Page 11 of The Storm of the Empire

I wokein a cold sweat and reached for my knife, instantly coming awake, haunted by dreams I couldn’t quite remember, but it wasn’t in its place.

A hand brushed over the scars on my back, making me freeze. “Luka?”

I flinched. Where the fuck was I?

It took agonizingly long for my memory to come back to me.

I’d fallen asleep in Hazel’s bed after spreading her out and feasting on her again, taking my time with my tongue and fingers once we had a bed to play in. We’d worn ourselves out, and although I’d had no intention of sleeping, I’d evidently succumbed.

The panic that had woken me grew, but I forced my breathing to slow. I’d had a nightmare. What had I said? How much had she seen?

This was why I didn’t spend the night with lovers.

Her thumb brushed my cheek. “Are you okay?”

I swallowed a few times, trying to get my tongue unstuck from the roof of my mouth. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.” I tried to play it cool, putting on my mask. “Sorry if I was talking or something. I do that sometimes.”

“You were moaning in your sleep.”

I exhaled a pent-up breath. “I do that. Sorry for waking you.” I leaned over to brush my lips over her temple and then made to climb over her to leave.

“Where are you going?” she said in the cutest sleepy voice. Her dark curls spilled out over her pillow, framing her face, and for the first time since I embarked on this new life, I actually didn’t want to just get up and leave after. But I had to.

“I have to be up early,” I made up on the fly. What else could I say? I don’t want to subject you to the sleeping version of me? I don’t want to expose myself that way to anyone?

“That’s even more reason to stay and sleep.”

Her words made me hesitate, and I hovered over her when I asked, “Why would that be true?” I hovered over her.

She opened one eye. “Because you’ll get more sleep if you lay back down instead of traipsing halfway across the palace to find your own bed. You’ll be wide awake by then.”

“You have a good point.” I didn’t want to leave.

“I see you wavering. Lay down.” She brushed one of her curls out of her face, closing her eyes again.

I lingered.

Maybe I could do it for one night. Just be normal for once. But deep down, I knew that wasn’t possible.

She tugged at me, and in a moment of weakness, I let her pull me a little, settling back down next to her. She smiled, curling towards me, and within a minute or two, she was lightly snoring. Her entire body changed when she was so deeply out. Her beautifully bronzed skin eased around her eyes, erasing the tiny lines that indicated she had worries on her shoulders. In sleep, she was untroubled and so beautiful.

This female.

How could anyone ever tell her no?

I lay with her until she was in a state of deep sleep, then forced myself out of bed, careful not to wake her. She deserved better, and me staying the night would only cause more problems.

I gathered my clothes and cast one last look at her.

She was never going to let me in her class now, but I’d try my luck anyway because I couldn’t help myself.

Why did I do these things to myself?

FOUR

LUKA

She searched my face as I strolled into training the next day. I was trying for an air of confidence. There were already a few students milling about the room, so I kept my comments to myself, but I felt her gaze follow me as I set my jug of water down and took a place to one side to stretch out. I half expected to be thrown out on my ear.

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