He pats his mouth with a napkin and rises. “Then let us retire,” he says, holding a hand out to me.
I blink at him. “It isn’t even sunset.”
He shrugs. “The staff won’t expect to see us often out of the bedchamber anyway.”
I’d normally be scandalized by his insinuation, but what can I say? Crumpling my skirt and mussing my hair as I did? In truth, I am tired in body and spirit and retiring early sounds marvelous. Perhaps I can take one of the Tirenthian history tomes brought earlier with me to bed and lose myself in some reading.
Taking the dragon’s hand, I let him lead me through a side door and back into the open air.
***
The king maintains a slow pace so that by the time we reach the building where my chambers are, the sun is setting, the sky lit by all the fiery hues of a freshly-lit torch.
If I were at home, I’d be settling my goats in their stall for the night, scratching each of their heads between their horns. Thankfully, the walk calmed me enough that I can think of them without more tears. I do hope Selena is making sure they stay milked on time. Stella gets cranky if not.
I keep hold of the king’s arm as he escorts me through the main doors and up the marble steps.
“I’ll have your evening meal sent here,” he says.
“Thank you,” I answer, touched and surprised by his thoughtfulness. When I think back on our afternoon spent together, I find it overall pleasant. Well, other than his strange reaction to my scent. Yet another blush creeps up my neck at the thought of him pinning me in place, his eyes somehow both savage and desperate. I didn’t like it, of course. No self-respecting lady would.
No, I tell myself sternly,I didn’t like it all.
I turn my thoughts elsewhere as we move down the hallway. Two silent guards stand on either side of the first door, and here is where the king stops. I glance down the hallway at my own door, currently flanked by double guards as well.
“My apologies, Your Majesty, but my door is the next,” I say.
The king takes hold of the handle. “I know.”
His eyes lock onto mine and hold me there. He leans in. He’s near enough for me to feel the heat of his skin.
“Tonight,” he says, “you stay with me.”
26
I do my best to blush prettily in front of the guards as the king gazes down at me, but I do believe I’m going to faint right here in this hallway.
Stay withhim? What does he mean?
Not taking his eyes off me, the king says to one of the guards, “Have Princess Serah’s evening meal sent to my chambers.”
The smile in the guard’s voice makes me wish I would faint. “With pleasure, Your Majesty,” he says, and bowing, he’s off.
I barely restrain myself from gasping aloud as the king splays his hand across the small of my back and guides me inside. As soon as the door clicks shut behind us, he drops the hand, leaving the skin there oddly chilled. I take a tremulous breath as he moves a step away.
“You might have warned me,” I say, striving for a dignified tone.
The king tilts his head at me, his expression indiscernible. “I assumed you knew.”
“Knew what?”
“That you would stay here.”
I gape at him, too shocked to do any more blushing. “Why in all the stars’ names would you think that?”
“Where in your chambers did you intend to sleep, Princess?”
Oh. Somehow, I’d forgotten the mess I’d left in my rooms. The king watches the realization play out across my face and says, “Perhaps we could convince the peacocks to share some space with you.”
