Page 74 of The Ballad of a Bard

“I see what you’ve done, clever girl. Distracted me with the subject of myself in order to lure me away from the falsity of your nature with Westley Saint.” He pulled an arrogant smirk back onto his face. “Tsk, tsk. No matter. I wouldn’t worry about it, if I were you. I find things out, no matter how deep you’ve buried them. It’s only a matter of time.”

They walked through the last layer of the gate, approaching the tall castle. The domes glimmered in the sunlight, casting the gardens in a basking aura of gold and ochre.

“Are you threatening me?” She tried to ask without a single sign of a nervous stutter.

“No, of course not.” His eyes crinkled. “If I were threatening you, you’dknow.”

It didn’t soothe her as they paused before the training yard, watching Damien Steel go head to head with Rook, whilst West watched. He bobbed his head in a pleased way as they repeated the motions and back tracked the movements.

“Good!” He clapped and stepped forward. “Now Rook, I want you to switch to defence and try it all over again.” He repositioned Damien and fell back once again, crossing his arms over the other and watching.

They repeated everything to his specifics and she marvelled at the way he easily commanded others, how they listened to his order without complaint. West followed every single flow, every step, every attack as they worked against each other.

“He’s truly something, isn’t he?” Altivar murmured from beside her and she’d completely forgotten he’d still been there. “There’s a reason why my mother was dead set on having him asher captain of the Watch. She wouldn’t allow for anyone else to fill that spot.”

“They’re very close.”

“Notthatclose, worry not.” The Prince tried to assure her, as if he could sense where her head was at.

“I’m not.”

“Are you sure? Because you’re not looking at the captain like he’s already yours, but as if he’s something you crave desperately. As if you’d never had a sample of those delicious lips, or what lies underneath his plain clothes.”

Crimson hated the way he was talking about West. Hated the wayhewas looking at the Saint like a meal to be enjoyed, as a snack to consume in the darkest hours of the bleakest night. He was the Prince, heir to Tazali and all it had to offer him. He could have whatever he wanted, served to him on a silver platter even.

But West was hers.

He could never have West.

Which was why she did the most foolish, stupid thing she could think of.

Crimson sucked in a breath, adding to her mustered confidence before she stalked over to West. The men continued their mock fighting around the ring as he taught them, a few others gathered around to watch with intrigue at who would win.

He noticed her and opened his mouth to say something polite, no doubt. But she didn’t give him the chance to utter anything as she reached him.

“Just trust me, alright?” She whispered as her heart thudded with a wild pace of nothing mortal. Her own powers tuned in to the heightened sense, of him because he did such unsaintly things to her nerves whenever he was around. They thrilled inresponse, her magic flowing bright and bold like a star as Crimson experienced it from the other end.

Her own powers reacted against her, making everything so muchmore.

Confusion spread across his handsome face as she lifted herself up on her toes to reach him, and tugged him down by the collar of his shirt.

She made sure Altivar was watching as she kissed him.

Thirty Two

West couldn’t believe it.

She was kissing him.

And it was the best thing he’d ever felt in his long, immortal life. There was a rush of blood as it left his mind, filling something else. There was an undeniable thrust of delight inside of his heart as she captured his mouth with hers. There was a fizzing in his soul as silence surrounded them and everything became numb compared to this, to her.

Crimson was standing on her toes, that much was clear. Her fingers were wound in his shirt as if she were afraid to let go, to pull back and see his reaction to her instant action. He savoured the weight of her against him, the way her rose and musk trapped him within its scent. He didn’t care anymore as he placed his arms around her and dragged her closer, if that was even possible. His mouth moved with hers and he took it one step further.

West kissedher.

She let out a light gasp as he opened her lips, slipping his tongue inside. Her chest was heaving and he took great pleasurein that. She became loose and tense all at once, at the way he growled into her mouth. Her tongue flicked against his and it was like sparks burst inside of his head.

Stars.

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