Page 13

Kerainne

Past

I admit I was hurt at Lucian’s departure, though I pretended I didn’t care.

Also, I was furious. How dare he try to come between me and my sister?

I buried that anger and dedicated myself to helping oversee Nikkita’s upbringing.

She was so wonderful and fascinating. I reveled in helping her learn about life, herself, and the world we were in.

My sister remained in my arms, then later by my side, for most of her growth.

I loathed the hours when we were parted and my mother gave me lessons on how to rule a kingdom.

But once her childhood ended and she became a woman full-grown, my bond with Nik gradually shifted from doting sibling and child to best friends.

Nik has always been more fiery and ambitious than I, wanting to learn about societies that had big battles, and strategies of combat.

I indulged her, finding what books I could on the subject, and when that didn’t sate her, I invited great warriors of Aisthanesthai to tutor her on their histories and combat tools and methods.

But we still had much in common. Music enchanted her, though she liked wilder songs than I.

Languages enthralled her, and in a mere thirty years, she was caught up with me in the tongues she could speak fluently.

Sadly, she didn’t share my passion for art and creation, though she displayed much aptitude.

Instead, Nik wanted to learn more magic. She wanted to gain the black robes of a high sorcerer. So we had a mage tutor from the Conclave of Sorcery come to teach us magics that luminites didn’t know.

My sister’s ambition didn’t stop there. She also wanted to learn how to wield a sword. So our parents hired a master swordswoman from the Mei-Lu, home of the Shyr warriors.

I didn’t expect Lucian to return to Medicia, but he did.

Nik and I were in the courtyard with our sword instructor. Lucian landed in front of me, a bouquet of lilacs in hand, and sank to his knees.

“Princess Leonine, I owe you the greatest of apologies. I humbly beg of you to welcome me into your company once more. I vow to do anything without complaint.”

My breath caught at the sight of him. How did he manage to look so beautiful? It made it difficult to focus on the odd tone he’d used when he’d said the word, “company.”

Then I’d remembered the last words I’d said to him twenty years ago and my face heated with shame. I’d hurt him. I hadn’t meant to, because I’d been overcome with the bond I’d had with Nik as a baby. But that didn’t make the damage any less.

I accepted the flowers and pulled him to his feet. “I accept your apology…on the condition that you accept the fact that we will be spending a lot of time with Nikkita and that you treat her with respect and kindness.”

His ocean-blue eyes widened. “I wouldn’t treat her as anything less. Truly, I never bore her any ill will. I was merely selfish and foolish in my lack of understanding your bond. I reeducated myself on bonds by spending four years with a wolf pack on my family lands.”

I’d completely forgotten that he bonded with wolves. And his admission to a sort of penance killed every vestige of anger I’d held for him. Still, I remained wary, remembering how petulant he’d gotten last time he’d been here.

“Do you know swordplay?” I asked mildly.

Lucian shook his head, making that breathtaking golden mane of his glint in the sunlight. “No, why?”

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“Nik is determined to learn, so we will be taking lessons with her.”

For a moment, his brow furrowed in trepidation, then his features shifted to the same bright, enthusiastic smile he had when I’d shown him the baby lizards. “That sounds fun!”

The sword master frowned at the arrival of an unexpected third pupil, but relaxed as I told her that Lucian would only be watching today and that they’d have him equipped with the proper protective clothing tomorrow.

I never had much aptitude for swordcraft, but that day I was even more hopeless.

I couldn’t stop glancing over at Lucian who sat as straight and regal from his seat on the sidelines that he could be attending a royal meeting.

Except for his bright smile and wondrous wide eyes that melted my heart. I wondered when he’d kiss me again.

Eventually, the sword master sighed in exasperation and sent me off to the side while she instructed Nik.

Lucian sat so close to me that I could feel the heat of his body against my bare hands clutching the sides of my chair.

Nik was thrusting and parrying her blade with practiced ease and no longer needed my watching with pride, so Lucian and I spoke quietly throughout the lesson.

He told me about his wolf pack and their bafflement at Lucian cooking the pieces of elk and deer they brought him over a fire.

Afterward, he accompanied us to the castle, where my parents greeted him with reserved smiles. They didn’t know we had a fight, but knew something had happened to keep him from visiting for over two decades. All I’d told them was that I’d asked Lucian to depart so I could focus on Nikkita.

All Mother had said was, “I’m glad you’re listening to my advice and taking things slowly.”

But over the next six months, Lucian seemed to be embodying that advice. He diligently stuck with our sword and magic lessons, cheerfully agreed to whatever madcap thing Nik felt like doing between our studies, had in fact, made a genuine friendship with her and was, all in all, very good company.

And that’s when I figured out what he was doing.

After a long day of pyromancy lessons, I knocked on the door to his guest suite. He answered, only garbed in his trousers and shoes.

“Care to fly with me?” I asked, trying to hide the quiver in my voice.

His chest was as muscular as one of those Greek athletes on Earth. And his stomach…something about that sculpted row of muscles made my mouth dry.

“Of course,” Lucian said cheerfully.

He didn’t put on a shirt before we went out on his balcony and released our wings.

The late spring night air was slightly chilly.

When we got to the high cliff overlooking the ocean, I withdrew my wings and pulled a shawl from my bottomless pouch—my favorite thing that came with the mage lessons I was taking with Nik.

Lucian remained as he was, his bare chest, shoulders, and stomach, framed by his dark gilt wings tormenting me with the temptation to caress him like he was a marble sculpture. And his hair, usually immaculately combed and tied back, hung wild and free.

“Impeccable view,” he said conversationally, that cheerful smile still on his face. “It’s been a long time since you brought me here.”

I sucked in a breath, suddenly nervous. “I think I owe you an apology.”

“For what?” he asked with that same opaque cheer, his blue eyes a hard shield that I couldn’t see through.

I wondered when he’d learned how to do that. My words stumbled out, stilted and awkward. “I’m sorry that the way I referred to you as ‘good company,’ implying that I didn’t care about you in a…romantic sense.”

He inclined his head regally, every inch a luminite prince. Then he fixed those gorgeous eyes on me. The shield cracked a little, giving me hot glimpses of passion. “Are you admitting you do care about me romantically?”

I swallowed and nodded.

“Then you wouldn’t mind proving it, would you?”

“What do you mean?” I fidgeted with my skirts. “I brought you here, didn’t I?”

“And what did you bring me here to do?”

The husky, teasing tone of his voice made my heart tilt. “Kissing.”

He nodded sagely. “Yes, that is indeed a romantic activity.”

When he remained sitting straight and formal, I took a deep breath and spoke more bluntly. “So, would you like to…”

Lucian held up a hand, halting my words. “It’s your move first, Princess.”

It was a reasonable request. And easy, since I’d very much enjoyed kissing Lucian the last time. And yet my muscles remained frozen, my heart thumped against my ribs, and my stomach fluttered like I’d swallowed a hummingbird.

“What’s the matter, Kerainne?” Lucian said silkily. “Do you not want to kiss me?”

“I do.” I leaned over and placed my hands on his bare shoulders, gasping at the heat of his skin in the chilly night air.

At first, his stubborn refusal to bend his head, to meet me halfway filled me with ire, but then, I detected a fine tremor in his muscles and the shields in his eyes began to crack more the closer I came to him.

By the time, my lips touched his, Lucian’s body vibrated with a low, primal sound and his arms locked around me tightly, pulling me into his lap.

I could feel his hardness pressing against me and I adjusted my position to feel him where I needed him most. I kissed him harder, holding nothing back as my hands roved over his back, his neck, and through his hair.

My hips undulated against him and I gasped at the electric sensations elicited by our movement.

Suddenly, Lucian’s hands grasped my shoulders, forcing me to be still as he broke the kiss.

“We can’t,” he said in a rasp.

“Why not?” I cringed at the desperation in my tone.

“You deserve better than the top of a cliff, for one thing. For another, you’re a royal. It wouldn’t be proper to mate with you when we’re not courting.”

“I thought we were courting.”

Lucian shook his head. “No. We’ve been getting to know each other. I haven’t formally requested courtship from you, let alone from your parents.”

I buried my hurt at misunderstanding his intentions and scooted off his lap. “My mother has expressed curiosity at your having not approached her on the topic.”

“As has mine,” he said cooly, staring up at the silver and gold moons shining brightly in the sky.

My anger flared at his bland tone. “It’s just as well, since I was advised to proceed slowly with you.”

“Oh?” Lucian turned back to me. His golden brow arched. He looked like the perfect aristocrat. “You were advised?”