“I want to show you something,” she said, looking up into bright blue eyes. “Will you come?”
Safire nodded, swiping at her tears.
Taking her hand, Eris pulled her from the room.
She led Safire back through the scrin, then down a pine path through the woods, away from the cliffs. As she did, she ran her thumb along Safire’s skin, gentle and slow, wondering if it had the same heart-skittering effect as it did on her.
She didn’t look to find out. Because the sky was lightening now, and dawn would be here soon. She wanted to get there before sunrise.
Finally, the trees broke and the path ended. All that lay before them was a creamy ribbon of sand encircling a small, shallow bay. Letting go of Safire’s hand, Eris grinned as shesaid, “So you see, Raif isn’t the only one with a secret beach.”
Bending over, she tugged off her boots. After rolling her trousers up to her knees, she headed in. The sea rushed up her ankles, smelling of brine, welcoming her back. Eris closed her eyes and breathed it in.
A heartbeat later, she heard splashing behind her and looked to find the hem of the blue dress knotted up over Safire’s hips.
Side by side, they watched the red sun rise.
“Well?” Eris glanced over, wanting to know if she’d pleased her, and found Safire staring back in a way that made her breath catch. “Areyou the kind of girl who likes sunrises?”
A blush of color rose in Safire’s cheeks, and she ducked her eyes.
“Eris?” she asked, dodging the question. “Did you mean what you said on the empress’s balcony?”
Eris remembered the shock in Safire’s eyes when she’d carelessly made her confession.To think I fancied myself in love with you.She should deny it. Or better yet: make a joke of it. Save herself the humiliation.
“I...” It was Eris’s turn to look away. “The first time I ever saw you, I wanted to despise you.” She kept her eyes on the sea frothing around them. “A commander who’d been given her position simply because her cousin was king? A princess who lived a privileged, comfortable life without ever knowing a day of hardship? You represented everything I hated... or so I thought.” Eris bit her lip. Was she really admitting this out loud? “I saw what I wanted to see. Mostly because the first time we met, you injured my pride.”
Safire glanced up. “What?” Her brow knit in confusion. “How?”
“I had just stolen a tapestry from your office. You ran straight into me, looked me over, and dismissed me in a single glance.”
Safire jaw dropped in surprise. “I was responding to a security breach,” she said, a little defensively. “And you were dressed as a soldat. I make a point ofnotnoticing my soldats—not like that. It’s unprofessional.”
“Ah.” Eris smiled a little. “I see. Well, it irked me. More than irked me. Afterward, I made it my mission to ensure you not only noticed me, but couldn’t stop thinking about me.” More softly, she said, “I wanted to drive you as mad as you were driving me.”
Safire looked away then, the color rushing back into her cheeks. “Well, you certainly succeeded.”
“Did I?” asked Eris, studying her. Safire’s gaze lifted, catching hers. “I meant what I said on the balcony,” Eris whispered, stepping in close. “You are brave and noble and good.” She lifted hesitant fingers to gently trace Safire’s jaw, then her throat. “How could I not fall in love with you?”
Safire sucked in a breath, blue eyes sparkling, letting Eris touch her. “I thought you didn’t go in for spoiled princess types.”
Eris reached for the knife keeping Safire’s hair up. “I only said that to save your ass.” She tugged it out, spilling Safire’s hair down her neck, then buried her hands in it. “You are exactly my type.” She pressed her lips to the arch of Safire’s throat, feeling her pulse pound like tempest rain. “Soft and strong andoh so pretty,” she murmured. “When I’m with you, I want to bebetter.I want to be worthy of you.”
This seemed to get through to Safire, whose hands slid up under Eris’s shirt and over her skin, skidding up her back. Eris’s hands trembled as they cupped Safire’s neck. Wanting this—wantingher—more than she’d ever wanted anything.
When she captured Safire’s mouth with her own, Safire kissed her hungrily back.
The tide came in, rushing against their legs. Safire and Eris ignored it. The waves came in faster and harder, until one of them nearly knocked them both over, dousing them in cold water.
Safire sucked in a breath at the shock of it. Eris laughed. “Come on,” she said, tugging Safire’s arm.
Was this what happiness felt like?
They stumbled back to the beach, where Eris dropped into the sand, bringing Safire down with her, both of them yearning to finish what they started as the sun rose over the sea.
Thirty-Four
Safire woke nestled beneath the blankets of a warm bed, with the memory of Eris on her skin. Candles burned in sconces around her, illuminating this room. If she could call it a room. The walls were made of brightly colored glass and the only thing within was a bed and a chest.
