Page 115 of A Court Bright and Broken

His offer shocked me. It also touched my heart. “You’d do that?”

“Of course. I can’t helpallthe humans who are suffering across our lands, but I can at least take care of your family. Please, Raewyn… let me.”

Alternating waves of disbelief and gratitude lapped at my heart. And for the first time, I felt a little willingness toletmyself be helped, to not insist on figuring it all out on my own.

This was a side of Stellon I’d never seen. He truly seemed upset at the plight of the humans under his father’s rule. At the plight of my family—penniless peasants he’d never even met.

It made him even more attractive to me than he’d been before. Because now his beauty wasn’t just on the outside. I squeezed the hand holding mine, fighting the urge to touch even more of him.

What am I doing?I wasn’t thinking clearly, thanks to my overindulgence tonight.

Could I even trust him enough to tell him where to find my family? And had he not said that, in this time of heightened vigilance, anyone leaving the castle would be closely watched?

A wagon full of supplies headed to a human village might arouse suspicion and lead the king’s spies directly to my innocent sisters and father.

“I don’t know,” I said, withdrawing my hand from his to cover my face.

“I can’t think right now. I’m sorry I drank all your lovely water, by the way.”

Stellon chuckled. “There’s plenty more where that came from. Besides, you’re pretty cute when you’re in your cups. Actually, ‘cute’ is the wrong word, and since you’re probably toodrunk to remember this come the morning, I’ll go ahead and say it…”

He lifted my hand to uncover my eyes so he could look into them as he spoke. “You, Raewyn, are the most exquisitely beautiful woman I have ever seen. I am utterly obsessed with you.”

That’s when I kissed him.

I wasn’t sure how it happened.

All of a sudden, I was sitting up and gripping the back of his neck like my life depended on it and pressing my lips to his.

At first, Stellon didn’t react. It was like he was frozen. But after a few seconds, he responded, kissing me back ferociously.

His hands cradled my jaw then moved through my hair, down my back and around to my ribcage, resting just beneath my breasts. It felt incredible, and the desire for him to go on touching me was more potent than anything I’d ever felt.

I touched him too, allowing my hands to roam and explore his neck and shoulders, those tantalizing chest muscles beneath the thin fabric of his shirt. Running my hands down his sides, I reached for the hem of it, wanting to get my fingers beneath it and feel his skin.

His hands left my body and gripped mine, stopping me.

His breathing was labored. His voice sounded rough when he repeated his earlier diagnosis.

“You’re drunk, Firebug.”

My wrists writhed inside the manacles of his hands, struggling for release. Something had been loosed in me, and like any wild animal, it didnotwant to be caged.

I felt like a whole different version of myself, freer, lighter, andhungrierthan I’d ever been—but in a different way.

For the first time I could remember, I actually wanted something for myself.

Him.

There was a noise from the direction of the sitting room—a door opening by the sound of it.

Stellon released my hands and twisted toward it, listening with a fierce expression on his face.

And then there were footsteps. And voices.

One voice in particular stood out to me. I recognized it from the night of the ball, and it still sent a shiver of revulsion down my spine.

Stellon knew the voice as well, obviously, because as it called out his name, his eyes went wide. He looked down at me, clearly in a deep panic.

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