“Those strands are a rebellion all on their own. They danced like flames. She’ll be a daring queen.”
Myqueen. “There must be more to her than gorgeous hair and brown eyes.”
“So much more . . .” He frowned, staring down at the floor before one corner of his mouth cricked up. “Would you believe she showed up on the ship wearing black leathers and not a gown? Pants that showed off her curves and a snug tunic that did nothing to hide her full breasts.”
“You looked at her breasts?”
His eyes lifted, darker than night. “Couldn’t miss them.”
Each word he spoke jabbed at my ribs, and a hollow ache expanded inside me. I wanted this. I needed it, but that didn't make it any easier to hear.
“It annoyed me how I found something appealing in her rebellion.” His brow drew together, and the skin around his scar pulled taut, emphasizing its tortuous path across his face. “Reyla is anything but weak.”
“Is she strong enough for what’s coming?”
He shrugged. “She’ll have to be, won’t she?”
“Not again.”
“We may have no say in it.”
“We always do.”
Lorant grunted, though it wasn’t agreement or denial. “She’s a fierce spark that will burn out fast if she isn’t careful. Her breasts irritated me.”
My laugh erupted from my chest. “Why?”
“They’re a distraction I neither want nor care to indulge.”
She unsettled him, and I wasn’t sure if I should be glad for that or snarl and tell him to avoid her for the rest of the journey.
“When she arrived, everyone on board stared at her,” he added. “No one could look away. Her pale skin almost glowed against the black leathers. She’s primal strength and femininity in one tiny bundle. The way she moves disrupted everything. There’s a gracefulness to her stride that counters her fierce demeanor. She’s perfectly in tune with the ground beneath her feet yet she gives the impression she’s a wild creature ready to bolt.”
“You wanted to pursue her.” I struggled to maintain a neutral expression, though inside, admiration for her churned with resentment for him. This strange possessiveness I felt, this blurred line between irritation and want, only added to my annoyance. I found it a challenge to breathe.
“You’re the king, her husband. You’ll do the pursuing,” he snarled, grunting out a breath. “Her lips, full and pink, curled into a smile that didn’t come across completely innocent. Youwant to kiss her or avoid her at all costs. Either track could lead to your destruction.”
A fist snapped around my heart that beat too fast, my guts simmering in a way I couldn't control. He appeared oblivious to the irritation roaring through me, savoring the memory of her image while I stood in the periphery, a shadow who was unable to see.
“Those leathers . . .” He shook his head, his chest rumbling. “I taunted her about being pure fluff, but it didn’t take me long to see that she hasn’t been sitting in a pretty parlor all day, drinking tea and gossiping with high ladies. Life and hard work have carved her into . . .”
“Into what?” An electric current ran from my fingertips to my feet planted solidly on the wooden floor. I wanted to lash out—to make him stop talking. But I made myself remain in place, listening, craving her already based only on his description.
“She’s used her body as a weapon,” he said.
“You sensed this or—”
“She tried to poke me with her sword.”
“What?” I snapped.
“Stab me. Whatever. I took it from her, naturally.” A sly smile lifted his lips before they thinned again. “I’m curious to see if she knows how to use it, though I bet you anything she does.”
“The most recent missive told me she’s a high lord’s beloved younger sister,” I said. “A lady born and bred. Not a warrior.”
His steely gaze met mine. “She’s a warrior through and through, though she’s also got a haughty, queen-like demeanoryou’re going to enjoy. The fates know I savored making her spark and snap.”
“Enough,” I growled.
