yvan instead. To feelhislips against mine. To havehisarms around me. And to be close tohisfire.And for a brief moment, I throw all caution aside and look back at him with equally transparent longing.

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