His eyes found hers again.
Ever so slowly, he leaned down to kiss her, his full lips brushing against hers. A spark of her magic sizzled between their lips, connecting them both.
His kiss was soft, tender, and almost as if he were asking for approval. She felt desire pool within her, and she kissed him back,unsure of what to do, but let him lead the way with his gentle, passionate touch.
Time seemed to slow, their lips exploring each other with tender promise.
Images of Cahir flashed through her mind, and her body stiffened. She quickly placed her hands on Kalon’s chest to stop him.
He pulled back gently, a flicker of pain crossing his eyes before it disappeared. Seda noticed it.
“Your heart truly does belong to him,” he breathlessly whispered, letting her go.
She didn’t feel prepared to move forward; she needed to talk to Cahir first. Not that she and Cahir were a couple, but they had beensomething. Right?
She believed Kalon recognized her potential, almost as if he knew exactly what to say, like he understood her better than she did herself. Plus, she felt undeniably attracted to him, but she couldn’t help picturing Cahir sitting there, his gaze and lips fixed on her, not Kalon’s.
He got up, then lay down beside the bed.Seda remained seated, unsure of what to do next, and even hesitant to breathe too loudly. A long moment of silence followed as he settled onto the floor next to her, gazing up at the ceiling.
Thoughts of Michael and Alexi’s angry faces flashed through her mind as they hurt her. She curled her hands into fists, trying to forget the day, telling herself this was not the same. Not all men took what they wanted without permission.
Kalon seemed different. He genuinely appeared hurt by her rejection. He stayed respectful and paused when she asked him to stop.
“I’m sorry,” she finally whispered, consumed by shame that left her feeling like she couldn’t breathe.
“I am patient.” He closed his eyes.
She recalled the warmth of his lips on hers, and a spark of heatspread through her again. She had never been kissed before, and the experience waselectrifying. Part of her yearned for more, and she struggled with the desire to reach out to him, but confusion overwhelmed her mind.
She shouldn’t feel that way. What would Cahir think if he knew they kissed?
Kalon was right; her muddled heart tangled with another.
She pulled the covers back, crawled under them, and closed her eyes as she thought about Cahir. That morning, as they woke up together and he pressed into her, she flinched, and he pulled back.
It washewho apologized, not her.
She missed him. One warm tear slipped free and ran down her temple, leaving a damp spot in her hair as memories of him flooded her mind. She missed and loved her friend, and she wanted to talk to him to try to understand his side of the story. He had to have a reason.
Her eyelids grew heavy as she thought about his smile and the way he would push those disgusting eggs at her and make her laugh, how the rice was probably still stuck to their apartment walls, and how they always laughed after every argument.
Her final thought before drifting off to sleep was that she wished Cahir were in the room with her, not Kalon.
The same black snakes and a sense of comfort intertwined through her dreams, caressing her body and soothing her broken heart.
Chapter 41
Ael
When the women left earlier, Ael exhaustedly went into the kitchens, grabbed a bottle of wine, and took it back to his room. He popped the cork and took a deep drink from it, skipping a glass.
Regret consumed his soul as if he were drowning in a vast ocean, unable to surface, pulled down by the vines of his own mistakes.
He climbed into his oversized, rumpled bed and removed the stone from his pocket. It was a massive bed, and his already imposing size seemed tiny by comparison. He really missed his small, twin-sized bed back in Joro, mostly because Seda was always around. The apartment bedroom never felt empty, unlike his lonely room here at the castle.
He really needed to talk to her; it dominated histhoughts.
“Seda Arbor.” He looked into the translucent stone, waiting with bated breath for it to glow brightly, nerves tightening in anticipation of what might appear.
