Page 50

Clarissa

K nock. Knock. Knock.

I opened my eyes a fraction, surprised to find my room still bathed in moonlight.

Knock. Knock.

Was it the middle of the night? Who was coming to my door so late?

Throwing my legs over the side of the bed, I grabbed my silk robe off the door to the bathing chamber, wrapped it around my nightgown, and padded across the floor.

When I opened the door, I sucked in a breath. “What are you doing here, Thorne?”

“I couldn’t sleep,” he said, his normally light blue eyes now a dark navy, tired and urgent. There was a deep crease in his brow, and his long hair was disheveled. He was usually so calm. So sure of himself. But tonight, he looked…distraught.

“Is everything okay?” I asked. “Did something happen to Marigold?”

“No, she’s fine. It—it’s not that.”

“Then why are you here?”

He scrubbed a hand down his face. “Because I’m worried about you. About all of this. And I can’t stop thinking about you. ”

I could have sworn my heart stopped. I was barely breathing, my fingers clutching the doorknob so tightly, they turned white.

His gaze flicked from my eyes to my lips. “Being down the hall from you, knowing you’re in here alone after everything you’ve been through, after that night at the fire…I don’t know how much longer I can do this.”

“Do what?” I whispered.

“Stay away from you.” He stepped forward. “Stay in control.”

My pulse pounded erratically as a flush crawled up my neck. “I—I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Thorne let out a low growl and moved into the room, shutting the door behind him.

I gasped and backed into the wall, only for his large body to hover over me, his scent that was so distinctly him filling my senses.

Sweet grass and leather. Late nights in the garden. Masculine and heartfelt, all at once.

“You lie so beautifully,” he murmured. He lowered his head so his beard brushed against my neck.

“Tell me you don’t feel this.” His nose skimmed the column of my throat, breathing me in.

My eyes fluttered shut as my neck rolled to the side.

“Tell me you’re not fighting against every instinct in your body when we’re near each other. ”

Lips grazed the sensitive spot below my ear. A shiver raced down my spine, that simple touch sending my heart through my chest. My hand flew to his shoulder, whether to keep him there or push him away, I wasn’t sure.

This was wrong. He shouldn’t be here, not like this, not with Galen mere doors away. But I couldn’t think clearly with his chest pressed into mine. With his hands gripping my waist, strong fingers digging into my skin, the feel of his shoulders so tense with restraint beneath me.

“Thorne,” I breathed out. “We—we can’t?—”

“Please, Empress,” he said, his hand finding the end of my robe and slowly pulling at the fabric. I let out a moan when he kissed my neck, then my jaw. His lips met the edge of mine as he said, “Just one kiss. One taste. One night I can call you mine.”

My mouth parted on an exhale, and his other thumb came up to press into my bottom lip, his eyes focused on the contact like it was the only thing keeping him tethered.

He moved his thumb away to cup my chin, drawing me closer. “Clarissa,” he whispered, right before his lips met mine.

I jolted awake with a gasp. My fingers were clenched around the bedsheets, my legs so tangled, I could barely move.

Mia stirred in her sleep and stood to stretch, her tail thumping at my cheek as if saying, “It’s time to wake up.

” I squeezed my eyes shut to block out the morning sun coming from the window and buried my head in the pillow to muffle my groan.

This is going to be a problem .

I could still feel him, the ghost of his lips and hands and body pushed against mine. Fates, I had to pull it together. Take a cold bath. Throw something through a wall. Anything .

There were three things that were abundantly clear. Non-negotiable.

I had to marry Galen and break this curse.

I had to go back to the Veridian Empire. Back to my home, my people, my throne.

And I had to stay away from Thorne Reaux.

So I would bury it. Whatever this fleeting pull to him was. Shove it down so deep, it had no air to breathe. Forget the way his voice soothed and his touch heated, forget the thrill of our banter, the light in his eyes when he looked at his daughter. All of it.

I would not let Thorne Reaux steal a single piece of my heart. Not when it could never fully be his.

To my not-so-surprise, Lord and Lady Penworth were nowhere to be found that morning as the rest of us loaded into carriages to begin our exploration through the South Territory.

Taryn had been appointed our guide, which I was more than happy with.

She, Rose, Leo, Mother and I squeezed into one carriage, while Galen, Thorne, his mother Azura, and Marigold rode in another.

Marigold had raced across the grounds when she saw me, throwing her hands around my waist and giving me that adorable, gap-toothed grin.

Her father had made the last-minute decision to let her come, and she was so excited to join us on a tour through the jewel mines that she was practically vibrating.

The rocky landscape of the territory passed by the window as we traveled west. Jagged mountains rose in the distance, the sunlight making the deep red and turquoise of the rocks shine even brighter against the gray stone.

I’d never seen rocks with colors like that.

They blended together in beautiful waves, the peaks of the mountains looming nearer as we ventured farther into the heart of the mining district.

Taryn told us how the South Territory was known for its plethora of caves, with various precious stones and metals that the entire kingdom used. The workers here mined jewels for decorations and jewelry, but also copper, iron, and other metals to make weapons and tools.

Dozens of small communities cropped up as we got closer to the first mine.

Wooden homes with slate roofs layered up and down the hills and dips in the terrain, with small paddocks for animals and many wagons full of supplies.

The homes were spaced far enough apart that each had plenty of land, even leaving room for a stream to wind its way through the neighborhood.

Our carriage rolled onto a paved path, and I could see the reflection of the peaks in the clear water as we came upon the side of a mountain.

Groups of men and women in hard hats and overalls with pickaxes and chisels hanging from utility belts meandered around us, getting ready for their day in the caves.

Devora had prepared me for what to wear, and I was thankful for her guidance as I glanced down at my thick boots, black pants, and dark blue vest over a tight-fitted shirt.

The black pants bulged slightly at the bottom where bandages still covered my burns, but walking was no longer as painful as it had been the past couple days.

“This is Kol,” Taryn said once we’d all gathered around her and a tall man in a helmet. She stretched to prop her elbow on his shoulder and patted the top of his head. “He’ll be showing us around the Devil’s Mine today.”

“That name bodes well for us,” Rose muttered in my ear.

“It’s an honor to have you join us, Your Majesty,” Kol said to Galen, bowing low to the ground. “My crew and I have worked hard in these caves, and it’s one of the highest-producing jewel mines in the territory.”

“We’re excited to see it. Thank you for having us. And may I introduce to you Empress Clarissa Aris?” Galen nodded toward me, and I dipped my head, smiling at Kol and the workers waiting behind him. Some of them sneered when they caught my eye, while others lowered their gaze.

“Your Majesty,” Kol said as he bowed once again. “Pleasure to meet you. I have a cousin in the Mid Territory who met you early in the week. She told me how you saved their farm. Our family is in your debt.” He lowered his voice and added, “Even if not everyone here feels the same.”

“I’m happy to help,” I said, ignoring the last part.

He led us under a large stone archway and deeper into the opening of a vast tunnel, easily the size of a house.

Lanterns hung every few feet to illuminate what the natural sunlight couldn’t reach.

Shelves were affixed to the wall, storing all kinds of shovels, helmets, vests, and belts for the workers.

People stopped and stared at us as we passed, many bowing or uttering a greeting to Galen but glaring at me.

Their faces became hesitant when they spotted several members of the King’s Guard flanking us on all sides. Increased, as Thorne had promised.

He hovered nearby, blocking out the onlookers.

It seemed he was as attuned to the scathing looks and uncomfortable interactions as I was and, ever since the incident at the bonfire, wanted to shield me from them in any way he could.

He had this way of being protective while not overbearing, attentive to my emotions while not trying to control them.

I found that wildly attractive.

Which was why I ignored him the entire time.

Kol instructed a few of us to grab some of the hanging lanterns, then went through safety tips and gave a generic background on the Devil’s Mine.

It was one of the more recently discovered mines and had been in operation for about forty years.

They had drilled deeper and deeper into the side of the mountain and uncovered several caves rich with precious jewels that were in high demand in the wealthier areas of the four territories.

He proudly stated how many of the jewels from this very mine made their way back to the Mysthelm palace and had a place in the Grimaldi treasury.