“At least Ayden didn’t drag me here to be a mouse trapped in a death maze,” I retorted.
“Can youstoptalking about him.” He groaned. “It’s bad enough I have the image of you two kissing imprinted on my retinas.”
“You should be glad you arrived when you did and that’s all you have an image of.”
I enjoyed watching his gaze darken, the silver in his eyes sharpening at the suggestion in my words. Anger licked at the bounds of the link.
“Has provoking me become your new hobby, Lirah?”
I crossed my arms. “It certainly has an air of entertainment to it.”
He shook his head slowly. “People who provoke me do not have a habit of staying alive.”
“It’s just as well, then, that I’m participating in the Trials. Only a matter of time now. Let me enjoy my remaining days, will you?”
He leaned closer, voice like velvet. “If enjoyment’s what you’re looking for, I can recommend other activities that will be far more satisfying than kissing dim-witted elven.”
I stepped forward, drawn to his magnetism. “Bold of you to assume kissing Ayden was not pleasant for me.”
He scoffed, lips tilting into a sinful smirk. “Not all kisses are simply meant to bepleasant.”
I sucked in a breath, a quick, sharp hit of his scent that stressed out my nervous system.
“Maybe I’m happy with pleasant.” It was a weak retort and from the humor crinkling the corners of his eyes, he knew he had won whatever game we were playing.
His gaze skipped down to my lips. “No. I don’t think you are.”
“The world doesn’t need to shatter for a kiss to be good,” I insisted, sticking to my point now that I’d made it.
“Spoken like someone who’s never had a world-shattering kiss.”
I pressed my lips together, a flush rising along my neck.
I pictured it then, what it would be like to kiss Kilian Valhan. To feel those lips that had been on my neck just last night, slanted against mine. I wondered if it would be soft or rough. If his tongue would curl around mine in a single, shared breath. If time would stand still and the world would, indeed, shatter. I already knew it would.
No, no, no. This wasnothappening. He had already forcibly inserted himself in my space, I couldn’t let him get in my head too.
“And I suppose I never will. Your fucking Trials will kill me before that ever happens.” I spun around and nearly ran the last few steps toward the house. I marched up the staircase to the third floor. Lana and Septimus had long disappeared whilst Kilian and I had been arguing in the courtyard.
Much to my disgruntlement, Kilian followed me, all the way to my bedroom. I shoved the door open. There was no use in telling him to leave me the fuck alone. I wasn’t wasting my energy on him anymore.
I crossed to the dresser as he stepped inside. The door shut behind him with a snick and I was acutely aware of how much space he took up in the small room.
“Are you just going to stand there?” I asked, forcing myself not to look at him as I rifled through the drawer.
“I want to make sure you’re in bed before I go.”
“Suit yourself.” I grabbed a pair of cotton shorts and, with liquid courage blazing through my veins, began shimmying out of my pants.
Kilian inhaled sharply. “What are you doing?”
“I’m getting ready for bed,” I said, matter-of-factly. “You don’t expect me to sleep in sparring leathers, do you?”
I ignored the flush of embarrassment I knew I would feel tomorrow morning when I woke sober and remembered this moment. For now, I didn’t care. I just wanted to sleep.
Kilian’s eyes were glued to my exposed skin as I pulled my pants off, his eyes traveling up my legs. I drew the shorts up slowly, relishing in the agonized look in his eyes, the tense set of his jaw and shoulders. His body was coiled, like it might spring forward at any second.
He swallowed hard as I bent across the bed to pull the covers.
