He knew. He had to. But the thought of him turning, seeing—why did that send a thrill through me?
“Don’t think about it,” Kallias murmured, his breath warm against my ear.
“There’s an entire mountain above us, and you tell me not tothinkabout it?” My voice sharpened, brittle with unease. “I was raised in the sky, dearKing. Do not–”
The sharp nip of his teeth silenced me, a gasp spilling from my lips. He guided the reins while his free hand settled on my thigh, firm and warm. Heat radiated from his palm, burning through the thin barrier of my leggings.
And gods, how I wanted his touch to wander.
My heart thundered, each beat echoing through me as his presence consumed all corners of my awareness. The steady weight of him against my back made it impossible to think, every nerve alive to the closeness, the tension coiling between us.
Greaves rode just ahead, his figure unwavering. The tunnel stretched on, its length unknown, its shadows swallowing any sense of time. What we were doing was already reckless. To give in to more would be ruinous.
Still, the ride passed in a haze. The scent of cinnamon curled in the air, wrapping around me as I leaned back against his solid chest. His heartbeat thudded slow and even against me, grounding me as if I were tethered to him alone.
His hand flexed, fingers tightening against my thigh in a fleeting squeeze. My breath hitched, eyes darting to the faint gray smear that emerged ahead—the stairwell.
Relief warred with reluctance as he murmured, “The stairs are near. Can you manage on your horse?”
I tipped my head, a subtle smirk breaking free. “What happened to ‘I’m the king’?”
He grunted, pulling me against him. His arm banded around me, his thumb brushing the edge of my ribs, so close it drew heat to my cheeks. “Do you want to test that theory?”
Yes. A thousand times, yes. My pulse betrayed me, pounding an answer I couldn’t speak aloud.
Instead, I forced out, “I can ride. If you promise the mountain won’t fall.”
His laughter was soft, but his words carried a steady weight. “A promise? No. But this tunnel has served the Sols for a thousand years. If it’s meant to collapse, it won’t be today.”
I swallowed hard and nodded. “Greaves?”
The guard halted, his dark eyes flicking to mine with an unspoken question etched into the lift of his brow.
“I can ride now,” I said.
He scoffed, his smile teasing at the corners of his lips as he led the white horse toward us. With an easy grace, he held the beast steady while Kallias hoisted me into the saddle. The gesture seemed childish, being lifted like a doll, but I couldn’t help marveling at his strength—earned not from youthful exertion but from years of seasoned endurance.
“Thank you,” I murmured as he passed me the reins. “Greaves?”
“Hmm?” A low hum answered as the man resumed his place at the lead.
“Can I trust you?” The question gnawed at me, an itch I couldn’t ignore.
The king trusted him, but I didn’t know the full history they shared. Had they stood shoulder to shoulder in battle? How recent was he posted at his station? And who chose him—Kallias, Darius, or someone else? Who did he answer to?
He held the secret that could bring down Radaan and Draconia—and I was blindly trusting him.
Greaves met my gaze, his dark eyes steady and unflinching. Something in his expression turned my palms clammy.
“Princess Nienna,” he said, his voice hoarse, “you can trust me with your life.” His chin lifted toward Kallias. “And his. My loyalty belongs to him.” Without waiting for a reply, he urged his horse ahead, tossing a parting jab over his shoulder. “And I’m sure he wouldn’t appreciate my commentary on the library.”
My jaw went slack with disbelief. The king grinned, rubbing his neck with a sheepish shrug. Clearly the two were closer than I thought.
The pale gray glow ahead grew brighter, stirring the air with anticipation. My pulse quickened as the hazy light resolved into muddled sunlight.
When Greaves veered toward the wall, Kallias nudged his leg against mine, his voice low and knowing. “Watch.”
He pulled a rope embedded in the stone, and a metallic clang reverberated above. I snapped my head upward, squinting as shards of sunlight pierced the darkness. Mirrors descended in a measured sequence. Each new reflection amplified the light until it bathed the cavern floor in brilliance.
