Page 47

O ne moment I was running, the next I was fully submerged in the crystal blue depths of a rooftop pool. Choking on the frigid cold water I sprung from the bottom of the pool upwards, sputtering when I broke the surface and swimming towards the edge.

I was going to kill that shifter! King or not.

He knew. Of course he knew. His outlandish flips and constant careening into my path were all part of his strategy to herd me straight into this pit of water. No doubt he had made it to the flag by now. I was only a few roofs away from my victory before landing here.

Sighing, I decided to rest my head and arms on the stone surface of the pool to enjoy the warmth of the morning sunrise while the cold water soothed the tension in my body.

I sighed again with content. Maybe it was worth losing.

A shadow passed over me and blocked the sun .

“I take it you enjoyed your morning swim, little umbra?”

I flipped my wet ponytail off my face to see the smug shifter king waving the purple flag at me.

“You tell me…” I waved my hand and my shadows materialized into existence only to shove the shifter king face first into the pool. “...how it feels, your majesty.” I snickered and rested my head back down on my arms.

Sputtering he emerged from the water, shaking his wet body with a reverberating growl. “How…refreshing.”

Not bothering to open my eyes, I snorted. “You cheated.”

“So did you.” He rumbled suddenly next to me.

I peeked open my eyes to see him mirroring my relaxed state.

Everything about him was brilliant and vibrant.

I felt like I was trapped staring at the sun and if I looked much longer I would be burned by the purity of his soul and—goddess help me, I wanted to burn.

I wanted to live in the light of the world he continued to hold open for me.

His smile widened and he leaned in ever so slightly, water glittered on his long lashes like tiny diamonds in the sun. Tapping my nose teasingly, he rumbled. “I’ll take my kiss at a later time.”

Then he hauled his large god-like body from the pool, the water sluicing down his powerful frame. I wet my suddenly parched lips at the flex of his defined ass, so much more accented by the wet plastered leathers.

I looked away. “I believe on account of cheating our wager is void, your majesty.”

Emon crouched low and tilted my chin up to him with a deep purr. “Cheating or not…I’d say we are both ravenous right now.” Extending his hand to me, he winked. “For pastries that is…and I can smell them now. Fresh baked from Griffin’s Gateau. Drey just pulled some from the oven.”

I sniffed at the air excitedly but could smell nothing but pool water. Emon choked with restrained laughter watching me.

“Damn, shifter nose.” I grumbled, taking his hand. There was a slight pause and then I threw him over my shoulder back into the pool. Practically drowning again by the enormous splash Emon’s unsuspecting body made.

Scrambling out before he could retaliate, I rose, picking up the purple flag on the pool deck and smiling at the sputtering shifter king rising out of the water .

“ Audentes fortuna iuvat. Fortune favors the bold, shifter.” I said in old fae and waved the flag at him, smirking. “You never called the game to an end.”

My smiled widened when Emon’s roaring laughter rattled the lavender lit skies.