Page 46 of A Kingdom of Shadows

I glare at him to stop. My irritation is reaching its peak limit.

"Strawberry pie, to be specific," he continues, his eyes locking with mine. "But with no other added fruit. She tends to leave those untouched on the plate if it's included. I learned that the hard way."

My expression immediately softens, remembering on one of the days after the trials, I'd gotten a slice of pie with strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and all sorts inside. I picked the other berries apart, still thankful but nowhere near ready to leave my room. The next day, I opened my door to receive a whole strawberry pie at my feet.

"You seem to know her well," Edwyrd says, annoyed, and Darius's gaze shifts to him.

An icy smirk sweeps across his lips, chilling the hall and Edwyrd. "Better than you ever will."

Oh, for Solaris— "Darius." I look at him with a tight grin, forcing his name between my teeth. "May I speak with you privately?"

"Certainly, Goldie."

I excuse myself from the king and Edwyrd, grabbing Darius by the arm as we drop our glasses onto a nearby table and walk into the castle's hallways. A few people stand conversing, so I look to my right, push through a door, and enter an empty servants headquarter.

"What is wrong with you?" I hiss, smacking Darius's chest as soon as I release his arm.

His face is the picturesque of fake innocence. "I was just having a delightful conversation with Edwin."

"Edwyrd."

He glances around the small space of the room in disinterest. "Quite similar if you ask me."

"Solaris, how badly I want to slap you around the face."

"Now, now, at least save those slaps for some other useful body part."

I shake my head. "I am not up to your little games tonight, so why don't you go back in there and flirt with the entire elf community instead."

"Well, now look who is jealous," he croons, leaning toward me. The slightest moonlight from the windows splatters across his face, illuminating his tanned skin.

I focus on glaring at him. "Oh please, I'm not the one telling Edwyrd to go and fill up your glass instead of mine."

"He didn't seem offended."

He likely was. I just... couldn't see. "That is probably because he does not have the time to care about what a random dragon shifter has to say."

"True." His smirk widens into a grin. "But it seems like you care, considering we are alone in a room."

I'm struck into silence, too annoyed to speak because he is partially correct.

A half groan, half scoff escapes me as I turn to pry the door open, but his fingers curl underneath my upper arm and turn me to him. He's no longer smiling as his eyes search my face.

"Why are you at this feast if you're not enjoying yourself?" he asks, his eyes hooded.

He did notice.

Letting go of my arm from his grip, I sigh. "I am enjoying—" I stop my potential lies when his eyes trail down to my heart.

"It's interesting," he murmurs, still staring at my chest, "because the only time I had seen you enjoy yourself was when I took you to the den." His voice is strangely husky, making my heart turn to ash. "Funny how things work out." He looks up at my eyes. "An ex-venator trainee, a dragon shifter..." His words drift off, and he takes another step where the end of his boots touches the hem of my silk dress. As his hand slides down my waist, my breath staggers in my throat, light yet incinerating me whole.

The base of my throat pulses as I swallow. "What about it?"

"Well, once you wished the worst upon me, and now, we are here in Terranos, working together." His finger runs along my collarbone. "I wonder what will happen once this is all over."

I find myself wanting to melt into him as I breathe out softly, "What would you want to happen?"

Our bodies now press together in a way it fits perfectly. The heat of him is all-consuming. His stare on my lips as I glance up at him is lustful, and his eyes... such treasure-colored eyes enthrall me.

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