Page 44 of Royal Captive
A warm feeling enveloped my chest, my head fuzzy like I’d had too much to drink. It was nice. Disarming.
“Hey! Wait!” I reached out and snagged hand, pulling him to a stop just before he reached the corridor.
“You never said why,” I panted.
He smoothed down the front of his tunic, rumpled from our near—whatever that had been. I couldn’t help but notice Alihandro didn’t wear a belt like the other fae had—Melek.
“Why what?” he grit out, glancing both ways down the corridor. Was he already regretting what had happened? Or afraid of this punishment he mentioned?
I pulled the shift down my legs, his wetness sticky between my thighs. His eyes flicked to it briefly, then back up. Had I imagined the look of smug satisfaction that glimmered there?
“You said you weren’t helping me out of pity. So what’s the reason?”
Alihandro sniffed, giving me a light bump forward.
“Spoilers, Princess. Spoilers.”
I let him lead me back to the others.
Fifteen
EVE
The urge to curl up in a corner and die had lessened significantly, but the wetness between my legs was irritating. I wanted to ask Alihandro if there was somewhere I could freshen up, or if he could at least slow down, but he impatiently kept his pace down the hallway, even grabbing my wrist and tugging me after him.
“I can walk!” I protested, but could not break his grip.
We burst back into the main room, everyone’s attention swinging to us. A threesome in the corner paused; the two girls on top of a red-haired fae craned their necks around to stare at me. Nostrils flared and heads tipped up as if everyone could sniff what had just taken place.
That was ludicrous, though.
I forced my feet to keep moving, trying hard to ignore the dozen couples that lined the couches and small cushions along the walls and strewn about.
They all know what you just did.
I tried to find the will to care, but couldn’t. I was mildly embarrassed that everyone might know my business, but I wasn’t ashamed of the act itself.
I’d needed it, and I’d wanted it.
Alihandro came to a halt suddenly, and I ran into his back. He half-turned and guided me to stand in front of him. He felt so warm and nice against me.…
Snap out of it!
“Oh, Alihandro.”
I glanced up to see Shyllon shaking his head at us, sitting at a small table with his lover on his knee. It was a tired, almost whispered sigh.
The dirty-blond fae in question opened his mouth to speak, eyes glittering with malice. Shyllon focused on him. “Calten, would you mind gathering some refreshments? Enough for all of us.”
Stopped in his tracks, Calten stood and huffed, shuffling off to gods-knew-where.
Shyllon ran a hand through his beard, gesturing to the chair next to him. “Please, sit.”
Alihandro gave me a pointed look, and I sat in the chair next to Shyllon, crossing my arms over my chest. He took the one across from me.
Before anyone could speak, Calten returned with bread and a wooden board of cheeses, meats, and olives.
Shyllon said, “You can join—”
