Chapter 17
W alking through the corridors to my room, my mind couldn’t help but replay today's events. It rapidly jumped between the trials, further attacks upon our lands, a contender dead, and Ian no longer being my personal guard.
Then of course Kade’s insufferable knowledge of my activities, complete with a stupid little moniker of his own. However, the latter was truly the least of my worries. His nonchalant and flirtatious attitude didn’t escape my thoughts, though, as I wandered through the hallways.
As I took the south passageway through the castle, I couldn’t help but stop and stare out of the massive windows to the moonlight gardens, spread across the palace grounds.
I leaned my head against the windowpane as the heaviness of today's events threatened to consume me. I needed a long sleep, and hopefully one without nightmares.
Fates , please let me survive these trials and be left with a partner and not another burden to bear.
A simple prayer to nature. One I had a feeling I would be repeating many more times over the coming weeks.
Winding my way through the corridor, I approached one of the main hallway intersections, where one could access the stairs to my chambers, when I heard whispers.
I paused before slowly creeping to the corner of the corridor, peeking around to find who stood in the way of me and my bed.
Lord West and Ryland were standing at the bottom of the stairs. Too close to both my current location, and my private chambers for my liking.
How did they know where to find my room?
“All I’m saying is, if you want to be on the right side of this, you’ll align with me,” Lord West said aggressively, his finger pointed at Ryland’s chest.
The pompous bastard.
First, the objection to Ian being my personal guard, and now trying to form alliances with other contenders? What was this man’s problem? I leaned closer to the corner to try and hear more.
Ryland stood there, haphazardly running his hands through his already-ruffled hair. “I mean, I’m just not sure what you’re saying makes sense.”
“I’ll give you all the information you want if you agree.” Lord West sneered, stepped closer to Ryland.
Why did that sound like a threat?
Ryland snorted. “You think I trust you? A stranger with questionable manners, to what? Agree blindly to following some crusade you’re on without knowing any further?—”
Lord West whipped out a dagger and slammed Ryland into the stone wall behind him.
I gasped, a small shriek escaping my lips. My hands flew to my mouth as I pressed my back firmly against the wall.
“Who’s out there?” Lord West demanded. “Show yourselves!”
He strode toward the edge of the hallway where I so desperately tried to stay hidden. The wild expression on his face as he held the dagger in his hand screamed danger.
The way he moved, his footsteps thudded against the lightly carpeted hallway. Tits and daggers, this couldn’t happen right now. Not right now.
Fates, help me!
A cool breeze swept over my body, but instead of moving past, it lingered, swirling around me, similar to being in a cloud. I cracked my right eye open and discovered I now stood enveloped in shadows.
“Little Rebel, are you in need of saving, again?” The sultry voice in my ear sent tingles sweeping down my spine as Kade materialized before me. His body covered mine, but it wasn’t danger his proximity had me feeling. No, it was safety.
Too afraid to make any further noise, I nodded slightly, barely noticeable except for the wisps of my loosened hair brushing against his chiseled chin. I couldn’t breathe.
The thud of boots sounded deeply on the carpet.
Closer.
“Hiding will not save you, whomever you are,” Lord West growled.
I trembled. I’d been here before. In this same damn hallway. As a child.
I squeezed my eyes shut so hard my face hurt.
I didn’t want to get lost in this memory now.
“Come out, come out wherever you are Princess.” His voice echoed in the hallway.
I needed to get to my chambers. I didn’t want to go with him again. He was mean. He hurt me. I didn’t want to hurt.
“We have work to do, and it’ll only make it harder if you continue to resist.”
“Breathe.” A voice so unlike my nightmares brushed my skin, softer than a whisper in my ear, pulling me from my flashback.
I didn’t open my eyes, but Kade took one of my hands gripping the wall and placed it on the hard muscle of his chest. I didn’t fight him as he rested my palm there, his heartbeat dancing beneath my fingertips.
“Breathe with me, Illiana.” He said my name like he cared about my well-being.
My hand shook once, but I drummed my fingers to stop them. His chest rose and fell slowly, each breath obviously deliberate. Kade inhaled, held the breath in his lungs for a moment, and exhaled evenly.
Though shaky at first, I mimicked him, matching each breath, until eventually, my trembling ceased.
“I’ll say it one more time,” Lord West hissed with venom in his tone. “Who’s there?” I opened my eyes, staring directly into the storms swirling in Kade’s steady gaze. He leaned closer, and the way his right arm hovered above my head caged me and settled my sense of safety even more.
A movement to my right caught my attention. Lord West’s boots were a foot away from us. If he peered farther around the corner, we’d be impossible to miss.
Fates above , please don’t let him hear my frantically beating heart or notice Kade hovering over my body as though I were ripe for the taking .
Kade’s shadows swirled around us, mesmerizing me almost as much as the fact we had yet to be caught by Casimir. A subtle flick of his wrist and the already-dim light grew darker as his shadows thickened. I couldn’t even see Kade in front of my face, despite us touching.
“Why so paranoid, Casimir?” Ryland asked.
Casimir’s boots retreated, the thudding now indicating distance between us. I couldn’t seem to care if the two of them picked up their argument or not.
My body suddenly felt hot in ways it hadn’t in years. Despite Kade’s arrogance and wish for a crown, this was now the third time he had stepped in to help me from near certain peril.
Kade’s head shifted back slightly so our noses were touching. “This is becoming a habit, Little Rebel. How many more times will I have to save you?” he murmured, his breath hot on my face, the scent of the honey sweet wine we’d drank drifting into my senses. It mixed with the fresh smell of the earth after a storm as Kade’s entire being enveloped me against the wall.
“I’m sure I could have saved myself,” I whispered, gaining a bit of my inner strength back in our taunting.
I felt his smile, his lips so close to mine.
He’d saved me not just with whatever these shadows were, but, from my spiral into a nightmare. My spiral into a panic would have surely outed my position. Without even realizing it, he’d done what no one, save Ian, had ever been able to accomplish.
My breathing escaped unevenly as he moved slightly, bringing his left hand up to cup my chin, tilting my face toward his.
The darkness dissipated, and for the first time, I noticed Kade’s sleeves were rolled up on his forearms. On his right arm, propped next to my head, a design of black ink swirled like the shadows he wielded, tattooed up his forearm before disappearing beneath the rest of his shirt.
It called attention to the way his muscles shifted. I glanced from his arm back to his eyes.
I’d lost my mind, but the adrenaline coursing through me moments before hadn’t fully subsided. The wine I’d consumed encouraged me as much as the scent of this infuriating man did, daring me to make a move.
I licked my bottom lip, and he inhaled sharply.
There was no way he couldn’t feel how my body melted into his. No way my intention and need weren’t written all over my face. Still, he allowed me to make this choice, careful not to bring me any closer.
All it would take was one small movement and our lips would touch.
I lifted my lips to his. A whisper of a kiss in this shadowy retreat. My heart nearly beat out of my chest in anticipation.
Fuck it. Why the hell not, I thought.
My fingers curled into his chest, and I pressed my mouth harder against his. My core ignited in flames, a blazing heat with a never-ending burn as he matched my movements.
The other voices faded into the background, speaking again, but I didn’t care.
How could I care when this man’s lips claimed mine like he’d been desperate for me?
I wanted to moan into his mouth as his tongue claimed mine. The ever-present tingling sensations raged over me, pooling low in my belly.
Kade’s hand slid to the back of my neck, as he pressed his body into mine, his hips pinning me to the wall.
“Lord Casimir? What are you doing? Ryland, why are you in this hall?” Andras shouted angrily.
I jumped at the sound of Andras’s voice—the very last thing I wanted to hear.
Kade froze at my reaction, the shadows around us retreating slightly, so I could see him better.
Our heavy breathing mingled, both of us attempting to remain quiet. His gaze moved from my lips to my eyes, and the tug my body felt toward him painfully begged me to kiss him again.
“Sir, we were merely hoping to give the princess our best wishes this evening,” Ryland stammered.
“Get back to your suite immediately. You heard the king. Don’t let him catch you trying to favor his daughter without her approval. My silence cannot be bought, but I will forgive this one transgression if you leave at once.” The asshole adviser sneered.
I heard footsteps fleeing down the hall.
“Lord Casimir, with me.”
“As you command it, Andras.”
Two more sets of footsteps left down the hallway.
I scarcely had the wherewithal to think of the strange interaction between Andras and Lord West.
Kade’s forehead rested upon mine until the sound of footsteps could no longer be heard.
I closed my eyes again, waiting, panting.
Kiss me again, my treacherous body silently begged.
Kade’s thumb traced along my jaw. “’Til next time, Little Rebel,” he murmured.
Before I could even open my eyes, I sensed the shadowy tendrils disappear completely, the cloudlike sensation instantly gone.
A chill now whispered over my skin where his body left mine.
I knew Kade had left as my eyes fluttered open. The shadows of my savior disappeared before I could even speak.
“Thank you,” I whispered into the emptiness.
Unsure how to quench the ache of the heat building inside of me, I remained with my back against the wall until my heart returned to a stable pace. I hadn’t been this close to a man in a long time. His unmistakable good looks and arrogant charm were starting to wear on me.
A faint glimmer of light hummed in the darkened space around me and caught my eye.
It disappeared before my very next breath.
I blinked, wondering what it could have been before settling on the idea nature itself had granted me this gift.
A gift granting me a small reprieve from the darkness shadowing this day. A wish my soul would reach for to remember for whatever may be in store for me in the coming days.
A gift to remember Kade Blackthorn’s lips against mine, as if they’d been created just for me.