Page 151 of Winter Gods & Serpents

“What?”

“Still want me to take seat and watch,” he asked coldly.

“Fine.”

“Fine,” he repeated almost amused and nodded.

“Come then,” I said in a shrug and his expression dropped. “Come watch. Not my fancy being watched, but I’ll grant you the show you will never have yourself.”

I strutted past the corridor with him behind my back. Had he not learnt I was shameless?

“This is not funny,” he bit out, following behind me.

“You will learn soon enough that I don’t joke this sort.”

I knocked on Elias’s door, not even a second later it propped open. The blond stud stood half naked, his eyes darting between me and Kilian. His smile and excitement faltering the more he looked at my guard.

“I don’t have all night, Elias,” I said, pushing myself in.

“Don’t worry,” Kilian called following me inside, before propping in a chair on the corner. “He won’t keep you that long.”

Elias now more confused than ever, when he asked, “What is going on?”

“He insists to keep watch of danger.”

Elias frowned. “Of what danger?”

“You,” I said, taking my cloak off. Kilian’s eyes travelled down my body as the cloak slipped down pooling to my feet, leaving me in the thin short slip. The room was dark with little flickering candlelight, but I was sure even the dark couldn’t hide how little I wore. He quickly reverted his gaze to the large window and rubbed a tight hand over his chin all angry.

“I need a minute with her alone, leave us for a moment,” Elias demanded of Kilian.

In contrary, my unruly guard only leaned back in his chair, crossing an ankle over a knee before saying, “And I demand an audience with Fader himself. Flash the heavens your Venzor smile, maybe they will throw a ladder down.”

My mouth parted open, and Elias narrowed his eyes on my unusually rude guard before turning to pull my cloak up. Cupping my shoulders, he let out a sigh of disappointment. “I don’t want to do this for the spite of someone else.”

“It's not for spite,” I lied, and my glance caught Kilian’s smirk. How the hells did he know when I lied? Why was I letting him taunt me?

Elias rested a hand on my cheek and then quickly retracted it. He’d never had an issue touching me before, if anything he had an issue detaching from me. “Snowlin, we don’t have to do this.”

I should have pushed, kicked Kilian out and forced myself through it but I didn’t. Elias was not one I’d try and cheat out of a confession, it was never people like him I’d have to persuade, perhaps that was why it was harder to get what I wanted with force. Sigh. When had I grown a conscience?

“Another time,” I said, gathering my cloak back around.

“Snowlin—”

“Another time, Elias. I didn’t know you’d give up this soon.” Lifting on my tip toes I planted a kiss in his cheek and strutted out of the room. Not only had my plans been destroyed and probably diminished some connection with Elias, but he’d also angered me. He knew all along I’d never go with it, knew that Elias would not go with it either.

“You will pay for this,” I threatened. He didn’t speak. “You arsehole.” Silence. “Vexing Adriatian piece of work.” When he didn’t answer a third time, I halted and spun round to him.

“He has feelings for you.”

I stilled, then swallowed the bile that almost made me sick. “He doesn’t.”

“He does.” A frown gathered between his brows. “Does it bother you?” he asked, studying my features. “It bothers you. Why should it?” He made a whole monologue while I remained struck in the shell of my regret. He was so certain in his assumptions and I hated that they were correct assumptions.

“Elias is kind, sweet, and gentle. I don’t wish to give him heartbreak.”

“You don’t feel anything for him, why should you care?”