As soon as she stepped towards me, my arms accepted her. Warmth accompanied the feel of her body. I welcomed the scent of her, breathing her in.
My lips found hers, and she did not shy away from the kiss. Instead, she rose onto her toes and deepened it. Her fingers tangled in my hair, keeping me close as our mouths moved in sync.
It was as if the world evaporated. Briefly, it was just the two of us sharing a moment outside. Until the weight of everything tinged everything with heartache.
Ariana broke the kiss first, but she did not move away. Instead, her eyes remained shut while she inhaled deeply, as if trying to memorize my scent too. And when her eyes finally slid open, her gaze drifted over my face as if making an effort to commit it to memory.
“I’ll see you soon,” I said to her, my voice like gravel.
Her eyes swirled with something I couldn’t quite place. It was like pain and hope melded into something entirely different.
“You will,” she said firmly.
I kissed her once more, desperate to prolong the moment. Overcome with the desire to not let her slip through my fingers.
And yet, slip away she did, into the home of a murderous crazed King.
I swore to the Spirit then and there that I would do whatever was necessary to bring Ariana safely home. To bring her back to me.
10
ARIANA
Acouple days of travel did not seem long when the thing waiting for me at the end was a monster. I felthimin the room just beyond the threshold of his mountain castle.
Sorin of the Duns Clan stood at my side, lingering at the entry with me. Like before, he came to the border to escort me through the Sidhe land. However, this time I was alone, apart from Willis’s wolf. She was my tether to everything I knew and loved.
Sorin’s gaze shifted to me while I stared at the massive open door. An inviting warmth seeped out of the castle, yet it offered no oasis. Instead, it threatened to smother me, taking my freedom. For on the other side stood my enemy.
The air around Clause remained as stagnant as I remembered the last time I had the displeasure of interacting with him. Its dark control seeped out of him, making its way towards me before I even saw him. Suffocating.
My entire body stiffened, and I could not bring myself tocross that threshold into his domain. Desperation clawed at my chest, wanting nothing more than the Sidhe King dead at my feet, or at least to have a healthy distance between us. The pressure of his presence intensified, and I knew that the space between us shrank even though I did not move.
Clause eventually came into view. His silver-white hair combed back, not a single piece out of place. He stood dressed in black from head to toe, immaculate and form-fitting. Gray, cold eyes met with mine and held. There is no warmth there, only a simmering edge, a danger. Yet I refused to back away. Instead, I squared my shoulders, keeping my head up.
“It’s so good to see you again, Ariana,” he said with a curve of his lips. The smile was void of any surprise. As if he always knew I would come to him. His gaze then dropped to the wolf at my side. “And you brought a friend.”
I forced out a steady breath. “Since I could not bring a Bavadrin, I figured perhaps an animal. A companion from home.” I tried to force my voice to come off warmer than I felt. Attempting to sound as though I desired his favor in this small matter. “It would mean a lot to me if you were to allow her to stay with me.”
“Would it now?” That heavy gaze returned to me. The darkness in his eyes sparkled, clearly enjoying that he harbored the power when I asked something of him. That I allowed him to grant me something, to show me some type of favor.
I did what I could to keep from clenching my teeth. “Her name is Shay, and I have known her since she was just a pup. As long as she is allowed out, she can hunt for herself,” I added trying to clarify that she wouldn’t be a burden.
The King’s head tilted. “If having a pet is what you desire, then I see no issue with it.”
“Thank you.” I dipped my head in thanks. The action caused my jaw to tighten.
“Tell me, are you hungry?”
I looked back up at him. “Not quite.” Never would I have an appetite around him. Nausea coiled in my stomach like a snake, tightening around the pain I held within.
“Well then, we shall go explore a bit. I can briefly show you around.” He held out his arm for me to take. An invitation to further enter his space and that dreadfully stagnant air surrounding him.
“Mind if Shay joins?” I inclined my head towards the wolf.
He shrugged. “Not at all.”
Trying not to grit my teeth, I finally crossed the threshold into his home. Shay remained at my side as the door closed behind us. I slid my hand around Clause’s arm, and he brought it closer to his body, pulling me towards him. The Sidhe King became a living shackle attached to me.
