“Is your friend okay?” she says with genuine concern. “I heard he was found nearly dead.”
“Poison. No one knows who gave it to him though.” Her arm presses into mine as she moves closer to allow a woman to cross our path. Her touch is like a rush of a thousand kisses. The thought has me thinking of her kiss. The one we almost shared the other night before we were cut off. It’s a moment my mind likes to revisit often. “I overheard you asking Eli about Chana this morning. Is she okay?”
“Like your friend, she too has been poisoned. Found her unconscious last night.”
That makes two in less than a day, and one from each kingdom. I originally thought the culprit would be someone from Haymel, but why would they harm their own?
There is a tap on my forehead, and then another, and another. Opening the umbrella, I hold it above us to keep dry from the drizzle that steadily picks up.
We walk in silence, making our way through the town until we hit open fields. We stop as we eye the road that continues up towards the castle gates.
“You know”—she stops walking and moves from under the umbrella—“you could have told me how you felt instead of shutting me out. We aren’t children Iann. Words go a long way.”
The way she says my name has me wanting her to say it more. Over and over.
She continues, “Like you, I had no say and yet you’ve been acting like accompanying your brother is my doing.”
“I know and I am sorry to have behaved as such.” I move to her, placing the umbrella back above her head and wipe away a few water droplets that have collected on her face. “It’s not the first time Marcel has taken someone I desire.” Her face melts and she bites at her lip. “I wasn’t upset with you until I saw you coming from his room last night. I know I had no right to be, but I was.”
Her lips part and for the first time since I’ve met her, she has no response. “I’ll be leaving soon, and don’t expect anything, I just want to be the one to escort you. The one to dance you around all night. The one to touch you.” I wrap a finger in one of the coils of her hair and watch her breathing become uneven. “Pure jealousy on my part.”
“So you desire me, eh?” She finds her playfulness once again.
No words have ever been truer. I desire this woman in every way imaginable.
“I see my rudeness hasn’t diminished your confidence.”
“Why would it?” Her lips twitch teasingly, but there are notes of seriousness. “I assure you, nothing happened with your brother last night. And if it means anything, I wish you were the one taking me.”
Her words bring a smile to my face. “It does mean something.”
She straightens her stance and places a hand against my shoulder. “If we don’t have tomorrow, how about now?”
“Now? You want to dance while it’s raining?” I don’t remember giving myself permission to drop the umbrella, but it’s shut in an instant.
Extending an arm I give her a slight bow. “Lady Ariah, would you care to dance with me?”
She curtsies and her face glows with a new light, an addicting glow I wouldn’t mind seeing shine for the rest of my days. Slipping her hand in mine I draw her in close, entangling my fingers with hers, then I find the small of her back for my other hand to rest upon.
Rain continues to trickle down, but at this moment, it’s barely noticeable.
Right when I’m about to apologize for the lack of music she begins humming, her melody growing louder and exquisitely blending in with the sound of the rain.
Time becomes irrelevant as she places her head on my shoulder and melts into me. Our feet glide over the muddy road not caring how soggy our shoes are becoming or how drenched our clothes get.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, pulling her in closer until there is no longer space between us. Until there is nothing but each other to hold on to.
Lifting her head to mine, my mouth steals the next hum from her lips, and I’m met with no opposition as she fully embraces the kiss. Her taste is just as pinquant to my senses as the rest of her.
Thunder ripples overhead but we remain interlocked. If this is what a sliver of eternity feels like with her, then I want to dissolve into it, right here, right now.
26
ARIAH
I’m unsure how long it takes us to get back to the castle and honestly, I don’t care. The thought of the Queen watching us plucks at my conscience, but I push it out and ban it from returning while wrapping myself entirely in Iann’s presence.
Despite the cold brought on by the rain, my body runs warm. Every touch Iann gives me releases an intensifying heat, one that sets my soul ablaze.
