“Youwantme?” he asked.
“Yes. I will allow you that truth. While it is not the whole of it, it is all that I can reasonably offer. Additionally, I wanted to see you, so I found you at the derby, and I arranged this… this tour to achieve my purpose.Thatis why I chose to arrange a time I knew Sameer would be occupied. It was not by malice or a cruel desire to taunt you with our engagement. It was by design that I manipulated the Prince for your private company, nothing else.”
“Svana.”
“Cyrus,” I said.
He began to shake his head, but I broke the barrier living between us. I stepped forward, closing the gap, and at a speed I’d never possessed before—aninsanitythat rampaged my core, that dared my hands to connect with his shirt in a manner mostimproper for a woman in my station. I pulled what I could of the taught fabric to my chest, lulling him into a raw, aching,desperatekiss, and I only breathed when we connected.
The kindling I accused us of bearing ignited into an all-consumingheat—a blaze, an inferno. There was nothing to quell its fire. His hands danced over the curves of my face, traveling deep into the back of my hair, and I sighed like steam escaping a kettle as chills spread down my spine, and he lifted me.
Cyrus wrapped his arm around my rear and my legs around his waist. He carried me a distance until I was pressed into the wall adjacent to the still-open door of the stables, which he slammed shut. He parted from my lips to find my jaw, my neck, mycollarbone!I raked my fingers through his curls, sinking into every individual tangle. He drew air from me, retrieving a quiet moan from my throat as he navigated the strings of my vest. I nearly passed out when he said my name.
“Svana.”
“I want you,” I repeated.
Suddenly, the door creaked loudly, rolling back into place with aclickof its latch. Cyrus broke away. My heels met the ground as the barn reopened to a tall, casually dressed man with blond hair.
Mr. Evergreen cleared his throat. He steadied himself upon the wall behind us, and while it left him partly leaning over me, our guest did not seem too troubled by his closeness. In fact, he was thankfully and remarkablyunawareof the passion that had just filled the barn. He stepped by us to look over the equipment at one of the stations, and I finally recognized him by his voice.
“Good morning, Your Highness. Mr. Evergreen,” he said.
“Willoughby?”I asked.
Cyrus took a determined step, another foot, and then went to Edith as if nothing had happened, but I reeled in his wake. My lips tingled with desperation.
“Good morning,” my cousin said a second time. “Beautiful day for a ride, then, yeah?” He set his hand on the hilt of his sword, more of a lazy habit than a threat. “If it’s alright with you, Mr. Evergreen, I've brought my own horse from the carriage. She’s outside.”
The swordsman glanced at me as he replied, “I don’t mind, but I cannot say I was aware you would be accompanying us today, Ser.”
“Oh? The Princess did not tell you?” He shrugged. I shook my head, but Willoughby filled in the missing link. “Ah… Neither of you knew? I see I’ve been voluntold then.Iwas advised that Miss Svana was concerned with the threat of bandits and that she might feel safer with my attendance to her rides.”
“Bandits?” I asked. “Your mercy, who said this?”
“The Lord Commander, of course,” he said.
“Of course,” I huffed. “Ser Elíastold you I was scared of bandits?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said.
“I see. And shallheattend this ride with us as well?”
“No.” Willoughby laughed. “That’s a good one, but it’s just us, I’m afraid.”
“I see,” I said.
Evergreen refolded his arms.“Your own horse is fine,” he said. “Is she saddled?”
“Aye, she’s saddled,” he replied. “And thanks. I’ve got a rapport with her. I’m not much for changing steeds if I can help it.”
“I understand,” Cyrus said.
Ser Elías,I brooded.“He sent a chaperone.”
Willoughby leaned in, quietly. “You really should have one anyway, cousin.”
Chapter 4
