Page 28 of Thief of Souls
I’m not entirely certain the answer to that is yes. “Thank you, but if anyone was to see us, they’re going to think you’ve fallen for me.”
Keir’s smile remains dangerous as he reaches past me to unlock the door to our rooms. “Anyone who saw us this summer would know I had already been a fool for you.” His smile fades. “If we’re going to continue the lie, then we have to sell it. Anyone who knew me would know that my feelings for you would not fade so swiftly.”
I examine the stern lines of his jaw as he opens the door. If a sculptor was ever to create that face out of stone, they’d be lauded through the ages.
“You’re a prince,” I point out as we sweep into the antechamber that lingers between our bedchambers. Despite my distraction, my breath catches when I see them.
Malechus has certainly spared no expense in outfitting his court—or perhaps he set his servants to scrambling the second he realized Keir was here. Or did he simply cast another couple out of these rooms?
They’re gorgeous.
Sumptuous red silk cushions. Low divans and rugs. The room itself is carved out of the mountain, and enormous columns of polished quartz circle the room.
“What does that matter?” he asks, kicking the door shut behind us.
“You have princesses throwing themselves at your feet at every turn, as evidenced by what happened below. I think it highly likely your feelings for me would have waned in such a short amount of time.”
“Oh, that you think me so inconstant.” He tugs his coat off revealing the fresh lawn of his shirt.
“Idon’tthink you inconstant,” I snap, “but you know the truth now. You have no reason not to let your eye linger on others.” Tugging at the bracelets around my wrist, I toss them on a low table. “You’re my decoy. I want Malechus—and the rest of the court—focused on you.”
“Fine. How far do I take it?”
“How far… what?”
“These flirtations?” Keir tosses the coat aside as if it’s a challenge, and his shirt clings to his chest with static. “How far do I go, Zemira? Do I focus on one princess? Or maybe I dangle two of them on my knee…. Or would three suit?”
“That’s your decision. I don’t need to know how many.”
“No?”
“No.” Goddess-have-mercy, but suddenly I’m right back there in his arms, trying not to feel the flex and pull of muscle as he holds me. Pouring myself a wine, I try to take my attention off him, but all I succeed in doing is nearly drowning on my first gulp.
Keir watches me with those hypnotic eyes as he stalks toward me. “All these princesses that fling themselves at my feet…. I’m almost starting to wonder if you’re jealous?”
“What?” I choke on my next mouthful.
“That is the plan, is it not? When they wilt at my feet, I’m supposed to be entranced.”
“Yes.” The way he looks, serving him up as a distraction is the best idea I’ve ever had. Nobody will be looking at me.Nobody. The males will see a challenge, the females will want to conquer him…. There is nothing about this situation that could be bad.
Except….
I drain the goblet. More wine. I definitely need more wine.
“The very idea I would be jealous is ridiculous,” I tell him as I go in search of another flagon. “Besides, that’s not our biggest problem.”
“No?”
“Ismena looked horrified to see me,” I point out. “Not merely shocked, but horrified. Sheknowssomething about me.”
“The last time she saw you,” he points out dryly, “Calliope was trying to kill her. Even Ismena suffers from nightmares of that time.”
I arch a brow at him. “Does she? Has someone been peeking into his potential bride’s heads?”
He crosses both arms over his chest. “I owe those women a debt. Calliope came to my halls to murder me. She killed several of those women out of frustration and left the others with the sort of nightmares that will haunt them forever. I chased the nightmares away, nothing more. I can give them that, at least.”
My eyes narrow. It sounds entirely too altruistic.
