He seemed unfazed by the accusation. “What are you doing here? I thought we agreed to keep our interactions to . . . I don’t know. Non-existent?”
Adalia glared. “Why do you always answer my question with a question?”
Matthias stepped from the doorway of his cabin and strolled towards her. “I don’t need to answer your questions. Why don’t you keep to your side of the Veil? You’re asking for trouble each time you come here.”
“I just want to know what you’re doing here in this tiny cabin. Why aren’t you living in your grand castle? Or have you come here to spy on helpless Shadowkin and end their lives with those tattooed hands of yours?” Adalia nodded her head towards the hands in his pockets.
Matthias must have found her remark humorous, because he simply smirked.
Adalia narrowed her eyes, annoyed; she knew she shouldn’t be demanding answers from him, especially since she was in his kingdom. What she really should do is thank him for setting her free, but the way he looked right now, and the way he sang his songs, turned her mind to mush. Was all of it a way to cover up what he really did out here?
“What’s funny?” She added.
“You are. Why are you so concerned with how I live my life?” Matthias took another step towards her, hands still in trouser pockets.
“I wouldn’t be so concerned if you would simply answer my questions.” Adalia stood her ground. “It just doesn’t make sense to me. Why would a prince be spending time out here in the woods all by himself, unless it was for an ulterior motive? What are you doing? Are you using that tear in the Veil to sneak in and out of the Grey? To influence Shadowkin? And don’t you dare think about telling me lies with that wretched mouth of yours, either.”
Matthias was standing so close to her now she could smell him—that mix of sandalwood and juniper berries. He dragged his hands from his pockets and folded them across his bare upper half. Adalias’ eyes followed the movement, trailing them over his chest and up to his gaze. She held him there—his gold nose ring glinting as it caught the sun.
His gaze dropped to her lips, and a smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. Adalia’s wings twitched.
“Would you like me to show you just what these hands and this mouth can do?” Matthias purred.
Adalia’s eyes widened in shock, but she couldn’t look away. The prince’s brow rose as he took another step towards her, a silent invitation. Her mind was screaming at her to move away, to place distance between the stupidly handsome man who towered over her, but her feet remained cemented on the forest floor, unable to move.
“You are an actual beast! I did not come here to fool around with the enemy. I came here for answers, and I want them now. Why are you dwelling so close to th—”
His movement was fluid and effortless as Matthias reached out a hand and grabbed Adalia by the throat. His eyes darkened, and he pulled her into his body. Lowering his head, he caught her mouth in a fierce kiss. The moment their lips touched, Adalia’s knees gave out and as she crumbled, Matthias wrapped his other arm around her waist and held her upright–her wings brushing his arm.
A small noise escaped her, and Matthias kissed her deeper in response. Adalia’s eyes fluttered shut, and she gave into his demands, enjoying his touch more than she should. He felt right, like a piece of a puzzle she didn’t even know was missing until hishands touched her skin. The hand that held her throat crept its way to cup the back of her neck, angling her head to kiss her deeper.
The internal voice of reason, that reminded her what was right and wrong, screamed as his soft lips nipped and tugged at hers and for a moment Adalia dismissed it. All she wanted was every part of him touching her.
It didn’t matter if this was wrong–if he was wrong.
She kissed him back, drinking in everything about him. Lilac wings twitched, bringing themselves around, encasing them in a cocoon. Matthias’s wings followed. Adalia felt the heat between her legs pool. Not once was she deterred by his actions, but she knew if she didn’t put it to an end soon, her body would betray her.
A few more moments wouldn’t hurt, right?
Slowly reaching up, Adalia placed both palms on his warm, bare skin, her honey-coloured hands a striking contrast against his patterned chest. Little bumps covered her body as the prince’s arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer.
Adalia never wanted this moment to end, but the image of her brother tearing both of them to pieces suddenly dampened the mood. With a shove, Adalia pushed Matthias and stood with ragged breath.
“I suppose we’re even now. My freedom for a kiss . . .”
The left corner of the prince’s mouth pulled up, as if it was attached to an invisible string. “Happy to know I proved preferable to ‘dying a thousand deaths.’”
She was about to scold him when a third voice spoke from behind her, pushing the abrupt kiss from her mind.
“Ahhh, so you have been keeping her all to yourself. Did your father not teach you to share?” the blond male hissed as he strolled towards Adalia with a hungry look on his face.
Adalia took a few steps back towards Matthias as the scene unfolded. She recognised this third figure as one of the Thorns from the king’s dining room. The memory of his yellow eyes roving over her body sent a shiver up her spine.
“What are you doing here, Snake? Don’t you know you’re never welcome anywhere I am?” Matthias sneered at him.
Adalia held her breath as she watched the two males converse. The sudden venom in his voice surprised her. Her hand twitched, instinct insisting she grab her weapon. Nothing good would come from being discovered here by a Thorn, even if the prince didn’t mind. Clearly, Matthias and the newcomer weren’t great friends.
“I was just so intrigued to see where you kept running off too, and now that I’m here we can share . . . her.” Snake grinned at Adalia greedily.
