He sees it in my eyes.
He leans down, one arm circling my waist, the other cupping my face. He kisses me, his lips soft and hot against mine.
The flare of heat in my belly is so intense I gasp and arch against him. Gentleness erupts into intensity as his tongue pushes between my lips, searching for my own. I gladly meet him, and we lose ourselves in the moment, our breaths mingling, the urgency as we taste and entwine.
His hand on my waist drops and grabs my rear, the skirt of my knee-length dress hitching, his leg pressing between mine. His thigh grinds against me, and I feel the hard length of him against my hip.
Then there was a deep cough.
We spring apart.
The General stands there, his cheeks pink below his red beard.
“You know, I’m really starting to hate you,” Kiernan growls.
“As I am starting to loathe our meetings. Your King requests you and your wife in his personal office whenever you are not otherwise occupied.”
Kiernan flicks a salute, and the General turns and leaves.
When he looks back at me, we both laugh. He laces his fingers in mine, our Marriage Bond shining golden beneath our skin, and we walk back towards the castle.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Alaya
I always feel a sense of trepidation when summoned into the King’s presence, but having Kiernan with me, his hand in mine, calms me.
“What could he want?” I ask Kiernan as we make our way down the long hall leading to the King’s personal office.
“Probably asking you about the Equitae. He’s become even more obsessed with destroying them since you’ve been away.”
As we near the door, Kiernan pulls me to a stop and spins me to stand in front of him. Both hands come up, cupping my face, and he leans down close.
“You and me in there, Alaya. I promised you before, he’s never going to hurt you again. And say what you need to, no more. OK?”
I simply nod, which seems to be enough for him as he reaches out, knocks on the door, and we’re called inside.
King Malaxor sits behind his desk with his elbows leaning on the surface. As usual, his face is stoic, his dark eyes piercing, holding mine. Kiernan pulls the only chair out for me to sit on and leans on the back above me once I am seated, resting a hand on my shoulder.
I look to the bookshelf built into the entire length of the wall and imagine what kind of books stand there, hidden away by a secretive and paranoid King to keep his subjects from discovering the truth.
“You seem well after your … ordeal,” King Malaxor says finally.
“I’m alive,” I reply, my voice flat.
“Quite. I’d be very interested in hearing about it.”
“I’m not sure what you want to know.”
He sighs.
“Let’s not play games, Alaya. You spent over ten days within Heartwood, amongstthem.You must know how many of them there are, what warriors they have, and where the entrance to Heartwood is. Why do you think I held off with the attack?”
The words hang in the air for a heartbeat.
Then Kiernan’s entire body goes rigid behind me.
“You.Did.What?” His voice is like a blade, sharp and stinging. “You left her there on purpose to gather information for you?”
