~ 16 ~
ANYA
Ah, shit. Now I’ve done it.
No idea why I chose suitors of all topics to breach the ice with Sabri; it just slipped out. And of course I couldn’t resist poking after she said she learned about sex from a book. Then she thinks she can just sit there, all pretty pink and flushed from the heat, and I’d just let it slip by?
No fucking chance.
It’s so infuriatingly like her. She’s never slept with anyone, like, ever? That’s hard to believe when she looks like she does.
I’m feeling a little fired up, and I hate the council more than ever for keeping Sabri locked away and ignorant. Those old farts ought to rot dead in a ditch for what they do to her. I might not be her friend anymore, but I can sure as heck still get angry on her behalf.
Speaking of angry, Sabri looks pissed. She’s also stark naked and dripping wet—it’s a glorious sight.
Her swing is predictable. It also comes much slower than before. Being flustered only seems to give her a little fuel; the fight that left her hasn’t come back yet.
Which gives me plenty of time to consider my next move. Comebacks are my specialty and I’ve already got enough energy back for another tussle. On top of that, I’m getting used to playing this game of cat-and-mouse that we constantly fall into.
After a quick thought, I lean to the left and catch her fist.
Sabri’s eyes go wide. I push into her blow and twist my body, letting her own momentum propel her forward. From there, it’s easy to hook my arm over her neck and drag her down before she can recover.
We hit the water together, legs swinging out in a tangle of limbs. It’s a mirror of our earlier tussle and yet different. There’s still a rush of adrenaline, but with Sabri tired out and a new kind of truce hanging between us, I don’t feel like I’m fighting for my life. It’s almost fun.
I grab for her arms, bracing my feet for balance against the smooth bottom of the pool as I pull her toward me in an attempt to restrain her. It almost works.
With a low grunt, Sabri regains her footing. It only takes a second for her to shove her shoulder forward and slam me against the pool’s edge. All the air explodes out of my lungs.
Shit. Not that tired after all. I gasp. Guess I’m no match for her in close combat.
Sabri wrenches my arms to the side. Using her insane grip, she pins me against the hard tiles.
We’re both panting. As she leans over me, Sabri’s breath is hotter than the steam against my face.With nowhere else to look, my eyes fall to her lips. They’re finally getting some of their color back. The heat and steam have turned them into a glorious red. A drop of water trails down her chin, hugging the curves and dips of her beautiful face.
I swallow.
“Let go of me,” Sabri says.
“You’re the only holding me,” I say, eyes still fixated on her lips. A sudden, random thought bubbles up in my mind.
If she’s never slept with anyone, then maybe…
“Hey Sab.” I’m well aware that she hasn’t released my hands yet. “You remember when we were kids?”
Her head tilts slightly. A loose curl slips down her shoulder. “Of course.” Her voice is flat, but there’s an edge of curiosity.
“Then you also remember that day at the swing, when we tried to see who could go higher?”
“Yes,” she replies, “I won.”
“No, I won.”
“Funny, that’s not how I remember it.”
I tsk playfully, trying to keep the atmosphere light. It’s so like Sabri to remember her own victories and discard the rest, but that doesn’t change what happened.
Meanwhile, Sabri hasn’t moved at all. My arms are getting tingly.
“Maybe you’re thinking of a different day.” I say as I shift my body, moving to get my legs beneath me. It’ll provide more leverage if I decide to try to push her off. “I won, and you promised me something.”
“…”
“Why so quiet? If you don’t remember, I’ll tell you—it was your first kiss.” I smile. “Don’t tell me you gave it away?”
“I did no such thing.” Her eyes flick to the right. It’s rather sweet. “That would be very...”
“Very what?”
“... inappropriate.”
“Well, I think it’s inappropriate of you to break your promises.”
“We were children, Anya.”
“So what? Your word decreases in value over time?” I scoff. “What kind of queen are you gonna be? No one’s gonna trust a queen who can’t keep her promises.”
“That’s… I…” She blinks rapidly as she looks everywhere but at me. It’s a look I know very well—she’s caving.
I try to keep my smile convincing. Inside, I’m devious with glee. Where am I going with this? Not entirely sure. But this is way better than her pummeling me again. In fact, it’s genuinely fun now.
“How’s this,” I say as I press my heels against the rock, pushing back against her grip on my wrists. It brings our faces even closer together. “You can give me the kiss you promised me, or I can steal it. Your choice.”
“You wouldn’t dare!” She says, but her gaze keeps falling to my mouth and she hasn’t moved away. “You can’t steal from me.”
Our bodies are so close that they’re capturing the steam between us. The pleasantly warm temperature is approaching dangerously hot. It must be going to my head, because the thought of backing out doesn’t even cross my mind. I want to see how far I can push this—how far I can push Sabri.
“Really?” I tilt my head and lift my chin. “They call me the Thief Lord. I have ways of getting what I want.”
“That’s not why.”
I can feel the flutter of Sabri’s wet eyelashes each time she blinks. There’s a pulsing sensation, but I can’t tell if it’s my heartbeat or hers.
“It’s because,” Sabri says, “you can’t steal what’s given to you.”
It takes a moment for my mind to work through what that means. When it clicks, I feel like I’ve won the jackpot.
Win!
“One kiss,” she whispers against my lips, “is nothing.”
“Nothing at all,” I smile.
She hovers, painfully close but still not closing the distance. Each breath is a tease. I can almost hear the war going on in her mind—I’m surprised she’s made it to this point without shoving me away and storming off in another huff.
Maybe she actually would kiss me, given enough time.
We’ll never know, though, because this opportunity is way too good for a thief like me to pass up. Before Sabri can move, I lean forward and seal our lips together.
It’s so soft—her lips are like the most expensive satin. I swallow her gasp and reveal in the sensation. The feeling of her mouth on mine is better than any successful raid and more addictive than any fine wine. All I can think about as I move my lips is how amazingly well we fit together.
I tilt my head a little more until we slot together perfectly.
This…
I’ve always thought Sabri was pretty. It never went away, even for all the years she was a distant cloud on the horizon. I love to tease her and see her cute reactions—but I had no idea that this is how I wanted her until right now, this very second.
Now that I have her against me and the taste of her in my mouth, I can’t believe I never realized it before. This is perfect.
It’s also not enough.
My fingers float through the water until they brush against Sabri’s side. She trembles slightly, skin hot under my touch, but doesn’t pull away. The Princess of Melsbrand shaking beneath my thieving fingers is pure bliss.
It’s a shame that we need to breathe. I savor every second of her lips moving slowly and gently against mine until black tinges at the edges of my vision. With no other choice, I slowly pull back.
When I open my eyes, I’m shocked by what I see.