I momentarily glare at him from the corner of my eye before flashing an exaggerated smile and batting my lashes. “I learned from the best. Weren’t you the one that taught me a good distraction goes a long way?”
“A cheap move is always a good strategy.”
Before Leif and I can get lost in our banter, Wel says, “You’ll find him in his office at the far end of this hallway.”
“Good luck, Elle.”
I glance at my best friend and nod. Taking a deep breath that puffs up my chest, I begin my march down the corridor.
Not much has changed at the Stigian palace since I was last here. Lavish hand-woven rugs cover the shiny marble floors and magnificent paintings hang on the walls in gilded frames. At every corner are rich fabrics and jewel encrusted sculptures. It’s hard not to be in awe of it all, and at the same time, disgusted. Every comfort and beautiful thing in this palace wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the hard work of our people. People that were never meant to step inside these walls. Thankfully, our new king is working to change that.
I step up to the heavy mahogany door at the end of the hallway. For seconds, I stare at the patterns in the wood, watching as the light from the two golden sconces on either side of it flickers across it. My hand shakes when I curl my fingersand tap my knuckles against the door. Every muscle in my body goes taunt as I hold my breath and listen.
“Come in.”
A tight ache forms in the center of my chest, and a dozen butterflies flutter in my stomach at the muffled sound of Kyron’s voice. I want to run into the room and shower his face with kisses. I enjoyed my time with my family, but there wasn’t a day that passed that I didn’t think about him. I was eager to return, to spend the rest of our lives together. So, I devised a plan to do just that. Oddly, it’s the same plan that makes it impossible to throw myself into his arms.
I ease the door open and slip inside his office. Kyron sits behind a massive desk, littered with stacks of papers and books. His forehead rests in his palm as his fingers grip his ebony hair at the roots. The sleeves of his black tunic are rolled to his elbows, and the top untied to reveal the smooth golden skin below his neck. The pen in his other hand moves in quick strokes over a sheet of parchment. He doesn’t so much as spare me a glance.
I click the door shut and lean against it, my hands trapped at my lower back. I wait patiently for him to acknowledge me, busying myself with the details of the room. The dark wood cabinets and shelves are polished to a glossy shine. Hundreds of books with embossed spines grace the floor to ceiling bookshelves. I can picture Kyron sitting in one of the plush leather chairs in front of the stone fireplace and diving deep into our kingdom’s history. But the chairs look as if they’ve never been used and despite the crackling fire, the atmosphere of the room is cold. The regal decor doesn’t hide the truth of this place. It’s a king’s prison.
Unable to stand the silence any longer, I say, “I can come back when you aren’t busy.”
He squeezes his eyes shut and his grip on his hair grows firmer. With a deep breath, he sets the pen down. His composure unsettles me. He’s mad. I saw the frustration and anger on his face when he stormed out of the sanctuary. The last hours don’t seem to have dampened the feelings. Of course they haven’t. I’ve left him stewing in them as I cowered in a stairwell down the hall.
He lifts his chin and locks eyes with me. The angles of his face appear sharper, etched with his rage and disappointment. If it was possible to take a step back, I would. But the door holds me straight, forcing me to meet his heated stare.
“It’s late. Are you sure you want to do this now?” he asks.
“Yes,” I whisper.
He points to one of the two empty chairs on the other side of his desk. “Take a seat.”
I grip the edges of my robe, pulling them tighter across my chest. The plunging lace over my breasts and the slit along my leg were a terrible idea. I can’t recall the last time I felt this vulnerable. With my arms wound around my waist, I sit. We remain in complete silence. Every snap and pop from the fireplace echoes like thunder around us. I no longer inhale but gulp the tension-thick air, pushing it down my throat and filling my lungs with its heavy weight. Sweat pebbles at my nape as my nerves skitter beneath my skin. Each quiet second drives me closer to my breaking point.
He leans back in his chair and crosses his arms over his chest. “What were you thinking, Raelle?”
The answer spills from my lips like rushing water through a broken dam. “That I’d do whatever it took to be with you.”
“As myservant? You want to spend the rest of your life pressing my shirts and polishing my boots?” The calm way he asks each question infuriates me. I can’t read him, but I knowthat explosive anger is sizzling under the surface again. This time when he detonates, I want to be ready.
I remain composed and answer, “If that’s what I have to do, I’ll do it.”
His tongue moves over his teeth behind his lips. I grip the arm of my chair, watching the slight tick in his jaw. Three... Two... One.
His palm hits the top of his desk. “I don’t need a servant. I have an entire palace of well-paid staff. What I need is a queen!”
I straighten my spine and fold my hands in my lap. “And I can’t be that for you.”
“Bullshit!”
“I’ve sealed my fate, committed the greatest of sins. The Divine Sibyl will not bind us in marriage. You’re focusing on a future that can never happen when there are other issues that need your attention.”
“I’ve not forgotten about the state of our kingdom, Raelle! I can hardly do that when I have everyone breathing down my fucking neck about it. And I don’t care if the Divine Sibyl will not bind us. We’re bound whether they like it or not. I will declare us married. Our union will be recognized under my authority if that’s the way it needs to be.”
“That sounds like a disaster when it’s time for our child to take the throne. If people don’t recognize me as a legitimate queen, they won’t see your heir as one either.”
“Come on, Raelle. You should know better than anybody that blood is not required when choosing an heir.”
