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“Later.” Leesa loosens her grip on my arm, her attention caught by a herald walking into the room. “It’s time for the reading of King Jasper’s accomplishments.”

“I’ll meet you two later then.” I gently disentangle myself.

Bastian glances over and nods before taking Leesa’s hand and leading her away.

I need space, a quiet spot away from everyone else where I can think and breathe. While the others are distracted, I slip down a corridor that promises solitude. It’s lined with alcoves, windows, and doors leading to the courtyard. All places I can duck into for some privacy.

The hushed echo of my footsteps creates a lonely cadence in the empty hallway, a sharp contrast to the muffled celebration of life behind me. The farther I get from the mayhem, the less tension crushes my neck and shoulders.

The quiet goes a long way toward quashing my burgeoning headache too.

Without warning, a large hand wraps around my wrist, yanking me sideways and dragging me through a doorway.

ChapterTwo

The air shivers, and heat builds inside me. As my eyes struggle to adjust to the darkness, magic surges in my veins and boils to the surface.

The loose hold on my wrist informs me of my attacker’s whereabouts. With a sharp movement, I jerk free and spirit my wings away. I don’t need them weighing me down in a fight.

In the dimness, I can barely make out the silhouette of my attacker.

My assailant is tall. Very tall.

Flames gather at my fingertips right as the familiar scent of leather and soap and spice hits my nose.

A deep voice speaks in a husky tone. “Gods, you’re as hot and fiery as ever.”

Relief snuffs out my fire, and the tension leaks from my muscles. “Ziva’s flames, Sterling, I nearly incinerated you!”

I place my palm against his sculpted chest and push, irritation at being snuck up on flaring.

Prince Knox Sterling Barda grabs my hand and presses a soft kiss to my knuckles, then pulls me flush against him. The heat from my flames recedes, settling lower in my body. I swallow hard as the darkness of the room shifts from danger to desire.

A flash of white teeth gleams as my eyes start to adjust, and his low, velvety laugh wraps around me. “Don’t tell me you didn’t recognize my touch. I’d know yours anywhere, even if I were half dead or blindfolded in a crowd of thousands. The gods themselves couldn’t fool me.”

“Let’s not tempt fate.”

His lips trail up my neck to my ear. “I need you.”

All traces of my irritation with the crown prince of Tirene dissipate.

Lust sparks to life between us, my flame to his frost. Over the last several days, we’ve come together every chance we’ve had. Since we don’t need to sneak around anymore, there’ve been plenty of opportunities. At night, anyway. Perhaps we’re using our passion as a shield against sorrow and concern for the future.

But I’m more than okay with that.

His hands map my skin with a lover’s precision, his motions betraying the hunger neither of us wishes to tame.

There’s no hesitation, no guilt, no self-doubt when we’re together now.

No more worry that someone is going to walk in on us. That we’ll be discovered and punished. Though we haven’t officially announced our relationship, we also haven’t bothered to keep it a secret since Jasper’s death.

With a sharp inhale, I try to keep my thoughts straight as his talented fingers play havoc with my senses. “You need to stop sneaking up and grabbing me like this. I’m going to end up burning you one of these days. Or stabbing you. Or?—”

“I love it when you talk vicious.” He raises my skirts higher, exposing me. “It makes me want you more than I already do, which should be impossible.”

Heat rises to my cheeks. “There’s got to be something wrong with you.”

One side of his mouth quirks up. “I never claimed there wasn’t.”