The sounds of footsteps came closer, my chances of hiding diminishing with each second I wasted. Without thinking, I threw myself into a dark corner next to a staircase. The small space was blocked from view by a stone pillar. I placed my hands over my mouth, trying my best to quiet the sound of my breathing as three sentries ran past. Matthew came next, his face broken and hollow as he shouted my name. Tears fell hard and fast, my body wanting to respond to him—to let him know I was here and that I was sorry for running away. But fear held me in place, not permitting me to move a single inch.
As they passed, I turned and ran down an empty corridor until I stood in front of a large, barred stone door. Thankfully, no one stood guard. There was no one to question why I was wandering the halls at this time of night.
With one last look behind me, I pushed open the door and descended into darkness.
There was no light down here. With a muttered prayer to the gods, fire sparked to life in my hand and basked the surrounding area in a faint glow. This was a bad idea, a terrible idea, but that didn’t stop me. My feet moved, propelling me deeper into the frigid darkness.
Up ahead, the faint flickering glow of a lantern told me I was heading in the right direction. My bare feet padded along the damp floor, chill seeping into my skin as I tightened one arm around my body. I urged the heat from the flame to spread through me, thanking the gods for my powers.
“Who’s there?” a gravelly voice croaked—one broken with disuse. My heart thundered in my chest as I said nothing, keeping my pace even as I approached the figure hunched on the floor. “Come to rejoice, Renai? Come to tease and taunt me?” The figure shifted underneath a blanket, turning farther into the corner facing the wall. “Do not waste your breath.”
I cleared my throat, the figure’s body going taut. He turned, and I was met with a gaze of icy blue.
“Hello, Damien.”
Chapter9
Renai
We stumbled out of the pub, Kalen wrapping his arms around me and pushing me against the wall. I clung to him, desperate for the friction of his body against mine. He’d been teasing me all evening to the point I was ready to say to hell with propriety and beg him to fuck me here in the dark alley behind us. But then he pulled back, giving me a wicked smile, and untangled himself from my hold.
I pouted, furrowing my brows and pushing out my lower lip. He shook his head. “Oh no, don’t you go giving me that look.” His hand flew to his chest, a mocking look on his face. “You know I can’t resist it.”
“Then don’t,” I purred, pulling him back to me. We’d grown close this past week, closer than we’d ever been before. In fact, we were practically inseparable. I found myself searching for him even when I knew he wasn’t there, craving a semblance of comfort only he could provide. It wasn’t strictly sexual, and that was what vexed me most of all.
The sex was good, amazing even. It was the best I’d ever had, especially in the past week. There were even some moments it bordered on tender, something resembling lovemaking. I didn’t dare let myself think of it that way, though. Instead, I focused on the desperately needed distraction we offered one another.
That was the thing about Kalen. While we enjoyed our dalliances, it was only a distraction. It was a way to let go, to get out of our heads for an hour or so. And with the troubles we found ourselves facing, I chased that high more than I cared to admit.
Kalen had more at stake than I did. Seeing Arabella had cast him in shadows, and I wasn’t sure why I cared so much. He was my friend, my best friend, but I saw the way his eyes darkened when he thought no one was looking. The way he would deflate, letting the charming mask he put on for the world slip just a little bit. I wanted to take that pain away, and so I tried in the only way I knew how.
I pulled his lips to mine, relishing the slightly sour taste of wine on his tongue. He moaned, and I greedily captured the sound and delighted in his reaction. He ground his hips against me, the feeling of his length driving me mad. My mind was empty except for him, for this moment. Kalen closed his eyes, and I thought he might let go and take me right there, but as quickly as we came together, he stepped away again.
“Let’s go back to the palace,” he said, voice dropping low. “We have an audience.”
I looked over his shoulder, noticing the group of men on the corner of the street staring at us. They wouldn’t have looked out of place if it weren’t for the strangely haughty expressions on their faces. There was something about them that made me uneasy. Perhaps it was the way they carried themselves, the way their bodies were rigid, as if ready to bolt across the street to where we stood. Or maybe it was the way their eyes never left us. They did not glance around the street at any other revelers, even as someone came by and spilled their ale at the men’s feet.
I forced a smile onto my face, pressing a kiss to Kalen’s cheek before sliding my hands down his chest seductively. “Yes, let’s take this somewhere more private.” Neither of us had to voice our motives. The lust I’d felt moments ago had been replaced with something sharper, and I became more aware of our surroundings than I had been before.
Kalen wrapped his arm around me, nuzzling his nose into the crook of my neck. “I’m sure they’re harmless, but there’s something about them I don’t like.”
I nodded, steering us back onto the well-lit street. There was no need to voice my concern as well. He’d noted the hand I slid around his waist, briefly touching the dagger concealed beneath the band of his breeches.
I prayed they were not sent by Lachlan, though I would not put it past him to try something tonight of all nights. He knew we would be spread thin, aching to get away from our responsibilities after the past few days. For the past hundred years, he’d played advisor to the crown he ached to take down. He knew every contingency plan and protocol in place during an event like this. We were the ones at a disadvantage, unsure of how, when, or if he would use his knowledge against us.
We shouldn’t have gone out. It had been a foolish mistake, and I saw that now. Especially as they stepped out onto the street when we walked past. Try as they might, they were anything but inconspicuous, as they kept their heads down, following ten paces behind. I felt their eyes on us, cataloging each subtle movement we made.
Kalen and I were on high alert, hurrying to the palace gates. They stayed in step with us, pausing only after we’d safely made it inside the walls. As we crossed the threshold, Kalen motioned for a sentry to approach him. They spoke in hushed tones. I glanced over my shoulder, but the men had vanished.
“Keep an eye out,” Kalen said, lowering his voice. “But ensure every other sentry is on high alert this evening. We don’t want or need anyone slipping in unannounced. Check everyone who comes through; I don’t care who they are. Lachlan’s proved he has the power to mask someone’s identity. I wouldn’t put it past him to do it again.”
The sentry bowed, rushing over to the others at the gate entrance. Word traveled along the line until every man and woman stood with a renewed sense of purpose. They scanned the streets, hands on their swords, as we made our way through the large doors.
“Do you truly believe they were part of The Horde? Or were they simply outsiders looking for an easy target to mug?” I asked, still glancing over my shoulder every few steps as if I expected them to pop out of the shadows.
Kalen shrugged. “It’s hard to tell. But I wouldn’t put it past him.”
Up and up we went until we stood outside my door. There was a question unasked, and for some reason I hesitated. I scanned his face, the way his shoulders slumped forward and brow furrowed. Without thinking, I reached out and cupped his cheeks. His eyes grew wide before he offered me a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
