Page 13 of Wings of Cruelty and Flame

“I meant your smile,” he corrected, and this time I dragged my attention from the ring, meeting his stare and finding his eyes very soft. For the second time today, I wondered if we’d have a real marriage built on affection, not just political gain.

“I don’t often have reasons to smile,” I admitted, not quite able to sever the eye contact.

“I’d better buy you dragon opals every day, then,” he said thoughtfully.

“Don’t you dare!”

His laugh filled the whole room, as warm and sweet as mint tea. “Don’t tempt me.”

I narrowed my eyes in warning. He only grinned wider, a softness to the look. “I know this is all new and strange, and you don’t know me—or trust me—but I’m glad my father chose you. I’d rather die than wed a boring woman, and I can already say with certainty marriage to you will be anything but boring.”

The compliments found their mark, until my face was warm and a wholeswarmof butterflies filled my gut instead of the small group I’d begun with.

“I can promise things will never be dull. My cousin used to say the sharp humour of my tongue could make an imam snort laughter.” Thinking about her hurt. Memories hit with clarity—Naila covered in blood, her body shredded and dumped in Strava square by a heinous warrior who’d vanished before I could kill him. The bastard was the only person in the world I’d willingly use my dark power on.

Varidian smiled down at me. “Was she at the wedding? I remember meeting your aunt and cousins, but they were all men.”

“She died,” I said, hating the choked quality of my voice. “She was my only friend.”

Oh, that was sad. Why had I told him that?

Varidian brushed my cheek with a knuckle before I could think to stop him, and the touch felt so good I leaned into it.

To deflect, I added with a little laugh, “I’m glad your father chose me, too. I think my father agreed to the marriage in the hopes you’d use your power on me.”

Varidian looked horrified. He dropped his touch from my face; I tried not to frown at the loss.

I shrugged. “Or murder me.”

“I’ll murderhim,”Varidian threatened, his voice a sudden growl that made me laugh.

“He’s like a cockroach; very hard to kill. But you’re welcome to try.”

The expression on Varidian’s face was still dark, his eyes distant as he imagined what he’d do to my father. I’d thought about killing him so many times, but I didn’t have the nerve. And no matter how I resented him for being a bad father, hewasmy father, and I loved him with all the foolish intensity of a child who didn’t know better.

“Stop thinking about killing my father,” I huffed, nudging Varidian very carefully with my gloved hand. “It’s inappropriate on a woman’s wedding night.”

Varidian laughed, bright eyes focusing on me, but he sobered in an instant. “About that. Just because the vultures at our celebration are so intent on deflowering you doesn’t mean I am. We can take our time, become properly acquainted with each other before we take that final step.”

I drew back, an arrow of hurt piercing my chest. “Do you find me so hideous? No, don’t answer that, I can figure out the answer myself.”

Varidian’s eyes flashed, the only warning before he lunged forward a dangerous step. “Donotmistake my feelings, Ameirah Saber.”

Ohh. That name came with a strange effect; I felt it in my gut, felt it lower. AmeirahSaber.No longer a member of House Jaouhari who’d never wanted me, but a family of royals and legends.

When my husband took another coiled step, I retreated, bumping into a dresser inlaid with sapphire and crimson mosaic. My heart threw itself against my ribcage, beating hard enough to surely dent bone.

“I want you so much it’s torture to be in a bedroom with you,” Varidian breathed, his voice both soft and gravelly. “It’s almost comical that you believe I don’t want you when all I can think of is all the things we could do on that bed behind us. Or on this dresser perhaps.”

My face was a furnace, my heart a bellows fanning heat to the rest of my body.

“I see,” I croaked. It would have been nice to speak in a low, sultry tone right now, but seduction was not a natural trait of mine. All those racy books read, and no useful skills learned.

Well, maybe one or two. Not that Varidian would let me put them to use. His loss, honestly.

“You must think me breakable then,” I breathed, acutely aware of the mere inches between our bodies and the dresser’s solid edge pressing to my back. Nowhere to run. And why did I want to run anyway? The only thing my mind and body wanted to do was run my hands all over that glorious body. My emotions, though? They were in a constant state of flux.

“You’re a Saber,” he replied, his eyes fixed on my face. “None of us are breakable. But I do understand that it’s too soon, and I am completely fine with waiting. Give me your arm; I’ll make a small cut to stain the sheets. It will barely hurt, I promise.”

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