“Well, Blackwood, as you can see,” he stated with a grand gesture toward me. “I got a bit held up here. Unless you’d prefer I just left her with the two lower-ranking enforcers I found her with.”
Blackwood’s eyes flicked over toward me then, his gaze raking over every inch of my body in a slow motion that had my insides heating up more than I liked to admit.
Stars-damned this male.
“And why, for the love of Aeternus, was she with two enforcers?”
Aeternus?I pondered the intriguing choice of reference to a god no longer mentioned by devote, loyal guards, and citizens of Solis.
“Why don’t you ask her for yourself?” I interrupted. “The two of you do realize that I’m quite literally standing right between the two of you. I’m not invisible.”
“Oh, trust me,” Blackwood stated smoothly, with the briefest look of interest my way, his eyes slowly tracing over me from head to toe, then back up as amber orbs fastened on my eyes. “Iamquiteaware of your presence and your inability to remain where you should be.”
My cheeks heated at the insinuation, and I met his gaze with a firm stare of my own.
“Why exactly is myLieutenant”—his eyes flicked toward Axel at the word—“telling me that two enforcers found you roaming the court?”
My heart hammered, beating far too quickly as my gaze darted between the two of them, then at the stairwell to the side of the three of us. If I were quick, I could dart past them, run down the?—
“I’ll just stop you right there. You aren’t going to be able to outrun or outfly either of us. So why don’t we start with an answer?” Blackwood’s voice was a dangerous purr as he stepped in front of me, blocking my sight of the stairs.
“I got lost,” I replied, my eyes slowly rising to meet his gaze, a gaze that narrowed at my statement.
“Lost?” He huffed a breath as his arms folded across his chest. “You expect me to believe that you truly got lost?”
“Well,” my word was a slow drawl. “Yes,” I answered eventually.
“Such a compelling answer.” The words came from Axel this time. “And as much as I’d love to see how this plays out, we need to get moving.”
My eyes darted between the two of them. “Am I going to be interrogated, or just deposited straight into theking’s holding room?” I finally questioned, a hint of fear bleeding into my voice.
“We’re not going to interrogate you. But you’re coming with us.” Blackwood’s words were tight as his gaze flicked between Axel and me.
“Oh,” I replied, confused as to whether I was free or if I was now in more trouble than when the enforcers had found me. “Am I in more trouble . . . ? I really was just lost on the fourth floor, I didn’t mean anything . . .” I trailed off as danger-filledamber eyes met mine, and it became evident he was less than thrilled about the floor I’d been discovered on.
“Let’s just get out of here before they . . .” It was Axel who trailed off this time, and I studied the two guards with confusion.
“The west gate is clear,” Blackwood replied tightly, his eyes roaming the halls before they moved in on either side of me. Blackwood’s hand was firm but gentle as he grabbed my upper arm and nudged me forward. The minute our skin connected, I felt the familiar pulse of electricity that seemed to appear anytime he was near. A spark of heat flickering that sent mixed signals as we moved through the hallway.
“Where are you taking me?” I questioned, concern rising within me, even as my body betrayed me by leaning slightly into his touch.
Gah. I needed to get my head straight. Not to mention, I couldn’t let Lucanus know I’d been wandering his halls. I couldn’t afford to anger him or give any indications that I was conspiring against him. I couldn’t go back?—
My heart was racing rapidly, fear pulsing through my very being as they guided me down a dark hall.
“Where are we going?” My voice rose, laced with panic. “At the very least, I have a right to know.”
“For the love of Aeternus, just shut up already,” Axel bit out from the right, agitation rising in his tone.
“Just shut up?” I asked, my voice raising even more. “Not when two males are taking me against my?—”
A glove hand covered my nose and mouth, the overwhelming scent of amber and leather bombarding my senses as I stilled, momentarily shocked.
“Two minutes, Raelyna.” The words were a low caress against my neck as Blackwood spoke. “Just trust me for two minutes, and then if you feel the need to raise your voice and draw attention to yourself, you can do so.”
I stopped, studying him in the dim lighting of the hallway we stood in. I could hear the low chatter from the throne room in the distance, the faint hum of music still filling the court.
Two minutes.
