Chapter 20
He shouldn’t have gotten this close to her. Shouldn’t notice the way her chest heaved or how outrage made her brown eyes sparkle. He certainly shouldn’t have noticed the nearness of her mouth. But once Varum had, he couldn’t look away.
The wrath that had sent him to find her had evaporated once he had her pinned between the wall and himself.
This petite human confounded him. He didn’t know whether to shake her or shield her.
From the moment he had seen her swimming to the boat, he had been captivated by her to the point where he had broken his people’s highest law.
He didn’t want to find her appealing or feel attraction for her. If he could turn those emotions off, he would do it in a heartbeat. But the longer he stared at her lips, the more those feelings grew and expanded, until he was actually thinking about kissing her.
“Kiss me or kill me. But do something.”
Her words cut through the haze, and his gaze jerked to hers.
While her voice had held conviction, her eyes told a different story.
Within the brown depths, he saw her uneasiness—and interest. But it was the rapid beat of her pulse against his fingers that told him it wasn’t fear that had driven her to lay down such a demand.
It was curiosity.
He found it difficult not to return to staring at that amazing mouth of hers. What would she do if he kissed her? Would she shove him away?
Would she return the kiss?
He was so tempted to find out that he almost gave in to the driving need. Almost.
Grudgingly, he straightened. That’s when he noticed her hands wound around his wrist. He had been so intent on getting answers—and then being near her—that he hadn’t realized her hands were on him.
The moment he released her, he knew she would loosen her grip.
And for some reason, he didn’t want that.
There was no fear in her eyes now. Only defiance.
Even in her weakened state, Kalyani refused to be cowed.
He wondered if all humans were like her, or if she was an anomaly.
He had never been interested in encountering one of her species.
However, he was beginning to think he had done himself a great disservice.
Varum relaxed his fingers and began to withdraw his hand. Just as he expected, she released him immediately, leaving his skin prickling with awareness. He dropped his arm to his side, aware that he was still too close to her with thoughts of kisses turning over in his mind.
“So, you can get angry,” she said, breaking the silence.
He took two steps back and clasped his hands behind him before curling them into fists. “You say that as if you’re surprised.”
“I am. You seem made of stone.”
If only that were true. It would’ve made the past bearable. “I owe you an apology. I had no right to put my hands on you.”
Apprehension creased her brow. “Anger, and now you’re apologizing? That is unexpected.”
Why couldn’t she just accept that he was sorry?
Why did she have to make it into something more?
He turned on his heel and walked into the living area.
Varum saw the door partially open and regretted allowing his fury to consume him.
He should’ve made sure the door was shut behind him at the very least.
He braced his hand on the door once it was locked and pictured Kalyani’s lips. Why did she have to say kiss?
“It wasn’t on purpose,” she said behind him. “If you had only asked, I would’ve told you that at the beginning.”
It took a moment for him to realize she was talking about seeing the Sea Elves, not about kissing. He wanted that word out of his head. More importantly, he wanted to stop thinking about kissing her.
Varum let his hand slide from the door down to his side before facing her. She stood about four steps from him, her expression unreadable. Usually, her thoughts and feelings flashed in her eyes. He didn’t like not knowing what she was thinking. “Tell me now.”
For a long minute, she studied him. Then she drew in a breath and released it as she crossed her arms over her chest. “I didn’t connect spotting the Sea Elves from shore as being part of the Masters. That’s why I didn’t say anything.”
Nirav had said the same thing to him. Why had he gotten so angry then?
Why had he stormed out of his office and come straight home to confront her?
Just remembering listening to Nirav had Varum’s chest tightening as if a band had been wrapped around him.
But it was the sharp spike of fear that had eclipsed everything else.
At the time, he had believed it was fear for his people. Now, he wasn’t so sure.
“You don’t believe me.”
He motioned to the sofa. “I do. Please, sit. You’re still weak.”
For once, she didn’t argue. He claimed his couch after she had lowered herself onto hers. They stared at each other as an awkward silence stretched.
“I just saw heads pop up out of the water,” she said as she looked away. “I never spoke to them. They disappeared almost immediately anyway.”
“Would you be able to recognize them if you saw them again?”
She shook her head, then lifted her gaze to him. “You think the two at the sloop were the same ones?”
“I’m trying to figure that out.”
“As I said, I only got a glimpse of them from shore. It could very well have been the same elves, but I can’t say for certain. I tried to swim out to them, but they were long gone.”
He grunted as he began to relax. “I doubt it. They were likely hiding.”
“You can do that?”
“The sea is our home. I imagine there are places you can hide on land.”
She twisted her lips. “Good point.”
He looked at her throat, trying to see if he had left any marks on her, but her hair was in the way. “Did I…did I hurt you?”
Immediately, she touched her neck. “Nay.”
“I am sorry. I won’t put my hands on you again without permission.”
“To be honest, that display was impressive. A little frightening, but impressive.”
He blinked, unsure he had heard her correctly.
“Oh,” she said and bent to retrieve something off the floor. She straightened with a mangled piece of bread in hand. “I wondered what’d happened to this.”
Varum was on his feet in the next second. “I’ll dispose of it,” he said, holding out his hand.
She hesitated before placing it on his palm, and to his regret, seemed to make a point not to touch him.
He walked into the kitchen and threw the bread in the bin.
As he turned back, he found his eyes going directly to the back of her head.
Then, with a sigh, he found a plate and put another slice of bread on it before pouring some water into a glass and bringing both to her.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
Varum should return to work, but he found he didn’t want to. He took a seat again. “Are you feeling better?”
“I am. Whatever Nirav gave me seems to have done the trick.”
“He’s always been like that. If there was a problem I couldn’t solve, Nirav had an answer.”
She tore off small bits of bread and ate them slowly. “He told me about being sent to the Conclave for five years.”
“It’s a duty no one wants.”
“Because of how everyone treats those sent away?”
Varum nodded. “There are still those who don’t fully trust him, despite him being back for over two decades.”
“You don’t have that problem.”
“I think because he was a family friend.”
She tucked her legs up and shifted onto one hip. “He had you and your family, then?”
The answer to that would only lead to more questions Varum never liked to think about.
“Nirav is likable and charming. He’s kind and generous to his friends, but he isn’t an elf you want as an enemy.
That’s why they chose him to go ashore. The Assembly knew he wouldn’t be swayed from his duty. And they knew he would return.”
“How were they so sure?”
“He was in love with my mother.”