Page 84 of A Kingdom of Shadows

The threatful spark behind those words makes my pulse rise and my cheeks heat up. "Well." I swallow the dryness in my throat. "I'd hate to inform you that a vicious bush did harm me."

He leans against the door, inclining his head so I can keep going.

"Scratched up my back, pulled my hair," I list. "It was really violent."

His lips quirk up at the sides, and he picks out a leaf from my hair. "I guess it will be my first time tackling a bush."

My smile turns dreamlike.

"So," he says, "the ring. Is that what made you believe Faye and I had kissed?"

My smile fades, and I dip my chin into my chest. "You were listening."

Of course, he had. He came into the study right at the opportune time.

"I saw you storm out of the hall," he says. "I thought you'd been hurt."

I peer up at him and see the concern fanning across his face. "Well, I was not."

"I can see that." Humor creeps up on him again. "Besides the bush, of course."

I don't have it in me to laugh. Reality seems to sink in too fast, causing me to look away as I confess pensively, "I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"The ring... me not wanting to believe you hadn't kissed Faye." I sigh. "Dusan told me not long ago how he had fallen in love with Sarilyn before she cursed him. And now that ring was all that was left of her."

There's no response.

That unnerves me.

I release a breath, walking over to the edge of the bed. "He also told me a few weeks ago that the Isle of Elements could eventually lose its powers." The thought has me exasperated as I spin to face Darius. "What if we don't have much time? What if—everything we are doing will be for nothing? If the Isle loses its powers, then everything will crumble. It could destroy so much."

Darius just stares at me, his eyes narrowing like at any moment he's preparing to catch me, hold me, do something so I don't go out of control.

I can't stop shaking my head. "You were right. I am afraid and—and I hate it because I'd always been so good at keeping it hidden. I'm afraid for my brothers, my friends, what could happen in the future, I'm afraid of failing, and most of all, I'm afraid I will lose you like I did with Lorcan." The confession barrels out of me; I have no time to stop it. I bite my lower lip, staring at him as my chest feels ready to rapture from his analyzing gaze. "Will you please say something?"

The air hums with a tense silence. It's hard to focus. His scent, mingling with my worries, is confusing enough.

I wonder if he will say anything at all when he looks down at his boots, takes a deep breath, and makes his way over to me.

His hands cup my cheeks, eyes locking with mine, making sure how serious he is as he runs his thumb along my skin. "Look, I can't promise that what we are doing will work. I can't promise that the Isle won't lose its powers. We can try to stop it, but that still might not work; however, what I can promise you is that you will never lose me, Goldie. You're stuck with me whether you like it or not."

"I don't want false hope, Darius."

He takes one hand off my face and presses three fingers to his heart. It wrecks me deeply. "You won't lose me."

I close my eyes, nod, and place three fingers on my heart.

I tilt my head, nuzzling my cheek further into his hand as I grip his wrist and breathe. "I suppose I did deserve that punishment for believing you and Faye had kissed."

An amused smile darkens the corners of his lips. "It was entertaining after a while to see your jealous side."

I glower, pushing his hand away. "I don't get jealous."

He cocks a brow in response to my defensiveness.

"I never have in my life, especially over someone like you who doesn't need their ego—" I don't get to finish the rest as his hand settles on the nape of my neck and pulls me into a searing kiss. My annoyance disappears in an instant as a moan travels up my throat. He devours, consumes, and ravages me with each movement and each flick of his tongue against mine.

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