Page 24 of A Kingdom of Shadows

I hum with a lilt of sarcasm in my tone. "Have a wonderful dance, Darius. I'm sure you won't have a problem wooing her with your narcissistic tendencies."

Twisting the other way, I'm grabbed by the waist before I can make the complete turn. Darius presses me toward him, and my hands instinctively touch his chest as my feet are slightly raised off the floor.

Damn him.

Damn him and how small my palms look against him.

"What are you doing?" I hiss quietly, glancing around me in panic. "Renward could be watching us right now."

"Let him." A glint of dark promise thrums through his words, causing my heart to race. "Or are you afraid?"

I pinch my lips together with frustration. "I'm not afraid. Now put me down."

He doesn't. "Let me ask you something that I have been dying to know." He adjusts his arm around me, pulling me closer and eliciting a gasp from me. "If you were so curious the other night as to knowing what love is, does that mean you've never fallen in love before?"

The question startles me. I frown as every bit of my frustration crumbles. "Why are you asking me that?"

"Does it?" his whisper comes across strained, a plea even.

I think back to what he said... when it hurts.

I don't doubt that it didn't hurt when Lorcan lied to me, but it was never enough. And when he died, it did hurt because I still grew to care for him despite it all.

Darius searches my eyes, dark gold chipping away at my pride and stubbornness.

"Never." The word comes out so softly you would think I said nothing. Yet Darius seems taken aback by it.

His grip loosens, and he lowers me to the ground as I stagger away. We stare at each other in a way that consumes us both with despair. He drops his head pensively, and a numb sensation buzzes through my veins as I turn around. I pass through the crowd, making my way toward the high table.

I lay my palms flat against it, dragging in slow breaths for relief. But all that fills me is shame—shame knowing that perhaps Lorcan truly had meant he had loved me, and I didn't.

I love you too much for this to ruin everything.

I squeeze my eyes shut at the memory, and my knuckles ball into fists before I gaze at a bowl of exotic fruits. An assortment of jackfruit, papayas, and a strange, teal-colored fruit—the shape of a plum. As my stomach growls, I snatch it from the bowl and sigh, praying my thoughts about Lorcan will vanish as soon as I bite into it.

A surge of every sweet fruitful flavor bursts on my tongue. It doesn't take long until I forget all my problems, and the world around me slows down like a dream.

Chapter Eleven

Hours have passed as I smile dreamily, raising my hands and dancing like everyone else around me. Leaves begin to fall off my dress, but I don't care, for I enjoy every moment I move to the Elves clapping.

My body feels light and airy as I create a figure of eight while swaying. I can't think of a time other than the den where I've felt like this—without any worries weighing me down. Tipping my head back, I inhale and close my eyes before my back bumps against something hard, and I twirl around to find Darius.

I stop dancing as he looks at me with a tense jaw.

I try to keep my eyes on his, but it's too late as I trail the tight muscles of his chest, the density, and strength of his abdomen, and how it's caressed by the lanterns above us. "I see now why everyone calls you handsome." I stifle a grin; however, a titter escapes me.

He's far from pleased. "What did you take?"

"Take?" My laugh is never-ending. "I took nothing of the sort except for a lovely piece of fruit." A delicious glowing teal fruit I'd have the pleasure of eating again.

Darius sighs sharply, and I frown at how stern he's acting. His gaze shifts to the sides before grabbing me by the elbow. "I think I should take you back to your hut."

Unsure if it's the clothes I am in or the command in his voice, my skin feels like it's on fire. I try and tug my arm away, but it's a weak attempt. "I compliment you for once, and you're trying to drag me out of here?"

His smile is strained. I'm considering offering him one of the fruits I had. "I'd rather you just keep insulting me," he says, taking me through the crowd. I see Tibith having a blast at the other end with females stroking his fur, and I chuckle, looking back at Darius.

"Oh," I say. "Well, I have a lot of those for you."

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