CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
I opened my eyes to blue mountains and a violet sky. I blinked a few times, feeling the heavy weight of his arm draped over my waist. His hand was tucked beneath me, fingers digging in as he clutched me tightly, as if he was afraid he’d lose me in the vast wild lands of wherever we went in the night. Or perhaps he was afraid of losing me when he woke.
I attempted to slide out from underneath him, but he only gripped me tighter. He shifted behind me, pressing his hand into my stomach, pushing me down onto my back as he hovered over me. His eyes were like two pools of ink. They grew colder as he looked down at me. For a moment he reminded me of the man I first saw at the initiation. Unbridled. Unhinged. My father’s prized killer. The man who looked like he wanted nothing more than to eat me alive. I shivered under the weight of his gaze.
He raised his hand slowly and rested it atop the center of my chest, his hand heavy and warm. My heart pounded against my rib cage. He felt each beat. His brow furrowed slightly, signifying what he knew. The fear that burned through my veins.
“Why do you lie to yourself?” His eyes harbored a despondence; it flickered to the surface, weak like a dying star. What he tried to keep hidden or tried to snuff out. Hope for something better, fear for something worse.
I said he wouldn’t hurt me. Did I believe it? I wanted to. But I didn’t quite know exactly what I was afraid of. Maybe my body knew what my mind didn’t. Or maybe my body didn’t want to know what my mind knew. “I’m not lying. I’m learning.”
His hand ran up my chest, fingers gliding across my skin, up to my pulse where they stilled to find my heart still racing. Amusement tugged at the corners of his mouth before he brought his lips to mine. I melted into him. Our lips moved slowly. His tongue trailedacross my bottom lip, and my tongue flicked out to meet his. He smirked before turning our kiss from sensual to ravishing. His hand snaked around my throat, squeezing gently. I moaned into his mouth as his erection ground into my thigh.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
“Oh, Sebby!” his sister singsonged, and he growled, the sound actually rumbling from his chest. “We have a visitor. One you will be most pleased to see! Come out for breakfast you two.”
His face hovered above mine for a moment. He seemed to be running calculations in his head that didn't pan out from the look of annoyance that fled across his face.
We dressed in the fashions of my world, since we would be returning after breakfast. I, in a midnight blue, flowing gown, and him, in black with a waistcoat to match me, of course.
As we entered the dining room, Sebastian stiffened beside me. His hand tightened around my arm as he stopped abruptly. I looked up to him. His face was blank as usual but tense, and his eyes narrowed with an emotion I couldn’t quite place.
I followed his eyes to the beautiful woman floating over to us, her smile warm as her eyes never left Sebastian’s. He didn’t move an inch as she stopped before us. She looked so similar to Queen Sindri, or more so, Queen Sindri looked similar to this woman. Cascading black hair, tanned skin, but she was older, like ...
“Mother,” he spoke in a detached voice.
Queen Sindri and Fela were practically at the edge of their seats watching us with unwavering focus.
“Sebby.” Her voice was light and tender.
I winced at his ironclad grip that was becoming bruising. Her hazel eyes flicked to me as Sebastian’s did the same, just in time to see the pain flit across my face. His eyes widened slightly with chagrin that came in so swiftly, like rain pounding blackened pavement. Hisgrip loosened immediately, but he didn’t remove his hand, his thumb moving along my bare skin in soothing circles.
Her soft gaze didn’t leave me. “I came to see the woman who has stolen my sons’ hearts.”
I froze.Hearts. Plural. What was that supposed to mean?
Her eyes moved back to Sebastian. They focused on a distant scene, as if he was at the other end of a stretching valley. “And it’s been far too long.”
“You must be Charlotte.” She took one of my hands in both of hers, glancing down at the engagement ring on my finger, and my heart stuttered as I feared she could see right through it. If she were aware of the facade, she did not show it as she smiled. “I’m delighted to meet you.”
“Charlotte, this is my mother Evangeline.” His tone tightened aroundmother.
I smiled back at her. “It’s lovely to meet you.”
We all settled in at the dining table. At Sebastian’s unfaltering rigidness, I safely assumed he was upset with his mother. From what he told me, I gathered the last time he saw her could have been when she fled the night of the coup.
“My deepest apologies for Alaric’s behavior. He has always been a bit ... excessive.” She winced at the word, seeming to come up empty on alternatives. “I love Alaric like a son. I attempted to raise him like one too, despite my late husband’s protests. It was only right after what happened.” Her eyes grew distant, her perpetual smile faltering. “But I always knew he was far from here, his mind in other places. I just couldn’t get him to come back. I see that now as I’ve learned of what he’s done in your world, the many lives he has taken, the many he will take.” I wondered how she knew so much, but Sebastian had alluded to her ability to obtain information.
“You said I had stolen yoursons’hearts. Do you really believe I stole Alaric’s heart? I find it hard to believe he has one.” Those lastwords were out of my mouth before I could stop them. Queen Sindri and Fela’s eyes clashed with a wince as they met at the same time.
She smiled warmly. “He had love taken from him in the worst way. He has never been able to grasp the concept quite right. I can see why he was drawn to you.” She tilted her head in appraisal. I had never heard those words directed towards me in my life. The thawing of that part of my heart was almost painful, to be admired. “He has always been a bit strange. Being driven by revenge will do that to you. But the thing about revenge, especially one with a long reign, it’s never quite as satisfying once it’s obtained, leading to the quest for more, and more, and more. Until all sight is lost. There isn’t much sense to his actions, but if he could love you, maybe he could regain some sense back.”
Was she suggesting that he should love me? With my betrothed, her son, at my side. If she actually did see through our facade, and she didn’t believe in our betrothal, what was she really suggesting? A chill snaked around my spine. I glanced up at Sebastian, and he looked back down at me. His eyes seemed almost sympathetic, as if he were considering her words. What the hell was happening? Before I could question it, his hand came down firmly on my upper thigh, squeezing tightly. A claiming.
I let out a breath of relief, which surprised me, further cementing the reality that I wasn’t quite ready to face. What I felt the moment he had tried to pull away last night, that I was falling for him.
His mother tracked the quick exchange between us and understood perfectly. “But I see there is already a bond forming between you two.” She smiled.
