Page 130 of Kneel Before Me

Harmony stepped closer, brushing her lips up his neck and breathing a single word into his ear: “When.”

Irritation coursed through him. Must everyone in his life push him to the brink? “When I am king,” he said. “You and everyone else will wish you had never doubted me.”

Delicately, she trailed a single finger over his head, touching the drop of precum gathered there and raising it to her mouth. Caspen watched as she slid it along her tongue. When she had swallowed it, she whispered, “Shhh, Caspenon. I do not like you when you are irritable.”

Then she was gone.

Caspen did not bother watching her go.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Daphne

The sheets still smelled like him.

Daphne pressed her face into the pillows to savor every last breath of Kronos’s scent. It wasn’t until she turned over and saw the blood that she remembered the full events of the evening. Her pillowcases were covered in crimson, her sheets crusted into stiff, mountainous formations. Daphne had no idea how she would explain all this to her mother. She would have to burn her bedding. For some reason, the thought of doing anything at all exhausted her. Her body felt weak, as if last night had drained her strength. It wasn’t until she sat up that she realized she was naked. Had Kronos taken the lingerie with him?

Then her eyes fell on something else. A note, laid carefully on her pillowcase. With trembling fingers, Daphne took the folded parchment in her hands and opened it to see masculine, confident lettering.

Daphne,

Words cannot express my gratitude for what you did for me last night. It was agony to leave you this morning, but I cannot risk being seen. If you will let me, I wish to repay your kindness. I hope you will join me in the caves tonight. Perhaps we can face our fears together.

—K

Daphne stared at the letter in shock. He was a beautiful writer, which didn’t surprise her whatsoever. She’d already seen the notes he’d left her in the past weeks, and they might as well have been poetry. But beyond the way the words were written, the message itself was…intriguing. What did he mean that they could face their fears together? The only thing they both feared was each other. Daphne didn’t see any obvious solution to that. Before she could consider it further, she heard her mother bang a pot in the kitchen. It was time to begin the day.

The day, as it turned out, was an excruciatingly long one. Daphne didn’t mind—it gave her time to think about the letter, which she’d memorized immediately. It was agony to leave you this morning. Daphne pictured it over and over: Kronos waking, extracting himself from her warmth, and disappearing into the cold morning air. I wish to repay your kindness. But in what way? What could he possibly do for her that was equal to what she had done for him? Daphne expected no payment anyway.

A second letter arrived that afternoon. Daphne opened it anxiously, skimming the words so quickly she nearly missed their contents.

Daphne,

Would you do me the honor of coming to the castle tomorrow afternoon? Wear something warm.

—Max

Two letters. Two men. Daphne had known the date with the prince would be soon. She just hadn’t thought it would be so soon, especially not when things were so fragile with Kronos. But there was nothing she could do about the timing. She would go to Kronos tonight, and she would go to Maximus tomorrow.

By the time it was evening, Daphne had thought herself into a conniption. And by the time she was actually on the path toward the caves, she was overcome with anxiety. Part of her was terrified of what might happen tonight. Did Kronos expect them to have sex? That was hardly repayment for a favor. Although the way he had sex, it might be. Daphne doubted that was his goal. It seemed like he wanted to share something with her—an experience, perhaps. Or maybe a gift. He was adept at giving orgasms, after all.

When she entered the cave, Kronos stood before the fire, his shoulders lined by flames. He looked overjoyed to see her, and the sight warmed Daphne immediately. She couldn’t remember a single reason why she had been nervous. Now she only wanted to step closer to him.

“Daphne,” he breathed. “You came.”

As if there was another option.

“Yes.”

There was a pause, and the air became significantly warmer. Daphne knew enough by now to know that he had caused it. When they reached his chambers, Kronos crossed to the fireplace, lifted a small silk bag, and held it out to her.

Daphne approached him slowly, staring at his hands. “What is this?” she whispered.

“A gift. For you.”

Slowly, as if in a trance, she took the silk bag. Their fingers brushed as she did so. She could feel something hard and cylindrical inside. With careful motions, she opened the bag. A glass spray bottle rolled into her palm.

Daphne stared at the bottle, turning it over in her hand. It was filled with a clear liquid.