Page 37 of Of Nightmares & Fire
“Spoken like the queen I know you will be.” He bows low, and something sinks in my stomach. When he stands, he offers no more. Astraea watches his form shrink as he walks away. A slight trembling influx of air is the only thing that tells me she is crying again.Crying for us? Strangers?
Slowly, she turns back in the direction she was headed before the guard intervened. She should have guards following her, guardswho stand at the door to her bed chambers even if she is not in them. The fact that they are not…
She walks slowly, her gaze down toward her feet, so when I step out in front of her, she doesn’t take notice until I grab her and pull her into the darkened hallway before her door. Her eyes widen as I press her into the wall with just enough light to show her who has her held here. My hand presses firmly against the warm skin of her lips, and I’m reminded of how they felt pressed against mine.
When she realizes it’s me holding her, I feel the relief sag into her body. The longer her eyes train on mine, the more I feel the tension she carries release, even if just a fraction.I feel it, and I don't know what to think of it.
“Can you be quiet for me, Shula?” I whisper close to her face. She shakes her head, agreeing to my request. “Mmmmm,” I hum and slowly peel my hand away from her face. Her lips part, and as my eyes dance around her face, I see the pain from the way her hair is pulled back so tightly. I reach behind her, and in one swift tug, I pull the pin from her hair. Dark waves fall around her like a waterfall of ink cascading over her shoulder and down her back, and both of us lose our breath. The metal pin clangs on the dark stone floor.
“I think I much prefer this look.” My eyes narrow on hers as my hand lingers at the crook of her arm, and she braces herself on mine.
“Kyros? What are you doing here?” She implores.What am I doing here?I had a plan before what I just witnessed. My eyes fall to the pendant low on her heaving chest, and I let my fingers findtheir way lightly down the column of her neck. When I reach her collarbone, I let my gaze meet hers again. She's not protesting; if anything, she is pressing further into me, and as much as I know I shouldn’t, I let my hand drop further. My fingers trail the gold stitching of the low neckline of her dress, so low that I feel her breathing stop altogether.
My fingers hover almost touching the pendant, and while I certainly feel magick coming from it, it’s not the same as what I’m feeling comingfromthe princess… I have to know. I wrap my hand around the pendant and lift it between us.
“What is this?” I ask, toying with the delicate silver disc with carvings not much different than the tattoos that cover my skin.
“It was my mother’s. A gift to me when I turned ten.” Ten. The age that magick begins to surface for many of us. I drop the pendant and push my leg between hers. The slit on her dress is open enough that my leg finds her skin, and again, she sucks in a sharp breath.
“You shouldn’t be alone…” I finally say.
“I’m not alone.” She says, placing her hand on my chest. I look down at her delicate fingers. Keeping my eyes on them far longer than what is natural, but something warm ignites under her touch, and I can’t help but stare at the connection, trying to see what has caused the foreign feeling.
“I don’t see anyone here to protect you,” I tell her, lifting my gaze to hers.
“Does that mean you are here to hurt me?” She whispers, and I stay silent for a moment, watching her reaction to my lack ofwords. I can see the pulse in her neck thrumming at the same rapid pace as mine. Everything in me is telling me to say, “Fuck it.” Pick her up by her ass and carry her into that room with my mouth on hers. Make her beg for anything I am willing to give her. Make her pay for her father’s sins, but the other part of me—a part I don’t know how to handle—wants to cup her face and tell her I will always protect her.
My hand comes up, the backs of my fingers brush the softness of her face, and just as I am about to possibly say something regrettable, someone clears their throat.
“Princess?” A feminine voice says, and I step back immediately, missing the warmth of her, and a scowl quickly converts whatever weakness my face showed a moment ago.
“Colette.” Astraea fixes her dress, and pink blooms in her cheeks. “I was just going back to my room. I will meet you there.”
“Of course.” The girl from the stables bows and looks in my direction with a cold stare but quickly leaves us. I notice that she does not shut the bedchamber door behind her.Smart girl.
“I think it's time I take my leave. I’m sorry.” I say, holding her gaze and making a decision. If it’s not the necklace that is the relic, it must be in her blood. It wouldn’t be unheard of for a blood bond to be tied to a person with magick. Regardless, the princess has secrets, and I plan to find out what they are, but that will come later. Tomorrow we have to save my brother from his imminent death.
“Will I see you in the morning?” She asks, wringing her hands in front of her.
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
Chapter twenty-seven
Kyros
I’mpacinginfrontof the window when Mavros and Zinya walk into my chambers. Mavros is laughing, but Zinya’s smile falls when she sees me. She nudges Mav in the side with her elbow, and when his eyes land on me, he too looks just as somber.
“What is it?” Mavros says, all business for once.
“Did something happen?” Zinya adds.
“We are going to kidnap the princess.” Both of their faces pull into a frown before they look from me to each other, then back to me.
“Do you want to elaborate?” Mavros asks with his face quickly turning into anintense glare.
“I went to see her tonight on a hunch. I thought she carried the relic on her. We have all felt magick coming from her to some extent. I thought that maybe I could seduce it out of her.” I start explaining, but Mavros’ stern look cracks as he grins and interrupts.
“Well, that was your first mistake; you should know by now to leave the charm up to me.”
