Page 134 of Kneel Before Me

Kronos fell silent, holding her gaze.

“Am I the first person you’ve touched today?” Daphne whispered.

The silence only grew heavier.

She stared deep into his eyes, seeing the apprehension in them. “Well?” she snapped.

“No,” he said finally. “You are not.”

Daphne wrenched herself away from him. “Let me go.”

“Daphne—”

“Let me go.”

This time he let her go. They stared at each other, both breathing heavily, the crackle of the fire the only sound between them. Daphne felt nothing short of violated. She had allowed herself to open up to him—in every possible way—and now she found out that she wasn’t even the first woman he’d touched today.

“Daphne,” he whispered. There was such pain in his voice, such unrestrained longing.

But Daphne was not interested in hearing it. The last thing she wanted was to coddle Kronos. She did not care about basilisk culture. She was a human, and she was in pain.

“Don’t bother,” she said coldly. “You’re all the same.”

His eyes darkened. Then he hung his head.

Daphne knew her words would hurt him. But she didn’t regret saying them. It did not matter that he was a basilisk. He was still just a man.

“Daphne,” he began again, so quietly she could barely hear him. “You must allow me to explain. Until last night I did not think you were truly an option. I know you do not understand basilisk culture, and I do not expect that of you considering I have never explained it. But if you only knew how significant it is that you are here. I told you that I have never taken a student to my chambers before—or any human, for that matter. Furthermore, I do not consider you my student at all. I have never taught you anything, nor have I any desire to. From the moment you showed up in my cave, you have not needed me.”

He shifted closer. She didn’t shift away.

“It is true that I touched someone today and that I touched someone every day before that too. But I promise you it did not matter to me. You are the only thing that matters to me. Last night meant more to me than you can possibly know. I am in your debt. Every moment you deign to spend with me is an honor.”

Daphne closed her eyes. It was difficult to comprehend his life. In her world, sleeping with multiple people in one day was frowned upon. She should know; she’d done it several times herself. But what Kronos was describing was a cultural difference—something she couldn’t understand in her current state and had no way to know whether she would accept in the future. The thought of him having sex with someone else was horrible. Daphne couldn’t stop picturing Penelope at the door, arms crossed, body perfect, eyebrows raised expectantly. How could she possibly compete with someone like that? What in this world did Kronos see in her? Daphne had always considered herself a reasonable person. Her taste in men was questionable, but she was otherwise mostly normal. Now, she wondered if normal was enough for Kronos. It seemed like he required someone extraordinary, and Daphne certainly wasn’t that.

“If you asked me to be loyal, I would do it,” Kronos continued. “If you asked me to forsake all others, I would. I am dedicated to you and only you. I am eternally yours, Daphne. Even if you will not have me. Even if you are not mine in return.”

His final words were delivered with a breath against her lips.

“All you have to do is ask.”

Daphne didn’t know how to respond. She wouldn’t dare ask him that. It was an absurd proposition. She’d never had a serious boyfriend before, much less had anyone be loyal to her. She had no idea what it felt like to belong to someone in such a way. How ironic was it that she’d wished for this and now that it was in front of her, she was too scared to claim it?

“Daphne,” Kronos continued quietly. “The only person I want to sleep with is you. If you wish for us to be exclusive, you need only say so.”

Daphne bit her lip. It seemed like too much to ask for. She wasn’t sleeping with Kronos, yet she also expected him not to sleep with anyone else at a time when his quiver needed him—at a time when he needed the power she could provide. She was being selfish.

“You would do that for me?” Daphne whispered.

“Gladly,” he said simply.

Daphne nodded. She could manage little else.

When the silence lingered, Kronos extended his hand and whispered, “May I take you somewhere? I wish to show you something.”

She placed her hand in his.

They walked together through the passageway, deeper beneath the mountain than Daphne had ever gone before. She did not question the journey—she simply savored the fact that Kronos was beside her, his hand in hers, his lips occasionally dipping into her hair. By the time they stopped before a set of double doors, she was ready for whatever was to come.