Chapter Eighteen
Emilie
Light filtered into my bedroom too early, and I stretched, feeling the empty space next to me.
The blankets were cool, so Ladon must’ve left my bed long ago while I slept peacefully.
He had likely gone for his morning jog, slipping out long before Cyrus woke.
Gods, I could only imagine the chaos that would follow if Cyrus caught his brother sneaking out of my room only days after I broke off our engagement.
Ladon hadn’t had a chance to tell him the full truth, but it was coming soon. It wouldn’t be much longer until Ladon could keep me company every night and ward off the nightmares.
My stomach tightened. I had grown to rely on him so much.
That moment when he came to my rescue on the beach…
I should have been ashamed of my display of weakness.
It wasn’t like me. Or at least it wasn’t like the person I hoped to be.
But Ladon knew me, flaws and all. He knew what I needed even when I didn’t have a clue.
It was pathetic. The old me would’ve been appalled by how dependent I’d become. But the current me, the one who had been tormented in ways I never could’ve imagined, was overwhelmed by how much I cared about him and how lucky I was to have him.
When my parents traded my hand in marriage for political motives, I had accepted that I would never find love. Somehow it had found me anyway. Moving forward wasn’t easy, but Ladon made it bearable.
I smiled and pushed myself up into a seated position, stretching my arms high above my head. Slipping out of bed, I headed toward the balcony door, unlocked it, and stepped outside.
It was going to be a beautiful day. The sun was already bright enough to warm my skin, and clouds were scarce.
If I could stomach the crowds, it would be a great day to spend on the training field.
The last time hadn’t gone so well, but now I knew what to expect.
Perhaps I could strengthen my mental fortitude just as much as my physical.
I couldn’t spend the rest of my life avoiding crowded rooms. It aggravated me that, whenever I felt too many sets of eyes on me, I was transported right back to Reyna’s parties.
I could feel everyone staring and waiting for me to break.
In some ways, I hadn’t escaped at all. I was still in a glass cage surrounded by insidious gawkers.
I couldn’t live like that anymore. At some point, I needed to learn how to cope with the trauma. To find a way to heal…
I dressed in a sleeveless top and black denim pants, then tamed my bedhead into an unkempt braid. Finally, I slipped on my boots and sheathed my daggers, leaving my bedroom behind.
Before I headed to the field, I stopped by the kitchen to grab an orange. I would’ve been happy with just a piece of fruit, but the chef saw my attire and insisted I take a cinnamon roll too. I obliged; I needed the extra energy, and it smelled too heavenly to turn down.
Armed with a spare water canteen, I was finally ready to train.
I stretched and did a few warm-up exercises, thankful there were only two others on the field this morning. More would come soon, but I could mentally prepare for that. In fact, I decided right then to add meditation to my training regimen before I started hurling any daggers or wielding my magic.
I took a seat near the wall and closed my eyes, conjuring a calm scene. Images flashed before me—the sea, the stars at night, silver eyes with a touch of blue. I settled on the waves, breathing in and out with each crest.
A sense of peace washed over me, and I felt more relaxed than I had in quite some time. My skin was warm from the sun, and I dreaded opening my eyes. What if all of this serenity fell apart the second I did?
The clash of swords and laughter from the others sounded in the distance, and I knew that more soldiers were filtering in. Maybe if I kept my eyes closed long enough, I could tune them out.
Unfortunately, a shadow crossed my face and the warmth disappeared. I sighed, knowing I needed to finish my meditation and get to work, even if I wasn’t certain I could face the stares from everyone else on the field.
“Am I interrupting something?”
I jumped. My eyes shot open and up to Ladon, who towered over me. “I didn’t hear you sneak up on me.”
“I’d hardly call it sneaking. You were completely zoned out. Everything all right?” he asked, extending his hand to help me up. I took it, and he easily pulled me to my feet.
“I’m okay,” I said, brushing the dirt off my pants. “I didn’t expect to see you here. Don’t you have important meetings today? Contracts to sign or people to pester?”
“I’m officially retired from my kingly duties,” he said with a grin. His carefree smile was genuine and beautiful. It suited him.
Without thinking, I reached up and traced his smile line. His eyes fell to my hand before he licked his lips. A burst of jeering snapped us out of it, and he took a step back.
Although we were isolated from the others, I still spoke quietly. “Have you talked to Cyrus yet? About us?”
Ladon shook his head. “Not yet. Every time I try to bring it up, something or someone interrupts us. I have a feeling it’s only going to get worse now that he’s thrown himself into his responsibilities again. The one time I even mentioned your name, he quickly found an excuse to leave the room.”
He rubbed the back of his neck, looking frustrated, and I shared the sentiment.
Though I had to admit, as much as I wanted to be tangled up in bed with him and feel his hot skin against mine, there was something to be said about taking it slow, using this time to get acquainted while we weren’t under mortal threat and isolated from the rest of the world.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it at least a little bit.
Once the obstacles were removed, the wait would’ve been worth it.
I loved him so deeply, I would wait an eternity if I had to.
“I’ll try again this evening,” Ladon said. “Mind if I keep you company while you train?”
“Is that your way of imposing and taking charge of my training?” I teased.
He shrugged. “Some would say I’m highly qualified for the job.”
“Mm-hmm. I guess I could use your guidance. I was going to work with daggers and magic wielding today.”
He made a face that told me he wasn’t sold on that plan.
“What?”
“I had something else in mind. I was thinking we could work on your hand-to-hand combat. Your precision with the daggers is lethal, and you have an excellent grip on your magic, but it means little if someone is in close range.”
I grinned. “I think you just want an excuse to put your hands on me.”
His eyes sparkled, and his tongue crossed his bottom lip. He lowered his voice. “I don’t need an excuse to lay my hands on you, princess.”
Heat rose in my cheeks, and I turned away so he couldn’t see. Judging by his chuckle, I wasn’t fast enough.
“Come on,” he said, pulling me out into the open.
We sparred for what felt like hours, but I knew by the sun’s position it wasn’t even noon yet. Time just moved slowly when Ladon trained me. Every moment he took to correct my stance, placing his hands on my hips or my shoulders… my arms… my neck… the world came to a standstill.
And when he removed his shirt and his skin glistened in the sun—gods, I was a simple woman with simple desires. He caught me staring and shook his head, smiling like he was pleased with himself. As if this was what he’d hoped for all along.
“Think you can focus for a bit longer?” he asked, eyes sliding down my body as if he could envision my naked figure. My chest burned, and I resented that my shirt didn’t cover more of my skin. He opened up his palm and motioned me toward him. “Come on. Show me what you’ve learned.”
I took a deep breath and moved into a fighting stance. He waited for me to attack first, and I took my time searching for a weak spot. It was hardly fair, though. He had the confidence of a man who’d trained all his life.
I moved to the right, forcing him to move too. If I kept moving, perhaps I’d eventually catch him off guard and he’d leave something vulnerable. I wasn’t picky—a leg, a rib, his chest. I’d hit any target he made available.
When I shifted to the left, he mimicked my steps, still keeping his guard up. “Don’t be shy, Emilie. We’re fighting, not dancing.”
“I thought you were supposed to be training me, not taunting me. You should know better than anyone not to take unnecessary risks. It’s why you’re hoping I’ll take the first shot.”
He grinned, proud of how much I’d learned. As a reward for my competence, he stepped forward, taking a swing that I easily dodged. It left an opening on his right side, and I aimed a hook into his ribs.
He didn’t even grunt. Instead, he brought his arm down, trapping my wrist, and twisted until my back was against his chest and his other arm was wrapped around my neck. I couldn’t move unless I wanted to lose all access to oxygen.
“Ladon,” I whined.
His lips brushed my ear, and his hot breath tickled my neck. “I know you can do better than that, princess.”
I squirmed, but his hold on my neck was too tight.
He loosened his grip ever so slightly, not wanting to do any real damage, and I almost laughed.
Would it be cheating to use this weakness against him?
His love and affection for me? It wouldn’t work on a battlefield, but I couldn’t resist the temptation.
I backed into him and circled my hips, pushing my ass against his groin.
He sucked in a sharp breath, and his chest inflated. Then he rumbled an amused laugh. “Once a cheater, always a cheater.”
“I don’t know what you mean.” I bit my lip, trying to hold back my laughter.
“Play nicely, or you won’t like my punishment for you.”
My cheeks flushed, and so did the place between my thighs. A shudder rolled through my body, and his hold on me tightened.
His voice was practically a whimper. “Fuck, Emilie. I didn’t realize you were into that.”
I hadn’t either, but my mind spun with the image of him having his way with me. What would he do? Where would he start?
His hand skimmed across my stomach, setting my skin ablaze. My chest felt heavy when I tried to catch my breath.
“Ladon,” I sighed, my head rolling to the side and coming to a stop on his shoulder.
I craned my neck to find him, and he stared down at me with a lust-filled gaze that was sure to send me over the edge.
My head emptied of all thoughts except one—I wanted him to take me to bed.
I wanted to strip off our clothes and remember what it was like to feel him inside me. “I—”
“Your brother is looking for you.”
Ladon released me, and I hastily created space between us. We were training. It was innocent. Or at least that was what I told myself as I met Jade’s eyes.
Her glare told me she didn’t buy it.
Ladon cleared his throat. “Did he say why?”
Jade grinned, her gaze bouncing back and forth between the two of us. I didn’t care for the way she studied Ladon. I suddenly wanted to step between them just to block her view. He was mine, and her lingering stare was unwelcome.
I took a deep breath and scolded myself for being a hormonal, territorial wretch. I might’ve been confused about where my life was headed and the person I was becoming, but I was certain about one thing—Ladon would be by my side. Sensing a threat to that security had me acting out of character.
Once I had gotten my jealousy under control, I rejoined the conversation. Thankfully, I hadn’t missed much in my momentary insanity. Jade was rattling on about Murvort and scouts that were scattered throughout the countryside.
“We have them everywhere, you know,” she said, like we were supposed to be impressed by the allies she and her brother had gained.
I wasn’t an expert in politics, but it seemed like the bare minimum. Looking to my right, I could tell Ladon agreed. He crossed his arms and waited for her to explain why she’d interrupted our training.
Jade picked at her nails like it was a contest to see who could be more disinterested in this conversation. Nodding, she added, “A couple of them were in Sage Harbor when they saw a certain malevolent monarch sneaking onto a merchant ship.”
Ladon and I exchanged a look, and I could see it in his eyes—desperation to fly across the continent and catch the bitch who had made our lives hell. To ruin her the way she had ruined us. I felt that desperation in my soul too. I wanted revenge.
We gathered our belongings, and Jade was on our heels as we left the field, muttering something I couldn’t make out. I didn’t care. She didn’t matter right now. All that mattered was that Reyna had been spotted.