Page 48 of Captive of the Stolen Empire

I raised my brows, only partly in show.

“What the sun sees glows, but only shadow knows.” A boot thudded away. “What lies in darkest night. Hidden from all pure and bright.” The other followed.

My body trembled in anticipation as he rose to his full height, towering above me. Like a predator on the move, he prowled on his hands and knees until I was forced to lay back atop the furs, the beast himself hovering over me, all grinning teeth and gleaming eyes.

His confidence flickered, a question floating across his features. “You’d sully yourself with someone like me?”

I caressed his face, the softness of his skin changing into a prickly, dark stubble along a firm jaw. “In case you forgot, most people believe I already have.”

The predator returned in a flash, accompanied by a deep chuckle. “I had forgotten.”

“Well, I haven’t,” I pouted. “You’re not even sorry.”

“I am.” All trace of humor vanished. He closed the distance between us, his hair tickling my face as his forehead pressed against mine. “But I’m not sorry I kept you here with me. This outcome…I never imagined.”

I lost myself in his embrace upon the furs, giving way to feeling over thought, pleasure over painful memories. Nothing mattered, not the past, not my goals, only him. The rest could wait.

A moan slipped out between our kisses as a rough and calloused hand slid up my leg to my thigh, pushing aside my dress and silken slip in the process. My skin tingled in his wake, the ache between my legs growing with each touch.

I whined as he pulled away, rising on his knees upon the bed. With a quick move, his shirt was up and over his head, exposing a muscled chest smattered with dark hair. He didn’t come back to me immediately. Instead, he tossed the shirt away and displayed himself proudly in the lamplight for my inspection.

And look I did. Firm muscles trailed down his chest, disappearing down below his waistband with a patch of dark hair. I’d felt and fantasized about the chiseled muscles of his arms but never seen them. And there, on the inside of one forearm, was a dark mark shaped like a star.

Cold water doused the inferno within me. I gaped and sputtered like I’d been dumped into the sea.

“Ilya?” He stiffened as his gaze raked over me, searching for injury.

It can’t be. It can’t.

Deep bells pealed in the distance. Others joined their chorus, multiple notes playing together and ringing through the night.

Lucien went completely rigid above me. “Fuck.” His attention flickered between the balcony and me. His lips drew thin as he pulled away. “Fuck! Why now?”

I sat up, tugging the hem of my dress back below my waist. Icy tendrils of fear gripped my heart. “What is it? What do the bells mean?”

Lucien paced, running a hand through his hair. “Trouble.”

I flew off the bed, running toward the balcony.

The fires still glowed, smaller now than they were. The whinny of horses and muffled voices echoed up from the bailey, mingling with the tolling bells. I couldn’t make out any words, but they didn’t sound urgent. No shouts. No clashes of metal. No flares of magic.

Not a battle.

My racing heart slowed as I gazed out into the night, searching for anything amiss. Nothing stood out.

When I turned back to the room, Lucien had donned half his armor and hastily fastened on the rest. Already his arms were covered, hiding the sight I could have sworn I’d glimpsed.

“What’s going on?” I rushed to him. “My friends were still at the festival. Are they okay?”

“I don’t know. I won’t know until I meet the others.”

Fear clutched my throat. The bells signaled the captains. To send for them all in the night, a festival night at that…

Nausea churned in my gut. “Take me with you.”

“I can’t.” Another piece of armor strapped into place. “The bells will put the castle on lockdown.”

I opened my mouth to protest.

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