"Who. Is. That?" Katerina purred, moving closer, her eyes locked on my fey.
"Mine," Simi added, stepping up too.
My chest grew tight and it was only through pure self-control that I didn’t blast them into a million pieces with my new ruby power.
"That's Jacob Compass," I said, voice vibrating with all kinds of emotions. Some I didn't even have names for because they were slamming into me hard and fast. The darkness was gone, and in its place was so much light I wondered if I’d fizzle up and die from the intensity.
"Compass?" Simi repeated. "Like, those famous quads from Earth that everyone raves about?"
This world had caught up very quickly with everything they'd missed during their spelled time. "Isn't one of your jeweled sisters mated to him?" Katerina added.
"That would be my brother," Jacob said, having reached us.
My cousins looked like they were actually drooling, their gaze dragging up the long lengths of his body. I kinda wanted to drown them both.
Murder was avoided though, mostly due to the fact that he watched me like we were the only two beings that existed, despite the thousands around us.
"Hey," I said, breathlessly. “I never expected you to be here, but I looked for you anyway.”
I felt Katerina side-eyeing me and I wasn't surprised. I'd been brutally blunt with any man that came too close to me here. My reputation was already spreading far and wide—do not touch the princess without her permission or shewillbreak your face.
Men … what can I say? They just have faces I want to punch.
But not this one.
This one I wanted to do … other things.
"You look fucking breathtaking," he said, and he meant it. No one could fake sincerity like that, especially not Jacob. One of the things I loved the most about him was his honesty. "And your soul feelslighter."
I stepped into him.
I couldn't help myself—it had been too long and I needed to feel his energy.
"I've grown a lot in the time I've been here," I admitted, part of me wishing our audience would disappear. We were well overdue this conversation, and it would be nice to have it alone. "How long are you staying?"
He lifted his hand and brushed his thumb down my cheek, caressing it slowly, and I swear I felt that glide all the way along my body.
"As long as you want me," he replied.
My eyes jerked open. "Seriously?"
He nodded, his expression solemn, but his irises sparkled with mirth. He'd said that my soul felt lighter … well, his did as well.
"Justice?" my mom called out to me, sounding confused. "Are you going to give thanks to your people? They all came out to see you."
I turned to find my parents looking this way, disapproving expressions on their faces as their gazes shifted between Jacob and me. He took it in his stride though, showing no discomfort as he stepped away and nodded. "Go," he murmured. "Shine bright, Princess."
I hesitated, desperate to spend some time with him. “Go,” he said again, before he shocked the shit out of me, moving closer again and leaning down to kiss me gently on the forehead.
There was nothing overtly sexual about that, but my body responded like he’d just put his face between my legs.
“And stop thinking that,” he murmured, his pupils dilating. “Or all your people are going to see is me hauling your delectable ass over my shoulder and walking out of here.”
Je-Sus…
“Jake,” I choked out. “You can’t … my lord.”
I wanted to fan my face. Instead I spun on my heel and hurried over to my parents, all the while praying that my dark ruby skin wasn’t suddenly fire-engine red. If the heat in my cheeks were any indication…
