Page 40 of Dark Rebel's Reckoning

"Not really," Kyra said. "I have a few good stories, though."

When she launched into the story of her latest prisoner rescue, Max's admiration for her grew with every twist of her tale.

When Kyra caught him looking, those golden-flecked eyes meeting his directly, Max didn't bother to hide his admiration.

The small smile she offered in return sent a jolt of warmth through him.

25

KYRA

"Here you go," Max handed Ell-rom a pair of loose gym pants and a T-shirt. "These should fit you."

"Thank you." Ell-rom tucked the small bundle under his arm. "I couldn't wait for Jasmine to return with our things to wash the filth off."

None of their saviors had showered on the plane, so the saved would have enough water to wash themselves, which Kyra appreciated greatly and had taken advantage of, but she craved a proper shower in the beautiful bathroom in the luxurious master suite.

More than that, though, she craved time alone with Max.

Syssi and Kian had departed a while ago, taking Jasmine with them to the village, and now Ell-rom was leaving for the other penthouse, but Fenella didn't show any indications of wanting to retire for the evening.

The silence that settled over the living room after Ell-rom's departure was oppressive. He'd been the one doing most of thetalking for the past hour, telling her and Fenella the incredible story of his seven-thousand-year journey from the planet of the gods to Earth and how Jasmine had found him and his twin sister mere days before they would have expired.

Max had explained about stasis and how it worked only for immortals and not the Kra-ell, and he'd also said something about the Fates guiding Jasmine's hand.

It hadn't been the first time the Fates had been mentioned, and Kyra wondered if the belief in them was part of the clan's lore or something more.

Perhaps she could ask him about that to fill the awkward silence.

She glanced at his profile, sharp and handsome without an iota of softness in him, but she'd witnessed his kindness, so she knew that the tough exterior didn't reflect the much gentler interior.

He evoked something in her that she hadn't felt before.

Not that she could remember, but she must have loved Kyra's father for him to have loved her back so fiercely. Her heart still clenched at the thought of his suffering. It hadn't been her fault, but she still felt responsible for his pain.

With a sigh, she reached for a magazine that had been left on the table and started flipping pages, just to appear busy while examining these unfamiliar stirrings that were both exciting and peculiar.

She'd met her share of good men, kind, handsome, and smart, but none of them had evoked anything other than feelings of friendship or camaraderie. Her feminine awareness of Max felt like a revelation—a sign that perhaps she was healing, that her captors hadn't bludgeoned this part of her to death.

She needed to find out whether she could act on it.

Max had been giving all the signs that he was interested, so she knew her advances would be reciprocated, and she also knew that he would accept whatever she was comfortable with and wouldn't push for more.

She barely knew him, so that confidence wasn't based on anything tangible, but she trusted her instincts, especially when she had her pendant back to warn her when she needed to watch out.

Kyra lifted her hand to it, drawing comfort from its familiar warmth. The amber stone seemed to hum with quiet energy against her skin, validating her instincts.

Fenella shifted on the couch, glancing between them with knowing eyes. After another moment of pointed silence, she yawned dramatically, stretching her arms overhead.

"I think I'm going to follow Ell-rom's example and get a proper shower," she announced. "Then it's off to bed with me. I've been thinking about that fluffy down blanket ever since I saw it."

Max stood up. "Do you need me to escort you to your room?"

Kyra tensed, suddenly unsure of her assessment. What if Max was more interested in Fenella? He'd spent most of the way back sitting next to the woman, and she'd heard them talking and laughing like the best of friends.

Fenella waved him off. "I'm sure it's safe for me to cross that magnificent foyer on my own and find my bedroom." She shot Kyra a quick smile. "Goodnight, Kyra. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Goodnight," Kyra said.

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