The heaviness clings, but I push it aside, searching for something less likely to crush me.
“Wait.” I glance at Julien. “Please tell me Kacey knows her bond is aprince?”
Julien and Kane exchange a glance, and that silent gesture answers it.
I shake my head. “She needs to know. He can’t hide something like that from her.”
They share another look, but this one shifts past me. My brow furrows, just as I feel that familiar hum, and Sai’s hand ghosts over my hip.
“Remember when I told you about my bitch of a mother?”
I turn in a slow semi-circle until I’m facing him. “You’re not.”
Sai gives me a wicked smile.
“You’re a royal?” My mouth drops. “You’re a hundred and fifty years old—”
“Approximately.” My gaze slices to Julien, who promptly looks away.
“Andyou’re a royal?” I huff a sound of disbelief. “You said she was a High Fae, not royalty?”
He squints one eye, wincing. “Yeah, well, turns out she’s from some distant, fucked-up royal bloodline. Anyways, pretty sure I lost the title when I got locked away.”
I flinch at the reminder, but there’s no time to dwell when anger sparks—mine, but not only mine.
Their fury rises like heat, so intense and sharp I can taste the bitterness. My shadows bloom, feeding off the rage, tethering to the violent need for revenge.
This is the last headspace we need before an interrogation, but the three of them won’t rein it in.
They care for Sai so fiercely, it’s wordless, a heat that twists into hunger for vengeance. A storm of silent loyalty. A deadly vow. For Sai, they would burn everything. And I know, without question, they’d do the same for each other…
Maybe even for me.
I draw a steady breath, looking at Sai with a slow smirk. “So… should I start calling you Your Highness?”
At my teasing tone, there’s a crack in the fury, and I feel eyes on me.
Sai’s grin is quick and wide, unaware of the chaos these men will create for him.
“Or should I bow?”
Sai’s hand tightens on my hip. “You? Bow to me?” His head tilts, eyes glinting wickedly. “No, baby. But I’ll take any excuse to get on my knees for you.”
Ezekial groans, rubbing his temples, the fury now downgraded to irritation. “Please, don’t encourage him.”
Julien exhales a sharp laugh, and at last the mood lightens. The anger’s still there, simmering… but leashed, for now.
“Fuck, you’d look so good in a crown.”Sai’s rumbling voice slips through my mind, private and sinful.“On a throne, me kneeling—”
“Sai, I need you to be on your best behaviour right now.”My tone is light but firm, and his eyes spark.“We only get one shot of surprise, so no more of… this. Let’s focus.”
But he’s enjoying this too, the way I’m speaking to him, that grin becoming more feral.
I place my fingers on his chest plate, peering up at him with a teasing smile.“Can you do that for me, Sai? Can you be good?”
He leans in, eyes dropping to my mouth, butI step away before he can close the distance. I lean back against the wall by the meeting room door, making my focus clear.
His eyes follow, trailing over me—from black heeled boots to thin tights, the short skirt, the dark silk blouse with two buttons undone. Up my pin-straight hair, to my eyes, lips.
