Page 106 of Artemysia
Seeing Riev right now, in this state, will be the end of me.
I remind myself that I need to keep my lustful needs—and more importantly, my emotions—contained, for all our sakes.
“Her beauty steals my breath away, in a way only violence could do before.” - Riev
My short boot impatiently taps the polished turquoise tiles while I wait for Delphine. I’m standing in one of the many palace courtyards, shaded by red maples. Next to me is an ivory carriage with two black horses. Why don’t they use elk? I’m dressed in a stiff black evening suit with a silver cravat and cloak, feeling irritable.
I scratch my neck roughly like a dog, moving down across my shoulder. If a suit is not properly tailored, I can feel the imperfectly aligned seams. I’m itchy and uncomfortable as hell. You’d think King Foss would employ better tailors, but perhaps they aren’t used to producing human suiting, since they seem to prefer looser-fitting tunics and robes.
I’m more than eager to get to North Kingdom. We will arrive on the outskirts of the forest in an hour, and at the Prince of the North’s winter stronghold at sunset. I’ve learnedthere are four other “magical” gates besides the main split-tree entry. All shortcuts. The northern gate will spit us out closer to the forest borders of North Kingdom; otherwise, we would spend the entire day traveling. It’s this kind of thing that makes me wonder if this is all a hallucination.
How can a gate in a tree shorten the distance between places? It’s unreal. The Syf guard such secrets closely; I haven’t been able to discover the location of their southern gate. But if I could get the others through it, they would be able to escape to South Kingdom in a lot less time than it took for us to get here.
A shiver runs up the crisscross scars on my back. I flip up the collar against the autumn winds. I’m not sure what will come out of my mouth when I see Delphine. We’re both sick of me asking her to stay out of danger. So I vow not to start an argument by reprimanding her for sacrificing her safety for me. Not tonight.
Though when we fight, it seems to lead to intense arousal—
My cock jerks awake. A side door of the palace opens, and Delphine steps out into the courtyard.
I’m speechless.
Her beauty steals my breath away, in a way only violence could do before.
She’s wearing a velvet dress of the deepest green that lights up her eyes. It’s fitted to her curves, and her breasts practically spill over indecently. I’ve never been possessive, but my first instinct is to cover her chest so no one else’s filthy eyes wander there.
Her radiant hair runs down her back in generous curling waves. A blinding need to wrap her curls around my fist surges in me, just to pull them back to kiss her neck.
She fiddles with a dark ribbon plaited up her left arm that contrasts with her luminous skin, but when she sees me, she goes stock still. Her honey-brown eyes lock on mine. She has on the lightest bit of makeup, and her lips look bitten.
Lips I want to bite this very instant as she approaches me.
She lowers her lashes and takes the hand I extend to help her step into the carriage. It’s been over a week, and I’ve missed her. Her bright face. Her soft skin. The callus on her palm from her blade. My body shivers at her touch, remembering how she gripped my cock in herhand before guiding me inside her.
“Riev,” Delphine greets me, her voice soft. But what I noticed first is a hesitation, a detachment in her body language. She slides in as far away as possible on her side of the carriage and crosses her legs stiffly, her back straight as a flagpole.
Why is she being cold?
Is she nervous about our assignment? What have they told her?
All I’ve determined is that I need to figure out who is lying: the Syf, South Kingdom, or North Kingdom. Once I find out who is in the wrong, I will cut them down.
Syf or human.
It keeps my plan simple.
I should thank Delphine for coming for me. But I’ve been dying to know all week—
“How in the world did you find me after I was taken?”
“Why? Did younotwant me to?” She makes a face, and I think she mumbles, “Dammit. That wasn’t levelheaded at all, Delphine.”
I’m taken aback. “Why would you say that? What’s the matter?”
“You lied.” Her eyes blaze, her accusation biting.
“I promised I wouldn’t lie to you. I haven’t.”
“Ivy said you wanted to escape South Kingdom. That you planned to escape once we were close to North Kingdom.” Something between regret and despair flashes across her face.
