“She isn’t going to the dungeons,” Maxon states firmly.
“But Your Highness, the queen . . . ”
“Leave the queen to me,” Maxon barks, a wave of energy accompanying his words.
I take another step back and Nix’s blue gaze is like a laser as she shakes her head in warning.
I widen my eyes at her.What does she want me to do? I have to get out of here.
I don’t want to stay here and run the risk of being thrown into the dungeons. With a quick spin on my heels, I take off running in the opposite direction. The sound of my pounding footsteps is matched only by the pounding of my heart in my chest. The sudden shouts from the guards make me whip my head around, my eyes meeting Maxon’s in a silent exchange. His alluring violet eyes seem to sparkle, and a mischievous smirk appears on his handsome face.I don’t have time to process that expression.
Without warning, I collide hard with a solid chest, causing me to fall on my backside.
Ouch!!
I peer up into the silvery eyes of a huge man . . . with wings!?
My gaze moves slowly over the texture of his leathery wings and I swallow roughly. When I look closer, I can see two horns jutting out from underneath his light brown hair. He frowns down at me; his intense silver eyes seem to swirl like liquid. I swallow nervously and scoot away quickly.
The hulk of a . . . I don’t know what he is, crosses his bulky arms over his massive chest and raises an eyebrow at me, waiting.
“Are you crazy?” Nix shrieks, flying up to me as I lean back on my hands on the floor.
“No, I was tested. Several times, actually,”I snap.
Nix looks taken aback for a moment before she huffs and flitters up to stand on the hulking bat guy’s shoulder.
Grumbling under my breath, I get to my feet, rubbing a hand over my sore butt.
“Where have you been?” I ask her.
“Looking for you.”
I sense a subtle presence behind me, and I instinctively turn, shifting to the side, ensuring I never have my back exposed to anyone. That is a lesson that was ingrained in me since a young age, thanks to the various foster homes I was in. They were far from the safe havens people thought they were. Maxon, with his disheveled, tousled dark hair and his tunic clinging to his sweaty chest, stands before me. I look behind him and see the guards are gone, obviously having been dismissed. At that moment, it dawns on me that it is just the four of us, alone in this precarious situation.
“Did they hurt you?” he asks, his jaw going tight.
I give my head a shake, and his features relax, that twinkle returning to his eyes.
“The queen will be pissed if we go against her orders,” the guy with the wings grumbles.
“I will go and see her,” Maxon replies, putting his hands on his hips.
His attention focuses on me, his violet eyes locking with mine. Everything else seems to fade away as we stand there caught in each other’s gaze. Something deep in my chest tugs, and I want to step into his arms. I trace the lines of his face with my eyes, taking in every detail: the entwining vines tattooed around his left temple, the delicate curves and swirls wrapping around his cheekbone; the way his thick, dark eyelashes frame his captivating eyes, which seem to have depths that could never fully be explored. My fingers itch to reach up and touch his full lips, just to see if they are as soft as they look.
I blink, caught off guard by the sudden clearing of a throat. Here I am drifting off again, only this time I’ve been hypnotized by a Fae. Not just any Fae—a prince. My face heats and I cross my arms over my chest in embarrassment. Maxon smirks, shifting closer, his hand reaching up to glide his fingers over my cheek in a featherlight touch.
My body immediately becomes rigid at the unexpected contact.
“Beautiful,” he whispers, the silver around his eyes brightening.
A completely foreign emotion washes over me causing a soft flutter in my chest. I swallow roughly and step away from him, making his hand drop. There is a moment of awkward silence while I wait for someone to tell me what the hell is going on.Movement down the corridor catches my attention, and I watch as Zaria hurries toward us, her long silk dress getting tangled in her legs. She curses, gathering her skirts in her hands as she runs.
“There you are,” she pants, looking at me as she comes to a stop.
“Here I am,” I reply, shifting on my feet.
“I thought for sure you’d be in the dungeons.” Her tail whips around swatting the hulking bat guy in the chest. “I was looking everywhere for you, and you.” She nod to Maxon.
