I wrap my arms around myself, rubbing them. “You promise?” I ask.
This time, when his eyes flick to mine, he holds my gaze and nods. “There is no one else you could possibly be safer with.”
Yeah, right.
I take a deep breath. “Then, let’s do it.”
“Great, so how about we make a stop to get you some proper clothes?”
“Sounds good. Let’s go shopping.”
Blood splatters the ground beforeme, and my stomach churns. The strong beating of Kai’s wings above me only adds to the immense power that surges around him.
It took us two nights to get into Varindor, and we are now at the entrance as he slayed through the guards with no mercy. Dead fae litter the ground. There were twelve of them, and he took them on single-handedly.
He lands silently on the ground, his wings brushing the bloody ground as he wipes his sword on the cloak of one of the dead. His eyes flicker up, meeting mine. His hair is slick with sweat, but aside from that, he doesn’t even appear to be out of breath.
“Let’s move,” he commands, reaching for me with a blood-covered hand. I step away, and he narrows his eyes and takes hold of my wrist, regardless. “We’ll get changed to blend in and then take up our new identities. If anyone asks, we’re a married couple, remember that.”
“Like they’ll believe that,” I mutter. He had already told me this, but I don’t see anyone falling for that. He isn’t marriage material with that arrogance and tone.
I feel weaker, I need to shift, I won’t be able to hide from him much longer, and I might be the next one that his sword slices through.
We travel for a while until we reach a small inn, and he motions for me to stay outside while he goes in alone.
I wait, feeling on edge, what if someone recognises me? We aren’t too far from the sea, and my father has spies everywhere.
It’s a few moments later when Kai reappears and motions for me to follow. We head inside, and he leads me past the men drinking beer in the dingy, smoke-filled room. We head up the stairs, and he guides me ahead of him, his hands skimming my waist.
“Please tell me there’s a hot bath?” I ask.
“Yeah, there is,” he replies, his voice curt. He opens the door to the small, yet cosy room, lit with a low ceiling light. There’s a small bedside stand with a lamp on it. But there’s one big problem.
“Why is there only one bed?” I ask. There’s not even enough space for one of us to crash on the floor.
“We’re a couple, and couples share a bed, or do you need me to fill you in on what a couple does and doesn’t do?” he mocks sarcastically.
“We aren’t a real couple; you could have gotten a bigger room at least.”
He grips my face, forcing me to turn and face him. “Is the thought of sharing a bed with me that terrifying? I assure you, I could satisfy you.”
My core knots, and I feel the heat surge through me. “I have no doubt…” Wait, what? I frown. “Right now, I just want a long bath, so you should go first because I will take some time.”
He smirks. “Sure, don’t try to run, darling, you won’t get far.” He looks at me from under the hood of the cloak he’s wearing. The stains of blood remain, and I swallow.
I know…
Twenty minutes later, he stepsout of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist, water dripping down his perfectly tanned, chiselled body. Damn those muscles. “Go bathe. I asked for food to be brought up.”
I wouldn’t mind just having him for dinner. My cheeks heat up, and I remind myself that he is the enemy.
“Can I at least have an hour to have a soak in the tub? With the injury and all the walking, I don’t feel great,” I lie, hoping he believes it.
He shrugs. “The window in there is extremely small.”
“I am not going to run.” I frown.
“Sure, but the door stays open a crack.”
