Page 54 of Kiss of Fire

Or maybe she just looked a mess after riding for four hours. She sniffed furtively at her wrist. Shade was right. She smelled of horse.

They went through what felt like a maze of corridors. The walls were covered in rich panelling inlaid with gold filigree. Glass lamps placed at intervals gave out a warm light. Not powered by electricity, she saw, but a strange undulating glow that seemed more magical than technological.

Another set of stairs took them to the top of the castle. Here, skylights flooded the hallways with late afternoon sunlight and made her feel as if she was walking on air. Finally, they reached Shade’s chambers.

He didn’t have just one room, she realised. He had a whole suite of them. His quarters consisted of a dozen living areas, full of rich tapestries and jewel-coloured rugs. Floor cushions and sofas were scattered about. Large dishes full of fruit and candy were dotted everywhere.

Candy?Shade didn’t look like he had a sweet tooth. Belatedly, she realised the treats were most likely for his visitors, not for him. Hisfemalevisitors. She picked a perfumed scarf off the floor and raised an eyebrow at him.

“I probably should have had the place tidied,” he acknowledged without a hint of embarrassment.

“Do you want to give this back to Leona?”

“It is not hers. The lady it belongs to left last week.”

“Just how many girlfriends do you have?”

He gave her a sardonic look.

“Now that I am betrothed, none, of course.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Do not worry. I will keep my liaisons discreet.”

He led her past his bedchamber, the one she’d already seen. The door was open and she stiffened at the sight of the large bed, but he didn’t pause. He continued on to the next room.

It was a second bedroom, nearly as sumptuous as his, decorated in turquoise and silver with a circular bed taking up most of the middle of the floor. She eyed it cynically.

“Is this where you make your booty calls?”

“Excuse me?”

“Adjoining rooms. Is this where you keep your floozies? I mean, I’m surprised you don’t just have a harem.”

The corner of his lip tugged upwards.

“Harems were popular in my father’s day. However, I prefer not to keep my women as sex slaves. It seems archaic. And unnecessary.”

“How progressive of you.”

“Do you not like these chambers?”

“They’re not bad, I guess.”

An understatement. They were a massive step up from thelastroom she’d called her own. One wall was taken up by a set of large wooden doors. Curiously, she pulled them open. Beyond was a space almost as big as the bedroom, crammed with clothes. Rail upon rail of dresses, tops, and skirts; shelves full of scarves, shoes and sandals; drawers stuffed full of jewellery. Raya’s mouth dropped open.

“Oh. My. God.”

“You may use anything in here. It is yours. I believe there are cosmetics and other female necessities in the bathroom.”

“There’s a bathroom as well?”

She ran back into the bedroom and spotted the door. Flinging it open, she stopped dead.

It was beautifully tiled in silver and aquamarine marble, with a sunken bath big enough to float in. But that wasn’t what she was staring at.

The end wall was open to the elements, just like the one in Shade’s bedchamber. But it was covered in bars.

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