Page 83 of A Song of Shadow and Starlight

"Hopefully, I won't face your king's wrath for using magic on his son."

Atlas smirks. "He'd probably thank you for giving his son a good ass whooping. He needs it every now and then, believe me."

I laugh and a spark lights in Atlas' eyes. Why is he looking at me like that? It's then I remember he's standing before me shirtless, and I can't stop my eyes from raking over his body. I flash back to when he kissed me in the alley in Bava, when he pinned me against the wall on the river cruise and let his shadows dance around me, how he held me when I panicked from my nightmares –

"This is one of those moments," he whispers, "when I wish I could read your mind,Strenlys."

"What does that mean?"

"I've already told you what it means."

"Tell me what itreallymeans."

There's a slight uptick at the corner of his mouth. "I'll tell you what it really means, if you tell me what you were just thinking about."

He's within an arm's length. His pine and leather scent fills my nostrils and drives me wild. Do I tell him the truth? He'll know if I'm lying. He always does.

I swallow, am I really about to do this?

"I was thinking about your shadows," I blurt out, before I can rethink it.

"What about them?" he seems intrigued.

"I was remembering how they felt against my skin."

He eats the remaining distance between us, and I'm forced to tilt my chin up to meet his green gaze. No, his violet gaze. When did he shift? I feel his shadows lick up my arms, across my neck, through my hair, thumb across my lips. My heart swells and my knees buckle. The urge to grab his face and pull him down to kiss me is strong and is fogging my brain. What is it about this man that has me rethinking everything I've ever known, ready to risk all I have left, just to taste him again?

"Starlight," he says softly.

"What?"

"Strenlysmeans Starlight."

Atlas' hands slip up my neck and settle along my jawline. His eyes slowly dip from my gaze down to my lips. A sigh escapes me, and he leans forward. I tilt my head up slightly to meet his lips, to welcome his advances, but then –

"Atlas! Do you have any chocolate? I could really go for something sweet." Ronan stumbles through the door, falling flat on his face, cackling like a schoolboy.

Atlas' eyes shift from violet back to green and the shadows that were caressing me vanish. He releases me, an irritated and apologetic look on his face. He shakes his head and crouches beside his cousin. "You have impeccable timing, Rone."

"Timing I may have, but chocolate, I have not." Ronan plants his face in his hands, roots his elbows to the wooden floor, and pouts. "Do you have chocolate or not? You know I have a terrible sweet tooth when I drink."

Atlas slips his arms underneath Ronan's and heaves him up to his wobbly feet. "Come on. We'll raid the secret stash Eris thinks no one knows about."

"Goodnight, Princess." Ronan attempts to wink, but just blinks. "Don't miss me too much." He blows a kiss, and it takes every bit of royal decorum in my body not to laugh.

"Goodnight," I smile and turn my attention to Atlas. "Goodnight, Atlas."

He smiles. "Goodnight,Strenlys."

As soon as my door closes, I let go of the breath I've been holding. What the hell just happened?

Strenlys. Starlight.

All this time I thought he was insulting me, but he'd given me a nickname.

I drag my fingers through my hair. What am I doing? Sure, Atlas is so attractive it's unfair, but I'm still an engaged woman, and a princess from a rival kingdom. I can't let myself be charmed by Atlas Harland. I can't.

Never trust a Tronovian.

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