“Yes, yes, I know,” he said, dismissing my look of shock, completely unlike our last conversation.
“Well, hearing about it and seeing it are two different things…” I replied quietly, reaching out a hand to run my finger along the scar absentmindedly. He froze but didn’t stop me. I traced it from his chest down, stopping before I reached his hip bone.
“Heard about it, did you?”
I snatched my hand back, realizing what I’d done. “Oh, uh—Sorry.”
As I started to sidestep around him, the breeze blew, engulfing me in his scent, and I inhaled deeply. The scent was intoxicating. My heart pounded with lust, entranced by the smell, and my eyes snapped back to him. His mouth ticked up in a smirk and I took a step back from him.
Something about him was irresistible, tugging me toward him at every turn, and I couldn’t stand it. I was compelled by him. Enraptured. And for what? He was my kidnapper. He was Fae. He was cruel. Why must I constantly have to remind myself of that?
I had been so desperate for a conversation with anyone, but now, the only thing I wanted was to be far away from him and the sway he had over my body. Stepping around him, a look of confusion crossed his face as I hurried to the door.
“Hey, it’s fine. If it bothered me, I would’ve stopped you,” he said, smirking, and irritation flared in me. He was the enemy. And yet, my body was singing for him.
This is wrong.
I continued walking without looking back at him. He jogged up to my side, continuing beside me. My breath hitched as his arm brushed my shoulder, setting my skin on fire.
“And here I was, thinking you’d be excited to see me after so many days apart,” he teased, glancing sidelong at me, and I forced myself to not look up.
“Oh right, where are my manners? How nice of you to grace me with your presence. Would a simple thank you suffice or would you like me to throw myself at your feet?”
“Well…” His smirk widened into a grin. “The thought of you on your knees before me is an intriguing thought.”
I halted, glaring at him as my cheeks flamed.
“That is not what I meant,” I snapped.
He dipped his head, stepping closer.
“I know exactly what you meant,” he replied, closing the gap between us. He ran a hand along my side, pulling my hips against his body. My eyes dropped to his hand before darting back to his face and I jerked out of his grasp. With a mind of its own, my hand reached back and cracked across his cheek in a hard slap. His head snapped to the side and he released a low, breathy laugh.
“Do not touch me.”
His eyes went dark as he rubbed his cheek and a red handprint began to show.
“That should not turn me on.” A vicious grin pulled at his lips. “But fuck… It does.”
I gaped at him for a heartbeat, torn on how to react, how I wanted to react, before turning on my heel. He let me go this time without another word.
Back in my chambers, I closed the door behind me, pausing to take a breath. Leaning back on the door, I could still feel his palm on my hip, blazing a trail along my body. It was as though his touch had burned into my memory.
I knew, without a doubt, I would dream of him again tonight.
* * *
After a few hours of restless sleep, I resolved to go to the library. At least there, I could entertain my mind instead of lying here, unwillingly dreaming of Rogue.
Sitting up, I took a deep breath, glancing out the window. The sky was dull blue with the yellow haze of sunrise, the tail end of stars fading out. The waves were calmer today and the breeze was light, bringing with it the warmth of spring.
Strolling to the dresser, I cleared my mind to see what it would offer me and pulled the drawer open. Inside was a deep, royal blue silk dress, the color of the sky just before dawn. Pulling it from the drawer, I held it up and decided to try it on.
Turning to the mirror, I gazed at myself, stunned at how different it was from anything I’d worn before. Unlike the corseted dresses in Auryna, it was surprisingly comfortable, made of soft silk that shimmered and flowed as I moved. With thin straps and a scoop neck, it revealed my shoulders and cleavage. It hung loosely from my waist with a slit that reached my hip. It would allow perfect access to my dagger if I had a thigh strap…
Smiling, I rushed back to the dresser, silently asking for the strap and a pair of sturdy sandals. When I pulled the drawer open again, there was a black leather strap with a dark sapphire encrusted in the center and a pair of matching flat sandals. I pulled them both on, sheathed the dagger on my exposed thigh, and faced the mirror.
The smile slid from my face.