Not Uther.Me.
My skin prickled, and I couldn’t tell if it was the starfire or just him. He looked at me like he was about to cross the courtyard and?—
His eyes locked on Uther’s hand at my elbow, and he glowered.
Oh. He was furious.
Kairos shoved past someone, and the crowd parted as he cut toward us.
Uther cleared his throat. “Well. It was nice knowing you.”
26
A NIGHT OF MAGIC
“Did you forget whose court you’re in?”
Kairos yanked him forward, hissing threats.Mine.Something aboutthroat.The wordagain.
Uther’s smile faltered.
Around us, fae watched with a vague interest, like this was normal. In Skalgard, Vaeris would’ve smiled and ruined Uther quietly over months. Here, they grabbed each other and made their displeasure clear.
Uther muttered an apology. Kairos’s grip tightened, knuckles white against the dark fabric. Then he released him with a shove.
“Piss off.”
Uther grinned. “Try not to draw blood tonight, Kai. It is a party.” He shot me an apologetic look before melting into the crowd.
Muttering under his breath, Kairos reached for Uther’s tankard and drained it. Glowering, he turned to me.
“Enjoying yourself?”
“Trying to.”
“Same,” he grunted. “But I can’t leave you alone for five minutes without some male circling you.”
I huffed. “You’re the one who made him escort me.”
He dragged a hand through his hair and his eyes swept over me. The irritation didn’t fade, but it heated. His tunic, stitched from shadows, hugged his broad shoulders. A red trim gleamed along the collar. His shirt was open, showing skin I shouldn’t want to taste. My gaze slipped up his throat, lingering on his perfectly shaped lips.
His cheeks flushed. “You’re the most stunning thing in this courtyard.”
“And…that makes you angry?”
“Frustrates me.” He dragged his gaze away. “Every male here is looking at you like you’re theirs to claim, and you don’t even want to be here.”
“Who says I don’t?”
“Don’t play games with me.”
I stepped closer. “It’s the truth. For the first time in my life, I don’t have to wonder if I’ll be hungry tomorrow. I get to wear silk and drink wine that doesn’t taste like vinegar. I can read whatever I want. I don’t want to leave.”
The truth stung—I was going to leave, and he’d probably hate me for it. That hollowed me out. But I had no choice. The deal was killing me and I couldn’t stay, no matter how much I wanted to.
He smiled thinly. “Dance with me.”
I stumbled forward as he wrapped his hand around mine, pulling me toward the bonfire. “Wait, what happened to not wanting me seen?”
