Page 101 of A Pact of Blood

My husband turns back to his office, but he motions for me to follow him.

As the door shuts behind us, he rakes his hand through his golden curls, frowning at the papers scattered on his desk with a vague air. Then he summons a smile. “What do you need, wife?”

His tone isn’t as curt as the tribune’s, but it’s not exactly welcoming either. Even though questions about the news Valerisse brought gnaw at me, I can’t jeopardize my goal by indulging my curiosity.

I step closer and rest my hand on Marclinus’s chest. He’s only wearing one of the silky dress shirts often hidden beneath embroidered vests and jackets, which serves my purposes just fine.

If I can feel the warmth of his skin seeping through the soft fabric, then he can feel mine as well.

I gaze up at him through my eyelashes the way I’ve seen his noblewomen paramours do often enough. “You’ve been working very hard these last two days, husband. Isn’t this supposed to be a time of celebration?”

Marclinus peers down at me, a hint of a crease forming between his eyebrows before he smooths it away. Almost as if he’s puzzled by my overture.

Or skeptical? It isn’t as if I often initiate our intimate encounters.

If he realizes I have an ulterior motive?—

He eases back half a step, catching my hand in his and holding it loosely. “Are you regretting that I haven’t been livelier in the past couple of days? Has my presence not been entertaining enough?”

I blink at him, honestly startled. Gods, no. I could see some members of his court missing his more manic attitudes, but does he really thinkI’dfeel that way?

Not that I like being around him all that much either way, but even-tempered he’s at least less likely to create some new form of sadistic chaos.

I curl my fingers gently around his. “Quite the opposite. I enjoy seeing you so focused, dedicated to the well-being of our people. But as a dedicat of Elox, I do also know that one can’t work hard without any repose and still be at one’s best.”

Marclinus’s next remark comes out drier. “So you came to ensure I wasn’t wearing myself to the bone?”

I let the corners of my mouth lift into a smile that’s slightly wry to match his tone. “You’re serving the empire, and I’m meant to serve you. If encouraging you to take a break is the best contribution I can make to ensuring you rule with all the might you have in you, then I’m more than happy to do my part.”

To my surprise, he still hesitates, even though he must understand what I’m offering. “I may not be very good company tonight.”

He’s never appeared that concerned about my enthusiasm before. What’s gotten into him?

I reach up to tease my other hand along his angular jaw. It’s a shame such a striking face was wasted on such an awful man. “Let me be good company to you, then. I can take care of you so you’ll be ready to approach whatever problems face us fresh in the morning.”

Finally, a glint of real heat lights in Marclinus’s eyes. He lowers our twined hands by our sides and eases in to run his fingers into my hair. With a dip of his head, he claims a kiss.

My husband has never kissed me quite like this before. There’s something oddly tentative about the press of his lips in the moment before I kiss him back, as if he’s waiting to see how he’ll be received rather than assuming the outcome.

When I loop my arm around the back of his neck, his mouth slides against mine, searing hotter. An unexpected tingle shoots right down the center of me to the warming spot between my legs.

It takes all my will not to overtly cringe in revulsion at the thought of any part of my body responding eagerly to the man who’s tormented both me and the men I actually love.

The fertility potion. It must have an aphrodisiac effect as well, one that’s clouding my perceptions of Marclinus to make his overtures feel more appealing. I hadn’t intended that effect, but it would be fitting to ensure the most necessary act for success takes place.

Marclinus grasps me by the waist, tugging me closer against him. The bulge within his trousers grazes my belly, provoking a shiver that’s more uncomfortable.

I can’t let this scene play out here in his office, where Ican hardly explain away how he suddenly fell asleep at his desk.

I let my mouth linger against his just a few seconds longer and then pull back a couple of inches. My voice comes out purposefully breathy. “Will you escort me to my chambers, husband?”

Marclinus grins. “Nothing would make me happier.”

As he leads me out of the office and down the hall, an ache of longing spreads out from my core.

The potion is certainly doing its job. I only wish it’d taken a little longer to kick in.

I wait until my bedroom door has closed between us and our guards before I twitch my thumb against the side of my ring. When Marclinus pulls me into another kiss, I prick the miniscule blade against the side of his arm. I’ve flicked it away again before he even comes up for air.

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