Page 123

“Yes.”

“You are still onthat?”

“It is—”

“It doesn’t have anything to do with the stability of Annwyn!” Parys cut her off. He ignored the irritation that flared in her golden eyes. He had bigger problems. “Igraine and Merlin could be making a play for the throne. They could be—”

Guinevere didn’t hold back from interrupting him, either. “The Queensent the humans. That tells us enough about its importance. The Shadows’ continued operation in Baylaur undermines the authority of the throne.”

“Veyka and Arran don’t know what is going on in Baylaur. They entrusted us with making these decisions.” A headache was forming again. He always had a headache these days. When Veyka and Arran did return, he would resign from the Round Table and spend his days fucking, feasting, and—

He was slammed up against the wall with such force the air was forced from his lungs. But before he could get in a breath, Guinevere’s mouth was closing over his, her tongue sliding into his mouth, her hands pinning his shoulders.

It was hard and fast and set his head spinning.

Then, as quickly as it had started, she’d ripped herself away.

She was dragging in a breath as ragged as the one he gasped for.

Guinevere’s throat bobbed. “That was…”

“Awful,” Parys finished.

She wiped at her lips, grimacing. “Is that what it felt like when you kissed Veyka?”

“No, she was…” he paused, trying to find the words, trying to sound clever, and failing utterly.

He sighed heavily. “It was different.”

Guinevere nodded, a sharp stab of her chin in the air. She rubbed a thumb over the hilt of her sword, considering. No glowing ring of desire appeared in her golden eyes—Thank the Ancestors.

“I’d hoped it would diffuse the…” she waved her hand, for once struggling for words. “Whatever it is between us.”

Parys managed to keep in his sputtering laugh. It didn’t seem fair. Guinevere, it appeared, did have a weakness after all.

So, he merely shrugged it off. For a second, gratitude flashed in her face. Then it returned to its usual calm calculation.

“We cannot ignore any of it,” Guinevere finally said.

Parys remembered to send that warm wind around them, blocking off their voices. He was still reeling from the surprise.

“Is this what you imagined ruling a kingdom would be like?” he asked, shaking his head.

Guinevere smiled—actually smiled—grimly. “It is, unfortunately. I just thought I’d have more actual authority. Trying to rule when you’re not actually the king and queen… it makes things more complicated.”

He couldn’t refute that.

“I will focus on Merlin and Igraine. I will find out what they are up to. You deal with the humans and the Shadows,” he said.

One dark eyebrow rose. “Divide and conquer?”

“More like divide and pray we don’t get ourselves killed.”

Another smile. Small, but there.

“I plan on being the one doing the killing,” Guinevere said. “Let me know if you need help.”

Parys nodded. “Same.”