Chapter
Eighteen
LYRA
“You didn’t finish your supper,” said Kaden, snapping the door shut behind him.
My heart was pounding against my ribs. My body heated everywhere his gaze wandered, and my skin hummed in response to his magic.
But I just shrugged, feigning nonchalance despite the fact that Kaden was fully clothed while I lay naked and vulnerable in the tub. “I was tired,” I said.
Not a lie.
“Tired?” He quirked a brow. “I once watched you take on an ogre, a half-troll, and a fae single-handedly. You nearly died from your efforts, and youstillhad the energy to insult me and accuse me of stalking you.”
“Youwerestalking me,” I mumbled, thinking back to when Kaden had found me bleeding out in that alleyway after Gorm and his cronies had attacked. “And he was only half ogre.”
“Ah.”
I pressed my lips together, biting back the petty accusations I longed to hurl at him.
That he’d let that female touch him.
That he’d laughed at something she’d said.
That part of him might have taken pleasure in the warm press of her flesh against his.
“I’m fine,” I grumbled. “Female troubles.” I jerked my head toward the door. “You should leave so I can finish bathing before Sorsha comes up. She’ll probably want to wash as well.”
Because of the arrangementshe’dinsisted on, I figured I’d be sharing a room with her.
Kaden cocked his head and took a step forward, pausing to discard his weapons on the bed beside mine. His footsteps ate up the distance between us until he stood over me, staring unabashedly at my naked body. “Female troubles?” he murmured. “Or trouble with a specific female?”
I bit down on my tongue to keep from lashing out, but I couldn’t seem to stop the words that spilled from my lips. “Perhaps you should see if your new friend wants to warm your bed tonight,” I spat.
“Who?”
I rolled my eyes. “That fae you were speaking with at our table. You two seemed quite familiar.” I reached for a bar of soap, swirling the water around my breasts. “I’m sure Semphrys has no designs on killingher. She ought to be safe for you to fuck.”
A blush stained my cheeks as the poisonous words spewed from my mouth, and I instantly wished I could take them back.
Why was Isayingthese things? This wasn’t me. I had noreason to be angry with him — not really — and yet I was practically shaking with fury.
Kaden’s eyes flashed with understanding, and something like relief swept across his face as that feline smile grew. “You were jealous,” he said softly, his voice quivering with amusement.
“You truly are full of yourself.”
But his eyes gleamed with warmth as he regarded me. “Ambra used to moonlight at the inn where we stayed the last time we were here. She’d often be working when I passed through to check on the status of the outlying Drathen villages. I never solicited her, uh,services, if that’s what you were thinking.”
“I wasn’t thinking anything,” I said cooly, though I felt that heavy weight lift from my gut.
Kaden knelt beside the tub, resting his forearms on the ledge so that he was eye level with me. His amusement had melted into something else — something intense and heady that made a knot of heat gather in my belly.
“It’s all right if you were. Irrational jealousy is a natural response to the mating bond shortly after it is solidified.”
I gritted my teeth, unwilling to let him see my relief. Relief would mean admitting that Ihadbeen jealous, and I hadn’t exactly been sympathetic when he’d tackled Adriel in the snow.
As if he’d read my thoughts, he said, “Now perhaps you can understand why I attacked Adriel.” His throat worked as he swallowed, and his gaze dipped briefly beneath the water to take in the pale skin of my exposed breasts, which grew heavy and achy from his exploration. “I’m sorry,” he said, taking me by surprise. “Even if it weren’t for the bond, Idon’t think I could have handled another male acting toward you the way Ambra behaved with me tonight.” His stormy eyes flicked up to meet mine, and the silver swirls seemed to flare brighter. “I don’t like anyone touching what is mine.”
