Page 116 of Taken By Shadows

“Tell me why you helped me today?” I pushed.

He finally relaxed. And laughed. “I don’t think throwing you on Vega’s back counts as helping. But I appreciate you seeing it from my perspective.”

“That’s not what I mean.” I looked up from under heavy lashes.

We started up the stairs. I was hardly taking his weight but I walked closely enough in case I had to. He was drained, but his body refused to show it. His muscles were firm under my hand. They’d stripped him of his riding attire, and the shirt he wore did little to stop the heat that poured from him and my fingers warmed as they pressed into the carved muscle beneath it. My hand moved, tracing. I told myself it was just to steady him, to help. But I couldn’t resist the heat I felt with each explorative touch. It took all of me not to let those fingers stray further, to tug on the light fabric that covered him.

“What do you mean?” He looked down at me as we cleared the first set of stairs.

I’d actually forgotten what I was going to say. My mind was lost in tracing the ridges of his abdomen, those dips and hollows like blocks stacked upon one another. I wondered if he had those sweeping diagonal lines that disappeared into his—

“What?” I blinked. “I only meant—When the soldiers arrived, you looked like you were about to fight. I could feel it. Your magic. Under your skin.” Kaed looked at me but didn’t say anything. “And then you stopped. Could you have beaten all of them?”

“Yes.” His breath was even now as we cleared the second staircase. “But if I had destroyed them … the council would have done worse.” He paused as he regarded me.

“Worse?” My voice was so quiet in the darkness. Worse than taking his freedom? Locking his magic away?

Kaed looked to me, but didn’t answer my question.

“They’d have destroyed you if …” His eyes closed for a moment.

Cold replaced the heat I’d been feeling from touching him. Cold from where the soldiers’ magic had forced itself through me.

“If I had killed them all,” he said it like he regretted not doing just that, “they’d have never let me leave.”

Kaed trembled beneath my touch, and I wasn’t sure if it was exhaustion or anger that shuddered through him.

“The Cage?” I swallowed. Hard.

We’d come to his door.

“There are worse things than the Cage, peach.” He said it with humour, coloured with exhaustion. But I couldn’t feel it, couldn’t laugh. In fact, all I felt was a sick feeling swirling in my gut.

“So, why did you stop …” I couldn’t look at him as I wondered.

Kaed paused. “I did it,” he said, turning to me, “to protect what’s mine.” He held my gaze as he let the words sink in. My heart felt like a pealing chorus of worship bells, the beats seemingly erratic but in perfect time and harmony.

And then I realised we were in his room.

I ducked out from under his arm.

Navy blue dripped from the curtains, from the bed. There was even a navy-painted ceiling. Gold lines ran through the blue paint, and scattered stars splayed across the expanse. A dark mahogany bed frame rose up against the far wall, its four posts like spears. The pillows of down on his bed looked like they’d been slept on; the sheets were askew.

I swallowed again, trying to banish the thoughts of that bed … lying on it. Kaed above me, every dark shadow he possessed caging me to his body.

I cleared my throat and looked away from the bed to the open windows that led to a balcony.

“No victims or torture implements?” I glanced around the room, admiring the beauty. And ignoring the bed.

He chuckled low in his chest. “My bedchambers are for pleasure. Not torture.” Blue fire flamed to life in those eyes as he spoke.

The words he’d threatened earlier tonight suddenly had a very different meaning.

I will tie you to my bed at night if I have to.

A quiver ran through me at the words.

Gods, he would be the death of my independent thought. He’d already managed to find his way to my wandering mind and my dreams.