Page 23 of A Court of Truth and Thorns (Royal Scout #2)

KALI

“ K ali?” Rune bolts up from his bedroll as I kneel beside him. “What’s wrong?”

My pulse racing, I lean toward him and brazenly press my mouth against his. “The lack of this,” I say, pulling away to bring my lips close to his ear. “And more.”

A quiet rumble vibrates Rune’s chest, his hands on my shoulders, pushing me away. “Kali.” His voice is heavy with warning. “Be careful. I’ve only so much willpower left.”

“Willpower to do what?” I whisper, the calloused warmth of his hands on my arms so loud, I can barely hear his words.

“To stop myself from doing something that will get us both killed,” Rune says.

He growls softly, and in the next moment his arms shift, pushing me onto my back with him braced above me, his breath tickling my neck.

“The things I want to do to you, Kali. To do with you... Stars.” Rune turns his face, taking deep, lung-stretching breaths while my own come quick and shallow.

I put my hands on his chest, pleased to find that he is sleeping without his shirt, and my palms press against smooth skin and sculpted muscle.

Rune grabs my wrists, pinning them to the ground.

“This isn’t the time for complications,” he says, his voice raspy.

“Not when we have a war to prepare for. When my father might find a way to execute me even if we are successful in reclaiming the Dansil throne. We need to keep our minds focused on...” He swallows. “On other things.”

My chest tightens. “You don’t want me?”

“I don’t want a bigger target painted on your back than you already have,” Rune says, his face leaning closer to mine. “I love you, Kali.” My breath catches. Our faces are so close now that I can only see his eyes. “And for that, for you, I’m—”

“Then paint away,” I whisper, cutting him off.

“What?”

“You said you love me.” I lick my lips, my pulse now echoing through my whole body. “And I said, paint away. I don’t care if you paint a target or a bouquet of flowers. Paint something, Rune, and we’ll figure it all out later.”

Rune draws a ragged breath, his whole body tensing before descending onto mine, his mouth claiming mine with a hunger my own body welcomes. No, not just welcomes—demands in flashes of ice and heat that start in my chest and work their way down to my thighs.

Rune pulls back and I moan softly in frustration.

“Quiet,” Rune whispers into my ear before his lips find the space right behind my earlobe and kiss it softly.

I shiver.

Rune shifts his head, laying a trail of kisses down my jaw, the corner of my mouth, my neck. Each touch of his lips against my skin is like a tiny ember, a delicious little shock that stokes the flame steadily growing between my legs.

With my wrists still beneath Rune’s iron hold, I arch my hips into him without thought, feeling the hard bulge in the front of his breeches.

“Stars,” Rune gasps, releasing his hold on me as he sits up and pants, his thighs now straddling my hips.

I buck in encouragement, my body pulsing with an excitement that my brain can’t keep up with.

“Not here,” Rune whispers between clenched teeth.

“I will have you, Kali, but in a bed, in a room, in... in privacy.” He rolls off of me, pulling me against him until my back is flush with his chest and his arms are wrapped around me like a cocoon.

Rune’s breaths are fast and hot against the back of my neck, but his solid body stills my squirming.

“Sleep,” he rasps. “Here with me. Sleep with me until morning, and stars save anyone who has a comment about it.”

We make our final stop a half day’s ride from Delta.

A high-ground spot on the edge of a dense wood, with ample water and endless clusters of red and black berries growing on thorny branches.

If all goes as planned, this is where we will lead the liberated whisperers.

Hundreds of people and only the supplies of the land to survive by.

At least Dansil’s warm climate is on our side.

“And what then?” Raza asks, managing to stare down her nose at a whole expanse of land.

“What are all these people going to do once you get them here? Has it occurred to you that they might prefer to go back to their families rather than fight in your war? Or is Rune going to hold the lot of them at sword point forever?”

“We’ll work it out, Raza,” says Wil over his shoulder, his voice filled with fatigue. “But let us tackle one impossible problem at a time, if you please. ”

She turns on him, like a predator smelling blood. “And what of your sister, Your Highness? Will you be rescuing Princess Violet as well?”

He turns away, but not quickly enough for the pain in his eyes to remain private. “Violet does not wish to be rescued.”

“How do you know?” Raza presses, and Rune snarls a soft warning. “Are you even planning on asking her?”

“That’s enough, Raza.” Rune steps between her and Wil. The first words he’s spoken to her directly since the day she arrived. “Violet is safer without association with us.”

“Why should that be your choice?” Raza wheels on her brother. Her hand twitches to the patch covering what was once her eye before she storms away from us. “Why should everything always be your choice?”

At first light the next morning, I strap on my weapons and get ready to scout Delta in preparation for the assault. It feels good, putting my skills to work. Rune checks my weapons and gear with such careful attention that it borders on fussing. “We should go together,” he says, for the tenth time.

“Remind me again where you learned to scout?” I say.

He glowers but steps back to let Luca come up to me.

Luca hands me a bundle of cloth strips. “Trail markers. There will be a great deal of people on the way back, and we can’t have it all rest on one of us being alive and in front.

” Luca gives me a grin. “Try and choose a path that a mere mortal like me can follow without breaking his neck, all right?”

I await further guidance, a reminder of what my chosen path should pass through and avoid, but Luca gives me the credit of trusting my judgment. His hand clasps my shoulder. A farewell and good luck and good hunting. I do the same. Luca’s large shoulder is solid beneath my grasp .

Wil is next to wish me luck. The prince sticks his hands in his pockets and grins. “You get to have all the amusement. Quite unjust, I’ll have you know.”

“I promise to enjoy none of it,” I tell him solemnly.

Wil laughs before the carefree mask falters. “Thank you, cousin,” he says quietly. His voice falters. “If you do see Violet...”

I grip his forearm. “Then I shall watch her closely and tell you all I know.”

Raza, standing closer than courtesy dictates, snorts demonstratively and turns away. “How fortunate for Violet,” she calls, picking up a cloak and heading into the berry patch with a cooking pot.

My eyes follow Raza as she begins collecting berries, her dress and cloak catching on thorns more and more the farther she goes into the bushes. “I might be wrong, but it appears that your fiancée is in danger of doing something useful today,” I murmur to Wil. He punches my shoulder.

I nod my final farewells, my eyes pausing on Rune’s worried gaze.

“Good luck, scout,” he says finally. “Be—”

“Safe, yes,” I roll my eyes. “I know.”

“Be thorough,” he says.