Page 24 of Kiss of Ice

“I can dial down my body temperature. Turn my skin to ice. On the inside too. Put any vital organ anywhere near me, your Majesty, and I’ll freeze it right off.”

His reaction was not what she expected. Kam threw his head back and laughed.

She blinked. His laughter was deep and rich, magnetically so, and she found herself gazing at his mouth.

“What’s so funny?” she demanded.

“You are, my ice queen. Do you really think you could stop me if I wanted to have my way with you?” His smile faded. “But if I did, I promise you, you would have no complaints.”

She swallowed.

“Spoken like a true narcissist.”

He snatched a robe from the back of the door and strode to her, standing so close she could smell him. A fresh green scent. Like a forest after rainfall.

He handed her the gown. Confused, she pulled it on and belted it tightly around her waist.

“What is it you want from me, your Majesty?”

“Right now? I just want to get rid of that gods-awful dress you were wearing. It’s not fit for a servant, let alone the Empress-to-be.”

He reached out his hand and a shining skein of light looped around the crumpled garment at her feet. With one smooth movement, he flung it out of the open window. Ren watched in dismay.

“Hey! That’s the only dress I had with me!”

“It wasn’t a dress. It was a shapeless rag.”

“So what am I going to wear now? Or do you expect to keep me in my underwear till our wedding day?”

“Entertaining idea. But no.”

He walked to the door and pulled on a silken cord next to it. Somewhere outside, a bell sounded.

In the next second, a gaggle of women came piling into the bedchamber, laughing and talking excitedly. They stopped as soon as they saw the Emperor, and as one fell into deep curtsies. He turned to Ren.

“These are your lady’s maids, my Lady. They will provide you with an entire new wardrobe and whatever else you might need. Jewellery, cosmetics, anything at all.”

“Cosmetics?” she taunted. “You want me to pretty myself up? What’s wrong, am I not glamorous enough for you?”

He shrugged.

“Use them. Don’t use them. It’s all the same to me. I just thought you might feel more comfortable if you had some female accessories around you.”

“Oh.” Ren was nonplussed. “Um, thank you.”

She was utterly disconcerted. There it was again, that mercurial quality. Intense and brooding one moment, thoughtful the next.

Was it all an act? Was this how he intended to break her? To make her nervous and uncertain, to keep her guessing?

Well, two could play at that game. She didn’t intend to be just a pawn in his vendetta against her father, a passive victim he could manipulate. She would make him see her as a person.

He turned to go and impulsively she took a step after him.

“Ren.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Lady Morenna sounds too… it’s just Ren.”

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