CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Daphne
The sheets still smelled like him.
Daphne pressed her face into the pillows to savor every last breath of Kronos’s scent.
It wasn’t until she turned over and saw the blood that she remembered the full events of the evening.
Her pillowcases were covered in crimson, her sheets crusted into stiff, mountainous formations.
Daphne had no idea how she would explain all this to her mother.
She would have to burn her bedding. For some reason, the thought of doing anything at all exhausted her.
Her body felt weak, as if last night had drained her strength.
It wasn’t until she sat up that she realized she was naked. Had Kronos taken the lingerie with him?
Then her eyes fell on something else. A note, laid carefully on her pillowcase. With trembling fingers, Daphne took the folded parchment in her hands and opened it to see masculine, confident lettering.
Daphne,
Words cannot express my gratitude for what you did for me last night. It was agony to leave you this morning, but I cannot risk being seen. If you will let me, I wish to repay your kindness. I hope you will join me in the caves tonight. Perhaps we can face our fears together.
—K
Daphne stared at the letter in shock. He was a beautiful writer, which didn’t surprise her whatsoever.
She’d already seen the notes he’d left her in the past weeks, and they might as well have been poetry.
But beyond the way the words were written, the message itself was…
intriguing. What did he mean that they could face their fears together?
The only thing they both feared was each other.
Daphne didn’t see any obvious solution to that.
Before she could consider it further, she heard her mother bang a pot in the kitchen. It was time to begin the day.
The day, as it turned out, was an excruciatingly long one.
Daphne didn’t mind—it gave her time to think about the letter, which she’d memorized immediately.
It was agony to leave you this morning. Daphne pictured it over and over: Kronos waking, extracting himself from her warmth, and disappearing into the cold morning air.
I wish to repay your kindness. But in what way?
What could he possibly do for her that was equal to what she had done for him? Daphne expected no payment anyway.
A second letter arrived that afternoon. Daphne opened it anxiously, skimming the words so quickly she nearly missed their contents.
Daphne,
Would you do me the honor of coming to the castle tomorrow afternoon? Wear something warm.
—Max
Two letters. Two men. Daphne had known the date with the prince would be soon.
She just hadn’t thought it would be so soon, especially not when things were so fragile with Kronos.
But there was nothing she could do about the timing.
She would go to Kronos tonight, and she would go to Maximus tomorrow.
By the time it was evening, Daphne had thought herself into a conniption.
And by the time she was actually on the path toward the caves, she was overcome with anxiety.
Part of her was terrified of what might happen tonight.
Did Kronos expect them to have sex? That was hardly repayment for a favor.
Although the way he had sex, it might be.
Daphne doubted that was his goal. It seemed like he wanted to share something with her—an experience, perhaps.
Or maybe a gift. He was adept at giving orgasms, after all.
When she entered the cave, Kronos stood before the fire, his shoulders lined by flames. He looked overjoyed to see her, and the sight warmed Daphne immediately. She couldn’t remember a single reason why she had been nervous. Now she only wanted to step closer to him.
“Daphne,” he breathed. “You came.”
As if there was another option.
“Yes.”
There was a pause, and the air became significantly warmer. Daphne knew enough by now to know that he had caused it. When they reached his chambers, Kronos crossed to the fireplace, lifted a small silk bag, and held it out to her.
Daphne approached him slowly, staring at his hands. “What is this?” she whispered.
“A gift. For you.”
Slowly, as if in a trance, she took the silk bag. Their fingers brushed as she did so. She could feel something hard and cylindrical inside. With careful motions, she opened the bag. A glass spray bottle rolled into her palm.
Daphne stared at the bottle, turning it over in her hand. It was filled with a clear liquid.
“It is from the sea,” Kronos said quietly. “I thought it would suit you.”
Somehow, Daphne knew it was a compliment. She stared at the bottle. It had a delicate gold spray attachment at the top and subtle grooves in the glass that corresponded perfectly to where her fingers rested. She handled it carefully, holding it up so it caught the firelight. “Can I…?”
Kronos raised his eyebrows. “Can you what?”
“Spray it?”
“Of course,” he said. “It is meant to be used.”
“I don’t want to waste it.”
“If you run out, I will get you more. There is an entire ocean of it.”
Daphne smiled.
Tentatively, she sprayed a little into the air.
Then she breathed in deep. The scent was beautiful—clean and crisp.
She turned the gold nozzle toward her wrist and gave it two short, confident squeezes before raising her wrist to her face.
Daphne had never smelled the ocean before.
It was sharp and cold and fresh, an interesting contrast to the heat of the room and Kronos’s own smoky scent.
Yet Daphne found it complemented him almost as much as it suited her.
“Do you like it?” Kronos whispered. She didn’t miss the hesitancy in his voice.
“Yes,” she whispered back. “I do.”
“You do not have to keep it,” he said quietly. “Only if you—”
“I want to keep it,” she said. “And I want to keep…you.”
At first she felt downright idiotic for saying it. Then Daphne watched as a flood of emotion passed over his face: first relief, then pure, unencumbered joy.
“It has a specific meaning,” Kronos said quietly.
“What meaning?”
“The Senecas are from the sea. It is like giving you a piece of my home.”
“I’m honored,” she whispered. It was an extraordinary gift.
“You are my home, Daphne.”
She looked up at him. Nothing had changed since last night.
There was no future for them, no way for them to be together.
Daphne was still frightened of Kronos, and he was still frightened of her.
Perhaps we can face our fears together. She stared at this precious thing in her hand, understanding how significant it was.
Spray from a shore Daphne could only hope to visit one day.
“Will you take me there someday?” she whispered. “To the sea?”
“Of course.”
“Do you promise?”
“Yes. I will take you anywhere you wish to go.”
The thought thrilled her and terrified her in equal measure. Daphne knew he meant it in every way one could possibly mean it. He would take her anywhere. It was only a matter of whether she was ready to go.
“Thank you,” she said finally. “It’s beautiful.”
He smiled. “I am glad you like it.”
Daphne more than liked it. But she didn’t dare say that. She turned the bottle over in her hands, admiring the way it shone in the firelight. It was a beautiful thing—possibly the most beautiful object she had ever held. Before her, Kronos shifted.
“Daphne,” he whispered.
Then he stepped forward, took her face in his hands, and kissed her. Daphne kissed him back, fully aware that there were no more barriers between them—that her admission had granted Kronos entry to her heart in a way he’d had only ever dreamed of. It felt right. It felt amazing.
Kronos broke the kiss, whispering against her lips, “Will you stay tonight? Please?”
Daphne didn’t have to think. She just nodded.
Without a word, he took her hand in his and pulled her onto his bed.
They fell onto the mattress, their bodies pressed together like pages of a book.
Daphne couldn’t get enough of him, of his scent, his skin, his tongue.
The moment they were naked, his hands roamed all over her, and for once she didn’t stop them.
Instead she arched her back when they found her breasts, moaning when they went even lower.
She touched him too, sliding her palms down his torso until her hands found his cock.
He was so beautiful. And he was all hers.
Daphne did not ask him to go slowly this time. Slow was the last thing she wanted. Instead she kissed him back just as hard as he kissed her, losing herself in every aspect of his touch, pretending that this night could go on forever. Then came a knock on the door.
They both sat up.
“Leave us,” Kronos said sharply.
The knock came again. Kronos let out an exasperated groan, standing and crossing to the door.
Daphne watched as he opened it to reveal a stunning woman.
She was intimidatingly beautiful, with perfectly coiffed hair and impeccable posture.
She was also completely naked. Her eyes raked over Daphne, unfazed.
“I did not realize we would have company,” she said easily.
Kronos shook his head. “I do not require your company.”
“And why not? I will gladly join you.”
“No,” Kronos snapped. “You will not.”
“Kronos,” the woman whined. “You promised me at least three orgasms before dawn. Are you a man of your word or not?”