“While I would love to blame that on him, this was definitely her idea,” Lia whispered back.
In response to his questioning glance, Lia added. “She’s always wanted to kiss a man in the rain.”
“Really?” Tyrell whispered. “Why?”
Lia rolled her eyes, crossed her arms, and shrugged.
“Well he wouldn’t dare,” Tyrell added, gripping his sword hilt, he started to draw the blade from its scabbard.
Lia caught his wrist, stopping the motion.
“Don’t be stupid,” she warned. “Wait until he tries something.”
Tyrell took a deep breath to calm himself and turned his gaze back to the couple. Lia was right. He could not just attack Julian unprompted without ending up in a dungeon someplace. As much as it killed him, he had to let Julian make the first move.
“I know it, Julian,” Tavia was saying. “Stop fretting. Our ships are safe!”
“You only say that because you are innocent,” he replied, gripping her hands in his fists. Tyrell was trembling as he used all available willpower to hold himself back.It wasn’t enough, it wasn’t enough. . .
“Your precious hands have never borne the weight of life and death,” Julian explained.
Lia and Tyrell glanced at each other. For his part, Tyrell was imagining Julian’s hands choking the life out of maidens one through seven. Based on Lia’s expression, she must have been imagining something similar.
“You . . . always think the best of men, don’t you?” Julian growled. “Even . . . men like me.”
“Why shouldn’t I think the best of you, Julian?” Tavia whispered.
In response, Julian gripped her shoulders in clawlike hands and jerked her forward, drawing her face toward his.
Tyrell couldn’t stand it any longer. Before their lips touched, he leapt forth from his hiding place crying out, “Away from her, Julian!”
6. Fear and Fury
Lia also leapt from behind the pillar, following Tyrell toward Captain Julian who was standing far too close to Tavia.
The surprised couple jerked apart and stared at the newcomers in dumbfounded silence.
“Away from her,” Tyrell warned, raising his blade and taking a step forward.
“It’s alright, princess,” Lia said, aggressively motioning for her to come. “You’re safe now.”
Tavia’s eyes met Lia’s before her face reddened with fury. “What are you doing here?” she demanded.
“Saving your life,” Lia insisted.
“Your maid is right,” Captain Julian agreed somberly. “I warned you, you’ll catch your death of a cold out here.”
Until that point, Lia had been trying to restrain Tyrell, now she almostwishedhe would just leap forward and cut the captain in half. Even playing innocent, Julian was boorish.
“You . . . you . . .” Tavia continued, her face somehow getting redder as she glared at her handmaid.“You ruined our kiss!”
“Kiss?” Lia argued. “He was about to bite your head off!”
Tavia’s jaw dropped. “How dare you! You don’t know anything about him!”
“I know more than you think!” Here, Lia turned her burning gaze on the captain. “I know all seven of his former lovers mysteriously disappeared. I know his home contains a forbidden wing that reeks of death. I know he’s vile and rude and has no respect for your status. I know that the moment he has his chance, he’ll add you to his list of lost loves.”
Until that moment, Julian had been watching Tyrell. It made sense, Tyrell was the one threatening his life, afterall. However, as Lia ranted, he turned his cold gaze toward her and something about his expression changed—A subtle glint in his eye, a tiny upward turn at one corner of his mouth.
