Auraelia quirked a brow, her head tilted slightly as confusion marred her features.
“The cycle of the moon takes approximately twenty-nine days. That,” he said, gesturing toward the sky, “is the full moon at its peak. Which means we have about fifteen days until the new moon rises.”
She stared at him for a long moment, her brows forming a v between them. But when his words began to make sense, the confusion there mere moments ago shifted into a fiery rage.
“I’m going to kill him.” Auraelia yanked her hand from his and began to storm back toward the stables.
“Auraelia, wait.”
“I’m going tokillhim!” she screamed, her words echoing into the darkness.
Pulling on the shadows that filled the night, Daemon summoned a barrier around Auraelia, stopping her in her tracks long enough for him to shadow-walk to her.
“Let go of me!” she screeched as Daemon wrapped his arms around her, pinning hers to her sides.
“No.” He kept his tone even, but when heat began to lick against his arms where ribbons of lightning began to spiral along hers, he let out a curse. “Stop fighting me, Auraelia.”
Willing his shadows to obey, he did the only thing he could think of. His magic swirled around them, cocooning them in darkness while she struggled against his hold.
Only when they landed in her rooms did he release her.
Auraelia whirled on him, fire burning in her gaze as she pushed against his chest. “Why did you do that!” Her voice shrill as she yelled at him.
“What were you planning on doing, Auraelia? Ride all the way to Garnet?”
“Garnet?” she scoffed, releasing the clasps of her cloak and tossing it onto a nearby chair. “No, I’m going to kill that treasonous bastard who sold out my court to the person trying to destroy it!”
“My star—”
“Don’t.” She pointed an accusing finger at him, her lips pursed as rage flared in her eyes.
“Alright,Princess. Do you really think it’s a good idea to go barging into a Lord’s estate in the middle of the night tomurderhim?” His tone was toeing the line between calm and frustration. He didn’t want to fight about this, but he needed her to see reason.
“No, but am I expected to just let him live?” she spat back.
Daemon stared at her for a moment, then lifted his lips into a smirk. “Yes.”
“Yes?” she asked incredulously.
“That’s exactly what you do, Princess.”
“What?You want me to just let it go?”
Daemon shook his head, then stalked toward her, slowly closing the distance between them. “No, my star. Let him think that he’s one step ahead. Let him run his mouth to Davina.Feedhim information, then let him fall flat on his face.”
Auraelia’s eyes narrowed, then widened as his words sank in.
When Daemon was but a breath away, he cupped her face between his palms and let his lips brush against hers as he spoke. “Let him think he’s on the winning side. And when you’re the one to come out on top—because you will, I will be sure of that—not only will I not stand in your way, I’ll even hand you the blade.”
The moment he pressed his lips to hers, she softened, her hands gripping his waist and pulling him closer to her body. A soft moan vibrated from her lips into his, but the moment he made to draw her closer, her spine straightened, and she pulled away.
Auraelia gently pried his hands from her face and stepped away. Her eyes were downcast as she spoke. “You should go home.”
Daemon dropped her hands and widened the space between them. He couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. It was like she’d ripped his heart straight from his chest. “What?”
She took a steadying breath, then slowly raised her eyes to meet his. “You need to go home, Daemon.”
All the calm he’d been trying to maintain dissipated, anger and confusion promptly taking their place as he stared at the woman who seemed bound and determined to do everything alone.
