Page 53 of A Kingdom of Shadows

A sound like a tree tumbling from the opposite side of us in the woods crashes, causing a distraction. I tilt my head enough to see the trolls look at each other and mumble about checking it out.

They turn away from us, and I exhale with relief.

"Illusion?" I whisper.

"Illusion," Darius breathes as we're left panting the second their voices are nonexistent—a blur the further they disappear into the woods.

We don't make any movement, not a sound, except our harsh breathing and the birds chirping from within high branches.

Minutes pass, and whatever words I had on my mouth vanish as Darius's palm trails down my chest, curving to the dip of my belly button. I hold back a gasp as his fingers hesitate before reaching up and underneath my tunic. We don't need to say anything. We let our bodies entwine with need, his hand radiating warmth that ablaze me. I close my eyes and exhale slowly as my head naturally falls back. His finger teases circles around my abdomen, sinking lower and lower but never more than that.

Whatever is in the air, the crash of lightning along my skin... it has me wanting to reach for his hand so that he doesn't stop. I'm desperate to feel, and I'm aching for more.

A shameful whimper tears from my throat and his unrestrained breaths meet my neck as I press my body further up against his making him still.

His hand clenches into a fist and then withdraws, leaving a loss behind on my skin.

Frowning and coming to a vulnerable reality, I step forward before turning to him. He's averting his gaze from me as he says, "I think we're safe now."

It's unbelievable how little I care about that right now.

I look at him with a chagrin expression, my eyes narrowing. We were getting into dangerous territories back there, something I cannot believe I wanted.

A side of me thinks he stopped himself because of what happened last time, or maybe he doesn't want to feel what he once felt for the woman who hurt him.

"We should go then and prepare ourselves for tomorrow," I say so quietly that I feel the need to repeat myself, but Darius's head shoots up at that, and his brows furrow, so I add, "Over two weeks have passed... I think it's time we got on with collecting those stones, don't you?"

It's a dismissal. I'm forcing my defenses up, and he notices as he jabs his tongue to the side of his cheek and falters on a nod. "Naralía," he whispers, looking down at the ground, not Goldie, not the warning he gave me before when he'd realized trolls were nearby. Just my full name. Plain, yet an indescribable pain soars through my chest at him saying it.

I blink the gloss away from my eyes and shake my head before I lose my little resolve. "Let's go."

* * *

I awaken from a gentle nap as the fabric of my clothes sticks to my back, and my hair is in a plaited mess. My room is already dark, and as I glance outside my window, I can see it is night.

Arriving back at the castle, Aias had attempted to talk to me about how flying went with Darius, but I'd said I was too tired to explain while Tibith got to ride. At least they had fun, even though I couldn't stop thinking about Darius. My confusion over him makes me so irritated that the only place I feel where I can let go is if I try to sleep.

But even that is always a struggle. The Ardenti nightmares won't stop, Lorcan telling me he loved me won't stop, and my father's death is always there whenever I drift off.

Settling myself into a seated position, I stretch out my arms, unsure of where to go as I walk out of my chambers and stare at Darius's door. For five contemplative minutes, I try to reason with myself about whether I should knock, but truthfully after thinking it through, I just want to ask him what the hell this is between us.

Finally deciding to knock, I rap my knuckles against the door and wait for him to answer.

No response.

I try again.

Nothing.

With a huff, I decide to enter myself. His room is similar to mine in that it has silk sheets, hand-painted walls with floral sketches, gorgeous goldwork, and a platform leading to a tub. Though his bed appears to have been untouched, and he is nowhere to be found within. I know I missed dinner, so perhaps he's still there. I start along the halls after closing the door.

"Golrai!" I smile as she walks toward me, "do you know where Darius might be?"

She ponders over my question, her honey-brown eyes narrowing. "Last I saw him; he was heading into the city with Aias and that adorable little Tibithian. Why do you ask? Do you need anything, dear?"

"No, I—" A pause "—I think I will go fetch them. It is getting late."

If Golrai has anything to say, I don't let her get a word in as I turn on my feet and untangle the strands from my plait. Perhaps something was about to happen between Darius and me earlier, but my stomps along the marbled floors have me screwing my lips with aggravation. Not even Aias or Tibith had mentioned they left.

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