“There. We’re even now.” She practically skipped to her bed, ignoring his dark scowl, and sat on the edge of her bed.
“Even? For what? I didn’t throw anything at you.”
“We’re even because you interrupted my bath, you watched me like a … like a creep,” she said, putting down two fingers.“Oh, and you kept dodging when I threw things at you. I could make a long list of all the horrible things you’ve done to me, but we’ll keep it simple with just the past twenty or so minutes.”
“Why stop there? Let’s talk about this morning.” The shadows of the night rippled over his form as he stepped over the towel and headed her way. “You threw a blasted spell at me, knocked me against a mirror and sliced my arms bloody, and you bound me in a cursed marriage that could kill me. I’d say my transgressions for today are justifiable. Some would even say I’m being kind by not locking you in the dungeons.”
He stopped a foot away from her and she had to tip her head back to stare up at him. His eyes appeared almost silver-violet in the darkness. Warmth pooled in her lower belly and she bit her bottom lip to keep from saying something stupid. Like how she could lose herself in those blasted, demonic eyes.
Nikator kneeled until he was at her level, his eyes half-mast. “You’re not going to deny it?”
“You wouldn’t believe me anyway.” She should have scooted further up her bed instead of staying at the edge, but it was like her body was frozen in place. The tension between them seemed to thicken. “I’ve said several times already that I didn’t mean to hurt you and that I didn’t mean to use that marriage spell.”
“Your people have a saying that rivers and mountains can be easily moved, but a person’s nature is impossible to change.” Nikator’s knuckle grazed over her cheek and she inhaled sharply as a ripple of heat followed the movement. He grasped a tendril of damp hair and pulled it forward, his scarred, calloused fingers wrapping around it slowly. His gaze never left hers as he spoke, his voice dropping. “Even if you tell the truth a hundred times, the lies you’ve told have tainted every truth you speak. So I can’t trust a word out of that pretty mouth of yours,princess.”
She opened her mouth to say something, but then he brought her hair close to his mouth, his eyes never leaving hers, andpressed a kiss to it. An excited, thrilling shiver coursed through her body, so cold and jarring and jolting that it made her intake a shallow breath. The air between them seemed to electrify.
Biyu had never been on the precipice of danger and … desire like this before. She couldn’t wrap her mind around why she even felt this way. Like she wanted to reach forward and taste his mouth—just for curiosity’s sake. To know what it would feel like to have her enemy’s lips pressed against hers. To feel their flush bodies against one another.
She must have been crazy to even think thoughts like this about him, when just a few hours ago he had almost tried to kill her. When he had almost ruined any chance of freedom she had. When he had destroyed her life.
But she couldn’t control the heat that warmed her down to her core, that made her want to do something dangerous, something that would changeeverything.
Biyu stretched out a trembling hand toward him. She didn’t know what possessed her to be bold enough to want to touch him, to even think of doing something so out of character, but she quelled the doubts rising up her chest and stifling her. Her fingers brushed over his cheek, the skin rough and shaven, her fingers skimming over it. He stiffened beneath her touch but didn’t pull away.
She had never touched a man like this before. She had never … felt this way either.
Biyu inched closer. He didn’t move, just stared at her, those deep blue eyes sharp like the edge of a dagger.
And then the door swung open.
She jerked back, gasping, as Lin barreled inside.
“Are you done with your bath?” the older woman asked. “Shall I call the—Oh.” Lin halted a few steps inside the room, finally seeming to notice Nikator kneeling at the bed.Upon seeing her, he slowly unwound from his position and straightened to his full height.
“Apologies, I didn’t realize you had guests.”
“I’ll be outside,” he said.
“But I thought—” Biyu curled her hands over her knees. Something akin to … disappointment curdled the pit of her stomach. “N-never mind.”
“Moving forward, I’ll be guarding out here.”
Lin stepped away as Nikator moved to the hallway without another word. He gave Biyu a final glance over his shoulder. The fire in his gaze wasn’t doused in the least. Biyu’s breath caught in her throat and she continued to stare at him, her heart thundering in her chest, the blood rushing to her face. She hated how tense and warm she felt, how she was teetering on the edge of insanity and sanity. She was losing herself, tearing at the seams, and she couldn’t figure out why.
The instant he shut the door, whatever hold he had on her was forcibly severed. She released a long, shuddered breath.
If Lin hadn’t entered … would she have kissed him?
She had never kissed anyone before. She had never even thought about kissing anyone before. Why was she even thinking these thoughts about Nikator? Was it the spell that was making her—and possibly him—attracted to one another?
It must have been. It was the only explanation.
Biyu coughed, noticing the way Lin was staring at her intently. She could read the warning in the old lady’s expression.
“Yes, Lin. Please take away the bath,” she said with a strained smile.
Lin bobbed her head and grabbed the door handle as if to leave, but she hesitated. “Your … Your Highness, it isn’t exactly my place to say this but … what is happening between you and the red-haired man? It’s strange how he is now your guard and … well, I worry.”
