Page 37 of Conflicted Fate
“The key towhat?” I muttered, sitting up and brushing cave dust off my arm and side. “I don’t—whoa!”
The surprised cry came as Kiel snatched me by the arms and hauled me to my feet, stuffing my discarded robe into my hand as he hurriedly donned his own and grabbed the torch.
“Come on, get dressed, let’s go,” he said, urging me along faster.
A wet reminder of our earlier actions slid down the inside of my leg. That would be fun.
“Kiel, what’s going on? What are you talking about?”
He leaned down, kissing me without warning, his free hand grabbing the back of my neck and pulling me into it. My mouth opened as his tongue forced its way inside, my feet rising up on their tiptoes.
Then, just as suddenly, he was gone, pulling back, his eyes gleaming with energy and excitement.
“I’m sorry to cut this short,” he said. “But I know what we have to do.”
“You do?”
“Yes! Come on!” He grabbed my hand and started dragging me down the tunnel. “We have to get everyone else together!”
“I don’t suppose you care to tell me what it is?” I asked, tugging my hand free so I could properly tie the belt of my robe as we hurried through the mineshaft toward the cavern.
“Nope. I’ll tell everyone at once.”
“You suck,” I muttered playfully.
“My recent memory tells me otherwise,” he fired back, giving me a lewd look to emphasize his point.
I couldn’t help it. I laughed, the sound ringing clearly in the tunnel. “Great. I’ve pushed past your barriers only to unlock your pervert side.”
“Jada, my darling, you haveno idea,” he rumbled, a wicked smile on his lips.
I barely heard it, though. I was still stuck on the first part of what he’d said. What he’dcalled me. It was a breakthrough for sure, and one I wasn’t sure he fully understood he’d made. The comment had just rolled out of him, and his focus had been on the sexual component. Not the term of endearment he’d so casually applied to me. Something he’dneverdone before.
The desire to point it out, to have him confirm hehadsaid it, that I wasn’t imagining it, was quite strong. Almost insatiable. I craved confirmation. I craved knowing he hadn’t said it by mistake somehow.
He just fucked your brains out after telling you that you mean a lot to him and he wants you. Maybe don’t push it?
I huffed loud enough to earn myself a questioning glance, but I waved it off. The last thing I needed was to let Kiel in on my internal thought process. If there were a way to lose a guy in ten minutes, that would be it. We’d just made huge progress. I had to accept it for what it was and let the rest come naturally. Without forcing it.
We ran through the common area and into the tunnel beyond. That was where the sleeping quarters began. A series of side-shafts had been blocked off with hung blankets, creating an illusion of privacy for the occupants.
“Andi! Clive!” Kiel barked. “We have work to do, let’s go.”
There was a rustling, and the two of them emerged from behind a blanket. They were both wearing robes as well.
“What is it?” Andi asked, looking around in alarm. “Have we been found?”
“No, nothing like that,” Kiel assured. “But it is urgent.”
“What?” Clive asked as he saw me staring at him.
I smirked but just shook my head. It wasn’t the time to address it. Not when I risked Andi’s wrath by doing so.
“Whatever the big secret is,” I said, “it has to do with Arcadia. But he won’t tell me anything.”
“What about it?” Andi asked.
“It’s our target,” Kiel said. “I need a map. Meet me in the common room. Assemble anyone else you’ve come to rely on. We’re going to need all the help we can get for this one.”
