Page 61 of Queen of Shadows and Ruin

Rabin looked at Zarya and opened his mouth, about to protest.

“Go on,” she said. “Do what you need to. I’ll be okay.”

He pressed his mouth together as a muscle in his jaw ticked. “You’re sure?”

“I think I can handle it,” she said, and he huffed. She’d use the opportunity to tell Amir that she wasn’t on the market in no uncertain terms. The last thing she needed was for Rabin to escalate the situation.

Though Abishek hadn’t been trying to set them up, Amir was clearly interested. Hopefully, he wouldn’t make the scene she’d feared, but enough was enough.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” Rabin said.

She nodded and watched him cross the room with Abishek as they approached a group of men, who all stood to shake their hands.

When she turned around, Amir was standing so close she nearly jumped.

“How are you enjoying your time in Andhera?” he asked. “It must be wonderful getting to know your father. He’s truly such a great man. Brilliant. Powerful. Generous.”

Zarya didn’t answer as Amir waxed on about the king for another minute while she did her best to appear interested. It was becoming exceedingly clear that Amir wasn’t after her but instead wanted an in with the king. He was interested in a crown and Abishek’s influence.

Thus, Zarya felt no guilt for tuning him out as her gaze wandered to the center of the room, where several fairies had gathered. A group of musicians in the corner shifted their tempo as the music turned from upbeat to sultry.

Zarya recalled the party in the Jai Palace the night she’d first kissed Rabin. The air had been charged with sex and the heat and scent of bodies, and maybe that had been part of the reason she’d caved to his ‘request’ to give him another chance.

As the fairies moved together, their bodies slithering and undulating, their hips circling and their backs arching, Rabin looked over, his gaze meeting hers with fire.

She suspected he was thinking about the same night, and Zarya took a sip of her drink to cover her smile. Mercifully, Amir had stopped chattering thanks to the fairies. In fact, everyone had abandoned their conversations, jaws hanging slack around the room.

Two females were writhing together, their breasts crushed and their hips grinding. Zarya noted Ekaja watching them with a flush on her cheeks and a knowing smirk that suggested she intended to devour every inch of these two later.

As they continued dancing, Zarya’s gaze wandered back to Rabin, where she found him staring with that intensity that always did its best to undo her. They stared at one another while he licked the tip of his sharp canine. Gods, that always had her stomach dropping and her thighs clenching.

She wasn’t sure how much longer she could hold out.

The room held suspended in fascinated stasis for several more minutes as the fairies continued dancing while Zarya’s neck flushed and heat climbed over her scalp. She could feel Rabin’s eyes on her but avoided his gaze, knowing that she was about one second away from crossing the room, taking his hand, and dragging him out of here, consequences be damned.

Finally, the music stopped, and it took several prolonged seconds for everyone to stir out of the fairies’ spell before a chorus of polite applause circled the room.

“Dinner is ready!” Abishek said after a moment, and Zarya watched as he attempted to steer Rabin away from her. She was sure she wasn’t imagining it. Her eyes narrowed as the bitter taste of worry twisted in the back of her throat. Did he already know? Or at least suspect?

She could tell Abishek favored Amir and what he could offer, but once they told him about their marriage, he’d have no choice but to let this go.

Two servants directed Zarya and Amir to a pair of seats near the end of the table while she kept her eye on Rabin. He made his way over, planting himself on Zarya’s other side.

Thus, she found herself between Rabin, Amir, and their glares.

A moment later, Abishek settled into his seat at the head of the table, his gaze finding hers and then jumping between the two men flanking each side.

She rolled her eyes and picked up her wine, taking a long sip and deciding she would probably need several of these to get through the night.

NINETEEN

Dinner was a drawn-out affair. Abishek dominated most of the conversation, chatting with his higher-ranking nobles while Amir listened, and Zarya and Rabin sat mostly silent. As usual, Abishek tried to include her in the conversation, but she wasn’t in the mood tonight.

She was worried about Rabin. About their bond. About the resistance and the fact that they’d lingered here for too long.

The king caught her eye, his gaze brimming with concern, and she shook her head slightly to indicate that she was fine.

He took the hint and left her to her thoughts. She marveled at how well he could read her. Amir was happy to take her place, injecting himself into the conversation until Rabin started interrupting him every time he spoke, forcing him to give up. He sneered at Rabin, his expression petulant as he sat back and folded his arms.