Page 4 of Ties of Starlight

She hooked her finger around the top of the spine. She’d been avoiding this one, mostly because just seeing his name—

“You're seriously spending the night before your wedding working?”

Idonea couldn't stop herself from startling, and then her foot caught on her skirt, and she was falling right off the ladder, screaming.

But instead of landing on the library floor, a pair of arms quickly wrapped around her and kept her from shattering every bone in her body.

Her heart was still slamming up against her ribs when she slowly opened her eyes to see King Nyrunn looking down at her from where he'd caught her. The book she'd been reaching for sprawled open on the floor nearby.

“Are you trying to kill me?” Idonea hissed.

“I'm the king. If I wanted you dead, I wouldn't have to go to the trouble of startling you into breaking your fragile, half-human neck.” His eyes darted down to her neck, and she resisted the urge to reach up and cover her necklace. He adjusted his grip, one arm under her knees and the other around her back, keeping her from escaping after his threat. “I wasn't trying to make you fall. I simply forgot how easily you startle.”

She hardly needed the reminder of how quickly he could have her killed.

“I'm not so foolish as to believe that.” Idonea shifted, only causing his grip on her to tighten as he pulled her even closer in to his chest. “You always sneak up on me.”

“Little lily, everyone sneaks up on you.” Nyrunn laughed, and the deep rumble pierced her. She couldn’t let his arrogance and condescension get under her skin. “Even if you weren't half-human, your head is always in the clouds.”

So much for him maturing. Heat rushed to her cheeks. “You haven't changed at all, have you?”

He tilted his head, staring down at her as his hair fell into his eyes. “I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific.”

“I know you were listening, when I said that you were maturing. But here you are, acting no different than you have since you were just a prince, coming here to annoy me and criticize my every action, trying to get under my skin.”

He was already succeeding. She needed to calm down and figure out how to get out of this.

“Or maybe I came here to make sure you weren't up to something you shouldn't be. Can't have you running off now, can we?” Nyrunn murmured in her ear, hand rustling in the fabric of her skirts as he hefted her up, curling her so her cheek pressed against his shoulder as he pressed her to his chest. Her heart skipped and her breath caught in her throat.

She couldn’t forget how dangerous he was.

“Put me down!” Idonea slammed her hands against his chest and pushed back, and he quickly set her on her feet, her back against the shelves as he shifted in front of her.

She straightened up, but he was still towering over her, and she had nowhere else to go with him standing in front of her and blocking the way.

“Well, you didn't answer me.” Nyrunn tilted his head. “About what you're doing here at this hour?”

“I just... wanted something to read to help me sleep. Is that a problem, Your Majesty?” Idonea did her best to keep her voice steady and devoid of emotion.

“And you needed to get a book from a shelf twice your height?” Nyrunn looked back up at the tall shelves to the top of the ladder, a smile flickering on his face. “You weren't satisfied with the selection within your reach?”

“Clearly not.” Idonea took a deep breath. She would not let him rattle her. She’d survived far worse than Nyrunn. “Otherwise, I wouldn't have been up there.”

He pulled his gaze back down to hers. “And what book was so important you had to risk breaking your neck to read tonight of all nights?”

Thankfully it was on the ground behind him, so he couldn't see it.

She tried to laugh, but all that came out was a soft huff. “Don't you have more important things to be worrying about than my choice of literature, Your Majesty?”

His lips twitched up and something flickered in his eyes. “There is nothing more important than you, little lily.”

Her skin crawled, and she pushed down the bile rising in her throat. If she never heard anyone call her “lily” ever again it would still be too soon. But she had more important issues.

If she didn't do this perfectly—

Wait.

“That's what this is about?”

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