His head dropped forward, inch by inch, each breath bringing him closer. My heart thundered, desperate and erratic. My breaths quickened, caught in the warmth of his, air brushing my cheek. This time, I wouldn’t beg him to kiss me. I would not plead.
But I lacked the will to push him away.
His lips grazed mine, and my legs buckled beneath me.
“Prince Tallon!”
Chapter Thirty-Five
Kallias
Greaves’ voice shattered the tense silence, and Nienna’s head snapped toward the entrance. I grabbed her arm, yanking her beneath the desk. She stifled a yelp but obeyed, scooting back against the wood’s solid support. I slid into the chair, bracketing her between my legs.
The door creaked open, and I fought to keep my rage in check as my son entered, a sneer curling his lip as he flicked a disdainful glance at Greaves. My friend’s eyes swept the room over Tallon’s shoulder, catching mine. With a subtle nod, he retreated into the hall. I didn’t need his assistance to protect Nienna—not this time.
Her hand found my calf, fingers trembling with fear. The pressure of her grip anchored me to the moment, but the fear in her touch stoked the fury still boiling beneath my skin. The urge to shield her was visceral—raw and untamed. It wasn’t the careful calculation of a ruler, but the savage instinct of a beast. After the Hunt, I was never in any shape to make logical decisions.
“You look terrible, Father.” Tallon’s smirk was razor sharp, his eyes flicking to the tub and bucket beside me, his gaze lingering for a beat too long.
Cold water trickled down my leg, pooling in my boot. My eye twitched and I slipped a hand under the desk, waving my fingers in a subtle gesture.
“Careful, Tallon,” I warned, my voice low and clipped. “You’ve never known bloodlust. Choose your words with care.”
Nienna shifted between my legs, her shoulder grazing my knee. A cool cloth pressed into my hand, and I lifted it to wipe the sweat from my brow.
Tallon’s gaze sharpened on my movements, his smirk vanishing as he sank into a chair. We locked eyes, the air thick with tension. My anger simmered beneath the surface, building with each passing second.
“Why are you here?” I snapped.
He ruined the ceremony, cutting short what should have been a moment of peace. For once, I didn’t have to face this alone. Nienna was here, honoring our gods and traditions—her hands steady as she wiped away the blood. With every swipe, she showed me the closeness between life and death, how bloodlust and desire often danced in the same shadows. And then he had to show up. I despised him for it.
If he found her, there would be no stopping him from telling the high court. Her reputation would be in tatters. My own standing would crumble. I’d be forced to send her back to Draconia, away from the mob that would surely come for her. Then the dragons would fly for Radaan, but not in peace—but to lay waste to Reem.
“Didn’t miss me?” He chuckled. “I was feeling much better. Thought I’d show the princess around, but it seems I’ve lost track of her.”
When did he arrive? If he already searched for her, he must have come shortly after me—which meant he heard the horns.
“You ask me where she is while I’m in this state?” I leaned over the desk, irritation twisting inside me. The movement pulled my hips further from her, a dark frustration flaring at the separation. “She’d be wise to stay away.”
It wasn’t a lie. It was foolish to approach me after the Great Hunt. Even the generals knew better than to speak with me after the bloodshed on the battlefield. Men either needed time to recover, or a woman to slate their hunger.
I never had the latter.
“Has she seen you since you arrived?” He scoffed. “I wasn’t worried about her attending to you, Father. You look like you’ve rolled in blood.”
“She knows her place. Do you, Tallon?” My voice dropped low. “Yours was at my side. The fact that you’re here so soon after the slaying means you were close enough to hear the call for aid. Did you choose to ignore it?”
“I rode as fast as I could. Not all of us can claim glory.”
“Perhaps you should aspire for greater things.”
“Perhaps I do,” he huffed, stubborn. “I’ve decided to visit Gog.”
I leaned back, narrowing my glare. He slouched in the chair, dark hair falling across his forehead. His green eyes flicked away from mine, landing instead on the tub of water beside me. Nienna’s grip tightened on my calf, and I scowled at him.
“Why?”
“Verard told me about a horse race. Thought it best to strengthen relations with the districts along the Craggs.”
