Page 38 of Crown of Hearts
“Now we understand Your Majesty has only recently come to the throne and that the kingdom has many fine young ladies. But does this mean there could be the possibility of a new Norrandish queen somewhere in the near future?”
It was a very delicate way of asking me whether or not I was intentionally courting. Of course, many of the council members had their own daughters and nieces they’d be more than happy to send to court.
“Lady Meredette is a close friend of Lady Gwen, who you all know is as good as my sister,” I responded in a monotone. “We merely enjoyed an afternoon stroll together. At present, my only intention is Norrandale’s safety and prosperity.”
“As long as Your Majesty remembers the safety and prosperity of an heir,” the Duke of Mannik chirped, as if I was likely to forget such a thing.
“A wealthy and titled young woman from Norrandale,” Lord Stapleton said. “That’s what the people need. Norrandale needs to be a united kingdom, now more than ever.” I nodded but had stopped listening again, my thoughts with a woman who was both titled and wealthy but very far from Norrandish.
Chapter 11
Elara
I woke up to the sound of my bedroom door opening and closing.
My eyes, fighting to open, made out a blurred figure approaching the bed. I sat up, the silken sheets falling to my waist. Goosebumps formed on my arms from the cool breeze coming in through one of the open windows.
“Cai?”
He placed one of his knees on the bed and leaned towards me.
“Elara.”
For a moment, I entertained the idea that this wasn’t real. That there was no way Cai’s shirtless form was actually in my sleeping chambers in the middle of the night. Before I could say anything else, his lips were on my own and the scent of him overwhelmed me.
The kiss was different to the ones we’d shared before. My hands found his shoulders of their own accord. Had they always felt that strong? The warmth of Cai’s lips chased away the cold of the night, though this did not stop me from shivering when his mouth moved away from my lips and down my neck.
“Cai, what are you doing here?” I couldn’t help myself from asking.
He pulled away far enough that our foreheads were touching, and we shared a breath. “I missed you.” It wasn’t enough for me. I wanted more of an explanation, wanted more words.
But Cai wouldn’t give me that kind of satisfaction. He pulled the bed sheet away, exposing my legs. I didn’t let go of him as his arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me up and into him. His tongue traced my bottom lip teasingly and disrupted the lastof my common sense. My fingers ran through the hair at the back of his head.
“Aren’t you going to say you missed me as well?”
Cai laid me back, letting my head rest against the soft pillow. I couldn’t stop myself from letting out a laugh.
He smiled against my neck. “Sshh, you’re going to wake up the entire west wing with your laughing.”
Were there guards stationed outside my door? Did Rhen see Cai come in? I decided too quickly that I didn’t care.
“I’m taking that as a yes.” His breath was hot against my skin.
“Maybe I just missed the sparring.” His hand slowly ran up my leg.
“Liar.”
My hands traced down his back, digging into his skin as he pressed a kiss to my collarbone. I took his face into my hands and brought his mouth back to mine. Cai continued to kiss me as if it would be the last kiss we would ever share. His hands were everywhere until I had lost track of them — in my hair, my waist, my thighs.
I pulled away merely for the desperate need of taking a breath when his eyes locked with mine. Those beautiful eyes...
I gasped, sitting up in bed. The room was empty. I was alone. It was the sound of the window blowing shut that woke me from my dream. I shuddered, still able to feel Cai’s hands tracing my skin. I slipped out of the sheets, walked over to the window and pushed it open again.
The cool night air was a relief while I attempted to calm myself.Just a dream, I repeated over and over. Just a dream, though every part of it felt real. Had I really given into Cai that easily? Was him whispering my name in the dark all that it took?
It wasn’t real.
Cai wasn’t here and he’d said no.
