And she didn’t know what to do with that in the slightest. It made things entirely too complicated.
That charged energy in the room seemed to intensify, and she watched as Cethin pushed off the sink, padding forward as though unbidden. He stopped directly beside the tub, staring down at her with a look she so desperately wanted to understand. No one had ever looked at her like that before, and how was she supposed to build defenses against something she couldn’t understand?
She’d had to tip her head back to hold his stare, and she felt a few strands of hair slip free with the new angle, fluttering against her cheek. She saw one of his hands flex in her periphery, her body tensing at the movement. Of course he noticed.
His lips thinned, and he rubbed his fingertips together before he slowly lowered to a crouch before her. “Kailia…” He trailed off, a hand raking through his hair yet again. “Can I touch you? Just your arm,” he added quickly.
“Why?” she asked in genuine curiosity.
“Because… I just—” Silver eyes searched hers, and they weren’t as bright as normal. As if his dark magic was hiding him as much as he hid away in the night. “I can’t help but wonder if you’d keep the ghosts away in the same way you keep the spirit creatures at bay.”
“Are you asking me to protect you yet again, king?”
“Desperately, wife.”
She felt his magic brush along her arm before his hand followed. He turned her arm over, as if looking for something, before gently returning it to its original position and cupping her elbow. His thumb swiped along her skin in small circles, over and over. His shoulders sagged, a low sound rumbling from hischest and his thumb never ceasing its movement. True to his word, his hand never moved, only touching her arm.
When she shifted to free her other arm, his thumb stilled. His lips parted to say something, but he quickly swallowed the words when he saw her reaching for him. He stayed so still, as still as he had in her dream. Her fingertips slid along his jaw, the stubble as scratchy and coarse as it had been then too. So slowly, she pressed her palm to his cheek, and his eyes fell closed as he leaned into the touch, nuzzling against her hand. He shifted from a crouch to his knees, his thumb resuming the circles along her flesh, while his other hand curled over the lip of the tub.
What an odd feeling to have a king on his knees before her.
Because while she avoided physical touch, he clearly craved it. Just another thing working against her in all of this.
Apparently touch was his weakness too.
Chapter 28
Razik
“Fucking Fates, Greybane. You need a fuck or a fight. Or both,” Bram grumbled, setting his chair upright after dodging a burst of black flames. “Now my breakfast is burnt, you prick.”
Wren was silent beside Razik, but she stood, grabbing another plate and beginning to pile food on it. Once finished, she passed it down to Bram before sitting once more and pointedly ignoring him.
Great.
He cared about the feelings of exactly two people, and one of them was now pissed at him.
But Bram knew exactly what he was doing when he ran his mouth yet again about Wren.The male spent the rest of breakfast sulking, while the Cadre discussed the training plans for the day. Until his uncle strode in, features grim.
Everyone fell silent, straightening, and their food forgotten.
“More Fae were found dead this morning. Six of them,” Tybalt said. “Jarek, Fallon, and Draven, head to the docks and see what you can find out.”
“They were found here? In Aimonway?” Razik demanded.
Tybalt’s gaze slid to him. “That would be why I’m sending them there.”
“The attacks have never been on this side of the Nightmist Mountains,” Razik replied.
“Are you truly arguing with me about this right now?”
“I’m not arguing,” he retorted, but he kept his comments to himself after that. Everyone thought he was the broody ass, but when Tybalt was in a sour mood, even he steered clear of the dragon.
Turning to Bram and Ariadne, the Commander said, “There are also reports of creatures stirring southwest of Shira Forest.”
“The ones we have no defenses against?” Ariadne asked, already checking the buckles and weapons on her leathers.
“No,” Tybalt gritted out. “If reports are accurate, we’ll need Cethin, but I want to be sure before we bring it to him.”
