Page 74 of The Umbra King

“Wait,” he called after her, releasing a long, exhausted sigh. “You can stay.”

She hesitated. “Why?”

He said nothing suggestive, like she expected. “Because it’s late, and you shouldn’t roam the halls alone.”

His words were thoughtful, and she didn’t know what to make of it. “What is this place?”

His fingers began unbuttoning his shirt, and Rory swallowed at the sight. His hands moved gracefully as they worked, and until that moment, she didn’t know hands could be sexy.

“It was Atarah’s room when she visited,” he replied, and threw his shirt over the chair next to Rory’s discarded dress. He motioned to the ceiling. “She loved Vincula, but the lack of sunlight made hernot want to stay long. Whatever the sky looks like in Erdikoa is reflected on the screens.” He smiled to himself. “She hated the regular guest quarters.”

Rory looked up and smiled. “I miss the Erdikoa sky, too. It reminds me of the people I love back home.”

“Like theAatxe?” he asked crossly, setting his rings on the dressing table.

She eyed him suspiciously. “Yes. His name is Dume.”

“Was he your boyfriend?” Caius’ movements became jerky as he removed his pants and stood in nothing but his tight boxer briefs.

His dick was perfectly outlined, and she was transfixed by it. “Uh, no, he is—what are you doing?”

“I’m getting ready for bed, Miss Raven,” Caius said, bemused.

“I’m not sleeping with you.” Her voice held more conviction than she felt.

He looked annoyed. “If you’re sleeping in this bed, I assure you, you are.” That signature smirk returned, and she hated that she loved it. “We can fuck too, if that’s what you want.”

It seemed his dirty mouth returned as well.

Sleeping beside him was harmless, as long as he didn’t touch her. If he tried, she would break his fingers.Maybe.

“Dume is my best friend. My sister and I met him in grade one. He is like a brother to me.” She no longer knew if that was true, and it stung. Her eyes watered, and she blinked rapidly.

She didn’t normally cry, but this stupid realm turned her into a mopey child. She’d like to see anyone cut off from their family and not cry. It was hard.

Caius’ thumb wiped a lone tear from her cheek, and her lips parted at the tender gesture. “I lost my siblings too.”

“Did you kill Atarah?” she whispered. If he didn’t kill Cora, it’s possible he was punished for another crime of which he was innocent.

She watched sadness blanket him when he said, “No.” Rory’s shoulders sagged with relief.

Why was she happy when he had been nothing but horrible to her? The number of internal questions she’d asked herself since arriving in Vincula disturbed her. Identity crisis at its finest, she guessed.

“What made you change your mind about me?” She walked around the bed and climbed in opposite him as though it were the most natural thing in the realms.

He turned on his side to face her and propped himself up on his elbow. “When Sam looked into your mother, he met your friends. Did you know people are defending you? They say you saved them.”

“I didn’t know when I arrived, but Bruce said as much. I questioned whether he was telling the truth, but…” Her voice broke. “But it means more to me than I thought it would.”

“Bruce?” His body tensed.

“He’s a new arrival. The man sentenced to one month; he committed a crime bad enough to get him sent here to thank me. A woman I saved was his daughter.” She thought for a moment. “Why would asking anAatxeto arrest him while holding an unloaded gun send him here?”

Caius thought for a moment. “Any form of assault or attempted assault is judged by Adila.”

Rory propped herself up, too. “But wouldn’t she see his intentions weren’t malicious?”

“Maybe she gave him what he wanted,” Caius mused.

---