Page 9 of Wrath of the Dragons
“I didn’t. You—”
She holds up her hand, exhaustion evident on her features, and I grind my teeth. “Is this something you smuggled? It’s infused with healing magic, and we’ve only just lifted the bans on it.”
“Yes, it’s from Galakin. They have healers that channel light magic into medicine.”
Her fingertips brush my cheekbone, and her touch slows, becoming more of a caress. I remain still, afraid that any movement on my part will break whatever trance she’s fallen into. It’s like a knife is twisting in my gut, knowing I can’t close the distance. Wanting her is the cruelest form of torture.
A horse whinnies outside, and Elowen’s gaze clears as she turnsaway. The celestial and draconic beading on her light blue velvet gown shimmers as she glides away, and I close my hands into fists, trying to use the pain of my nails digging into my skin to curb the longing pulsing through me.
“I’m assuming you’re still against separate chambers, considering you got rid of the furniture in your bedroom to add the library to our suite.”
I clench my jaw. “Yes.”
“It’s entirely normal for—”
“I don’t give a fuck about other royals or couples or what’s normal for them.” I risk her ire, standing from the table and tightening my hands in her thick curls until I can tilt her head up exactly where I want it. “Be angry at me all you wish, but you’ll never be rid of me.”
A flush creeps up her neck and cheeks. “Starting tonight you’ll sleep in the bed with me and remain there until dawn. I don’t care how painful it is for you to lay there; in fact, I hope it is. You’re too tall for the couch and we can’t risk a servant seeing you, but I will bind your hands if they reach for me.”
“Quite the imagination you have.”
She throws the rag at my face and rolls her eyes before darting them to the side, noting the few people lingering in the road to get a glimpse of us through the window. Just as easily as she adopted theatrics in Imirath, a smile slides onto her lips as she looks up at me, rises onto the tips of her toes, and kisses my unscarred cheek. She’s never done that, and something like shame pumps into my blood.
She scoops the flowers she tossed on the floor into her arms and cradles them to her chest, gently smiling down. It’s the first hint that I’ve done something right since the betrothal. I pluck her coat off the hook by the door and help her into it, flicking my eyes between her and the bouquet as I offer her my arm.
“The flowers are innocent,” she insists.
Chapter
Five
Elowen
One day I’ll learn tolimit my self-destructive habits, but today is not that day. I stare out the window of the carriage, hardly absorbing any of the sights, but also not granting a glance to the man across from me. He takes up more than half the damn carriage, but his presence alone makes me feel as if I’m pressed against the wall and starved for air.
I cross one knee over the other as the horses trot on, pursing my lips when Caydenchuckles.Oh, how the sound makes me want to scream. “Has anyone ever told you it’s rude to stare?”
“Has anyone ever told you that I’m rude?”
“Nobody had to. I caught on rather early.”
He chuckles again. “Why am I going to look at snow and buildings when I’ve been starving for the sight of you all day?”
Warmth floods my chest like someone spilled hot tea within me, but I force ice into my tone. “Flattery and flowers will get you nowhere.”
“I’m right where I want to be.”
I scoff and finally face him, not letting the pain slicing through me show on my features. “On my bad side?”
He pushes off the wall as if it were impossible to stay away, lazily twirling one of my curls around his finger, but he doesn’t answer the question. We begin to slow and voices of citizens along the street filterin through the gilded wood, excitedly chattering about spotting the royal carriage. I gasp as Cayden pulls me forward and catch my balance on his chest as he settles me on his lap.
His scent and warmth surround me, and I try to shove myself off though all I want to do is sink into it…into him. I want to rest my head on his shoulder like I’ve done so many times before and forget the world, but I can’t let myself. I’ve been used by my father and then by Ailliard, and though I knew Cayden and I were using each other in the beginning, I didn’t think we’d end up here. He’s never hid his cunning nature from me, but I never thought I’d be a casualty of it. I don’t even know if I am. I feel like I don’t know anything, and my own mind traps me in the dark. How can you trust what anyone says when you can’t even trust yourself?
“If you think I’m going to let you touch me after you deceived me—”
“We have been apart all day and when that door opens there will be several citizens trying to get a glimpse of us,” he cuts me off, circling my hips with an arm and pressing me closer. “If you wish to push the narrative of a happy couple then you need to take into account what I’d be doing.” His eyes darken as they flash to my lips, and I can’t suppress my shiver when his fingers glide up the column of my neck before wrapping around the back.
I do my best to keep another tremble hidden. It’s not as if my feelings for him have disappeared. I wouldn’t be in as much pain if they had. Trying to cut him out of me would be like trying to rip my soul in half. “What would you be doing?”
