10. Astraea #2
“I think—” His hand slides from my chin to cup the side of my face.
Everywhere his fingers touch, my skin ignites an inferno from the blood that rages beneath.
The intensity of his eyes makes my heart thunder in my chest. An ever-growing storm laying just below the surface creates a sense of urgency I can’t ignore.
I want nothing more than to close the distance between our bodies.
Let our souls collide like the waves once did on the cliffs before the sea died.
My lip falls from between my teeth, trembling, and snags his attention.
His thumb rolls over the sensitive nerve endings, dragging it down until I am nearly panting for him.
“You know.” He says it again even more confidently but does not elaborate further than those same two words. Heat wraps around my center in a vise-like grip as my anger also rises. He wants me to say it, but I have no idea what it is I’m even thinking, not really.
Though I can’t say for sure that he has lied to me, all he has done since the moment he came into my life was hide secrets with omission.
His face morphs into something smug as though he sees the rising fire within me.
The muscle in his jaw twitches as he restrains a smirk.
“Come on, Shula, tell me. What is going on in that beautiful mind?”
War. That is what is going on. The fire burning in my gut is telling me to claim him just as he had claimed me.
But the other side, the side that has been trained to never trust, is screaming that the truths he has hidden have cut too deep.
Fear rises in me as I worry about what more truth would do to that wound.
“I don’t know.” I finally say, trying to take a step back, but Kyros holds me in place.
One of his arms wraps around my waist, pulling me into him.
I see the battle in him too. Even if he doesn’t have his magick, I see the churning darkness in his eyes as he looks down at me.
Maybe he’s haunted by his choices? Or perhaps it’s just the loss of his shadows or the unknown of what lies in his choice to whisk me away instead of staying to ensure his brother and the others made it out of battle that has him looking so torn?
“You do. I see it in your eyes. I feel it where my skin meets yours.” His brows lower as though he is trying to press the answer out of me with his gaze alone.
The rough skin of his fingers trail along my jaw, further tilting my face to meet his.
“You do know, Shula. I know you have felt it since the beginning.” My chest rises and falls rapidly, the heat there becoming overwhelming.
My lips part, and his eyes once again fall to the motion.
His own hover closer to mine. It would only take a breath to close the distance.
To feel the languid strokes of his tongue against mine. Is that what I want?
My blood courses through my veins, and after a moment it’s all I can hear; the whooshing pulse is relentless in my ears—and the heat. Heat everywhere. So much fucking heat.
“I—” My eyes fall to where my hands now rest on Kyros’ chest and widen as I notice thin swirls of steam coming from under my palms. I jump backward, dropping my hands and looking at my palms. Kyros looks just as confused as I feel.
“I—I’m burning. I’m too hot.” My breathing is too rapid and shallow.
Kyros notices too, and concern brackets his features.
I throw off the suddenly choking cloak. He is quick to pick up the discarded water bladder and brings it to my lips.
I shakily take it from his hands and press it to my mouth, downing a long drink.
“What was that? Where did you go?” He asks, once again closing the distance between us and threading his fingers into my hair at the nape of my neck. Where did I go? What—my eyes drop to his unmarred tunic. I flip my hands between us, inspecting both sides as if I had never seen them before.
“I don’t know." I shake my head and stumble out of his arms, turning away. I give him my back as my eyes continue to burrow into my trembling hands. What the hell was that? I swear it looked like there was smoke coming from between my fingers. Heat rising to my fingertips, but that makes no sense. It’s impossible.
“I think we should keep going.” I finally say, spinning back around to meet his worried gaze.
“Maybe we should rest a bit long—”
“No,” I interrupt. “I’ve had plenty of rest. Don’t feign to know what I need, Kyros. I have been told what I need all my life. I have finally gotten away from my tyrant father. I don’t need another man lording over me at all hours of the day.” His face hardens at my outburst.
Good. I would rather have his anger…I don’t know what to do with the alternative.
“Fine. Up.” He counters curtly and gestures to the horse.
I let out an indignant huff before spinning on my heel and storming off in the opposite direction.
He groans loudly before I hear a clicking as he begins leading the horse away from the creek we had stopped at.
“You may want to follow me if you insist on walking. You’re headed the wrong way.
” He doesn’t look over his shoulder as I stop and face him.
Just clicks his tongue again as he continues to lead the horse away.
I roll my eyes and then narrow them into his back as I begrudgingly follow after him.