Chapter 25
Twenty-Five
E verinne sprinted through the palace gardens. She had no clue what direction she was going, no idea on how to escape, all she knew was that she had to get away. She had to put as much distance between herself and Atlas as possible.
A gust of cold wind slapped at her, stinging her skin. It tangled into her hair and sank into her bones, causing her muscles to tense and seize.
She stumbled blindly through a maze of flowering bushes and ornamental hedges, the pointy heels of her shoes sticking in the solid ground.
With only slivers of moonlight to guide her, she barely avoided running right into a massive pond, dodging its grassy banks at the last second.
She veered to the left, cutting across an uneven gravel path, desperately trying not to break her ankle in the process.
All the while, Atlas’s words continued to echo in her mind.
She’s my mate.
Mate.
The word struck her, sending a reverberating chord of fear through her soul.
She shook her head, willing the thought away as her eyes blurred.
It couldn’t be true. If it was, the leash Kralv Oldrich had placed around her neck would only tighten, squeezing the last of her resolve.
He grasped her fate in the clutches of his fist, and she knew nothing would stop him from ensuring she upheld her end of the bargain.
Her stomach tangled into unforgiving knots at what he might ask of her, of what he might force her to do.
A line of trees appeared before her, their thick, inky branches the perfect place to hide.
She didn’t think there was a small forest on the palace grounds, but at the moment she didn’t care, because she heard Atlas in the distance, calling her name.
She tossed a hasty glance over her shoulder just in time to see him running after her at full speed.
“Ever!” He lifted a hand as he rushed toward her. “Wait!”
Later.
She would talk to him about this later, after she had time to formulate a plan.
It had been different when she’d agreed to marry him at Kralv Oldrich’s demand, when she thought she was only protecting him and Veros.
But if Atlas wasn’t lying, if she was his mate, they would both suffer for it.
The kralv was anything if not ruthless in his endeavors, and if he discovered she was fated to his son, he would use that knowledge to the best of his advantage to control them both.
And that was something she couldn’t allow to happen.
No.
First, she had to figure out how to navigate the web she’d been caught in, then she would talk to Atlas. And no matter what, no matter the circumstances, she would deny being his mate. Even if it meant taking that heartbreaking slice of knowledge to her grave.
Everinne braced herself and darted into the trees, wincing as their low-lying limbs smacked at her, and the spindly evergreen branches snagged at her dress.
She’d half expected the forest to be dense, that it would possibly go on forever and afford her the opportunity to get lost. But instead, she burst through the other side in seconds, the toes of her heels sliding against slick stone.
She glanced down, realizing her mistake all too late.
Throwing her arms out for balance, she grappled with the air to stop herself from falling, but her foot caught the ledge and she shrieked, right before toppling into a steaming pool.
The force of her momentum plunged her beneath the surface, and she jolted in surprise as warm water sloshed over her, heating her frozen body.
She kicked through the water as a strong arm wrapped around her waist, hauling her upward with far more efficiency than she would have thought was possible.
Everinne broke through the surface, gasping and sputtering, blinking away the droplets of water that clung to her lashes. She shoved her soaked hair back from her face, chest heaving as she welcomed the reprieve of fresh air, only to find herself entangled in Atlas’s arms.
His grip was firm and she struggled against him, trying to break free from his hold.
“I know how to swim, Atlas.” She grabbed his forearms and shifted away from him. “Let me go.”
“No.” His fingers dug in and he pulled her closer.
Golden strands of hair slanted across his forehead like wet silk, curling slightly at the nape of his neck.
In the pale light, his eyes reminded her of the ethereal green of the Ladova Bay, the streaks of gold glinting like when the early morning sunlight hit the smooth waters.
But his brows were drawn and his expression was stern.
“Because the second I let you go, you’ll run. ”
“I won’t…I won’t run away.” But she couldn’t handle him holding her, touching her. It awoke a ravenous kind of longing, one she didn’t want to experience ever again.
“Please,” she pleaded with him, her voice hoarse. “Let me go.”
Atlas sighed, his breath misting before him. Reluctantly, he released her.
Everinne immediately tread backward, then stopped the moment his gaze narrowed.
The skirt of her dress rode up, floating around her, and even though she doubted he could see anything below the surface, she made a failing effort to adjust the fabric all the same.
She tugged the hem down and sank below the water once more.
Atlas grabbed her again, lifting her up.
“I’ve got it!” she shouted, smacking his hands away.
“Leave your damn dress alone or you’ll end up drowning yourself.” He raked a hand through his hair, the small curls now more pronounced than they were before. “Your modesty is of very little concern to me right now.”
“Fine,” she snapped, coasting her arms through the water and slowly moving her legs to stay afloat.
Her dress fanned out around her, well above her hips, hovering in the ripples she made.
She would bet anything he would be far more concerned about her modesty if he knew what she was wearing underneath—the tiny triangle of black lace covered very little and left absolutely nothing to the imagination.
For a moment, they watched each other. And then Everinne realized he wasn’t doing anything to stay above the water.
“Are you…” She glanced down between them. “Are you just standing there?”
Atlas shrugged, dismissive. “Apparently I was blessed with height, among other things.”
His insinuation was not lost on her and a flush crept into her cheeks.
Everinne dipped her head, blowing out a breath, releasing a stream of bubbles in the process.
Atlas’s lips twitched.
“I know you’re getting tired,” he drawled, rolling his head from side to side as she forced herself not to watch the little rivulets of water glide down his rather kissable looking neck.
“I’m fine,” she muttered.
He clicked his tongue, they both knew she was lying.
Everinne huffed out a breath, glancing around at her surroundings. “Whose pool is this, anyway?”
“Mine.” He angled his head toward the other side of the pool, and she followed his direction with her gaze.
Sure enough, across a slate verandah furnished with lounge chairs were two ornate glass doors.
Soft, glowing light illuminated the room within, highlighting a sumptuous four-poster bed topped with a plush blanket and an overabundance of pillows.
Without warning, her mind instantly filled with images of Atlas, sprawled and naked, his beautifully chiseled body stretched out on what were most likely luxurious satin sheets.
Almost as quickly as she imagined it, another picture infiltrated her thoughts.
This time, however, she was in that lavish bed with him.
Kissing him.
Touching him.
Taking him.
Everinne’s entire body heated, unbidden warmth pooling between her thighs, and she sucked in a ragged breath.
“Lovely.” The word was a scrape across her tongue while she attempted to disguise her arousal. “I take it this is your sex pool, then. And how many females have you brought here?”
Not that she really wanted to know, the number would only pain her.
Atlas arched a brow at her contemptuous tone. “You’d be the first. Even if it was by accident.”
Part of her didn’t want to believe him, wanted to think he was only saying it just to appease her. But it was incredibly difficult to convince herself that he was lying.
She leaned her head back into the water, arching to ease some of the ache that caused her muscles to spasm and twinge. Her arms were burning, on fire from constantly rotating forward and backward. Her legs strained as she continued to kick lightly in an effort to not sink.
“Would you please quit being so stubborn and let me help you?” Atlas asked. “It won’t look good if the future princess drowns on my watch.”
Everinne’s head snapped up.
In truth, she should probably just swim to the ledge and climb out of the pool completely. But it was so cold outside, and the water was so warm, and it would be so nice to not have to keep treading the damn water.
“Fine.” She eyed him cautiously. “But only because I feel like my body is about to quit on me.”
Atlas didn’t need to be told twice. He snared her by the hips, his palms skimming the lace straps of her nearly useless undergarments, and if he recognized that she wore barely anything beneath her dress, he made no show of it.
He gathered her close, so her legs straddled his waist, and as soon as she was in his arms, she went pliant.
Limp and weary, she let him support the weight of her and let her hands come to rest against his chest.
An error, on her part.
Because now they were only inches apart, and she could clearly see the way his damp shirt clung to his broad shoulders, how it molded to his solid abdomen, how it felt like she was touching the body of a damn god.
Her fingers itched to rove over him, to explore every solid inch, but she didn’t dare move.
In fact, her lungs compressed, and she all but forgot how to breathe.