With a low sound that makes my whole body hum, he leans down and brushes his lips over mine. When that’s not enough, because it’s never enough, he clasps the back of my neck and presses his mouth down harder. Our kiss starts to move in a rhythm. His fingers tighten on my nape. I breathe him in and savor his taste, and when he pulls back, I tingle from head to toe.
“Youareterrible when you need to be. And terribly selfless.” Griffin drags his thumb across my lower lip. “Even in that ridiculous story you made up, you were defending people, putting others before yourself. You like to pretend otherwise, but don’t you see? You’re the shield, and I’m the sword. Together, we’ll forge a new world.”
My heart hangs suspended for a moment and then beats again hard. Fear mingles with…anticipation?“Who said I made it up?”
Griffin grins and kisses me again. Our teeth click softly when I grin back. Then our lips cling until I lower my head.
Do we make a whole? Or do we cancel each other out? What if he’s the shield, and I’m the sword? What if I break him, and everything else?
A dull clomping in my ears tells me the others are finally mounted and ready. I look over my shoulder and see the guys moving in our direction.
Carver draws alongside us. Kato and Flynn take up the rear. On Griffin’s signal, the gate rises. The rest of the royal family calls out and waves to us again. I briefly wave back but don’t linger over another good-bye. The first one was hard enough. I don’t turn again as the spiked portcullis finishes its slow crawl up into the high rectangle of the castle’s main gate, although I think I’m the only one. I don’t know why it’s not universally acknowledged that looking back is a terrible idea. It only makes going forward that much harder.
“Now that we’re done with the kissing,” Carver mutters, “we can finally leave.”
I flush and adjust my seat, picking up the reins I’d apparently dropped. Griffin gives his younger brother a withering look and then presses his heels to Brown Horse’s sides, setting the big animal into motion.
Panotii follows without any direction from me. “I didn’t realizewewere kissing,” I tease Carver, trying to take everyone’s mind off the people and place we’re leaving behind.
Carver grunts. “Gods forbid.”
I arch an eyebrow. He’s usually such a flirt, although I’ve never seen him look seriously at any woman, and certainly not at me. “I’m pretty sure I should be offended, although I’m telling myself you’re just doing your best to avoid Griffin’s rampant jealousy.”
Now Griffin grunts.
“I love kissing women,” Kato offers. “I’ll kiss hundreds of them.” He sweeps his hand toward the tiled rooftops of Sinta City. “The whole city.”
“That sounds unhygienic,” Carver says without humor.
Kato winks at me. “And fun.”
I roll my eyes.
Kato tips his blond head toward Carver and tells me in a low voice, “He’s just frustrated because he’s not using his sword.”
I choke a little. Is that a metaphor again?
“We all know I’m the best swordsman around,” Carver comments dryly.
I doubt that. My money is on Griffin—unless this reallyisn’ta metaphor again. In actual swordplay, Carver just can’t be beat.
“It’s not only about the sword. It’s about knowing how to use it,” Flynn remarks sagely.
“And where to stick it,” Kato adds, miming a slow, low stab.
Carver finally cracks a smile. He turns and leers at me, but it’s not as authentic as usual. “Show me your sword, Cat, and I’ll show you mine.”
Griffin’s eyes glint dangerously, which goes a long way toward restoring Carver’s usual good humor.
“You need the practice, Cat. We should cross swords,” Carver says.
I ignore him.
“Work on our parries and thrusts.”
I ignore him some more.
“There’s really only one good way to jab.”
