“And you smell like I want to forget this dinner entirely and spend the night worshipping you in bed.”
Heat flared low inside me. “I don’t suppose that’s an option?”
“Tragically, no. All the competitors are required to be at the dinner. Later, however…” He nipped at my ear. “I would love to see you in nothing but that tiara.” His eyes dropped to the delicate silver chain that hung loosely around my hips. “Maybe leave that on as well.”
I allowed myself a second to imagine the scene he depicted playing out, but I tripped on the stupid heels I had finally deigned to wear, and it knocked me from my reverie. My grip on Sin’s arm was the only thing that saved me from eating palace floor.
“I didn’t realize that I literally knocked you off your feet,” he said smugly.
I scoffed. “Yeah, well, don’t let it go to your head.”
“It’s certainly going to one of my heads,” he replied in a voice so low that I nearly tripped again.
“You’re awful.”
“And you love it.”
He definitely wasn’t wrong, that was for sure.
“So, who are the Diamond Court competitors? Anyone I know?” I asked, shifting the topic to something less likely to ruin my panties.
“You know Camden and Ramset, of course.”
I was a bit embarrassed by the high-pitched squeak that erupted out of me, but I hadn’t seen the twins in days. “Cam and Ram will be there?”
Sin chuckled. “Do I need to be jealous?” he asked, sliding his hand to my low back.
“I don’t know,” I said, tapping my chin as if deep in thought. “They are pretty attractive. All that smooth, gorgeous brown skin. Now that you mention it…”
We dipped into the stairwell, and Sin pressed me back against the stone wall. Hidden from prying eyes, he leaned in and kissed me roughly, his tongue pressing against my lips. Not a request, but a demand that I open to him.
I did so without hesitation, reveling in the taste of him.
After a second he pulled back and growled, “Don’t make me murder my two best generals, Rain. It’s so hard to find skilled warriors these days.”
I leaned my back against the wall, threw a hand up to my forehead, and let out an overly dramatic sigh. “Fine. I suppose I’ll just have to make do with you.”
Sin pressed his body tighter against mine. “You are playing with fire, Rain.”
I met his gaze head on. “Then it’s a good thing I’m fireproof.”
Sin laughed, hearty and unrestrained. It was the most perfect sound I’d ever heard. “You should do that more often,” I said, running my thumb over the laugh lines in the corner of his eyes. I hadn’t even noticed them, his face was so often a perfectly constructed mask showing no emotion.
“I never had much reason to before you,” he replied quietly, his hand sliding down my low back to pull me away from the wall.
We continued toward the formal dining hall at the back of the castle, and Sin told me about the other Diamond Court competitors.
Cam’s air partner was a female named Lindyn who Sin suspected Cam also had a small crush on. Ram’s fire partner was a young male named Kinyx who had apparently only manifested his magic a few years prior. When I asked why my father would choose someone so inexperienced, Sin only muttered something about Verren wanting to punish Kinyx’s father.
I already knew Sin’s water partner Peywyn, but I didn’t recognize either terriservian—a mother-daughter duo named Koasha and Jaelin that had served Sin loyally for decades. There was a hint of worry when he spoke about them competing, and I asked why.
“Harpyn,” Sin answered, a muscle ticking in his jaw.
“Who or what is a Harpyn?” I asked as we rounded a corner, and the soft hum of conversation started to reach our ears.
Sin clenched his fist where it lay against my back. “Harpyn is the Silver Court terriservian,” he gritted out. “He is deadly, unhinged, and utterly without conscience. He and I have… history. He’ll go after Koasha and Jaelin to punish me.”
I stopped Sin in the hallway and grabbed his arm, forcing him to look at me. “These games aren’t dangerous, are they?” It occurred to me that I never actually asked what would happen tomorrow.
