Page 185 of Winter Gods & Serpents

“You will love the ones in Adriata, they shine brighter and lay as far as your eye can take.” Kilian startled me and I almost choked on the last bite of my food. He had kept Nia’s training a secret from me all this time. A vein in my temple tensing in anger at his sight.

“You lying bastard,” I said, hitting his chest but he did not budge.

Grabbing onto my wrist he pulled my glove off, catching me by surprise, and pressed his lips over my palm in the softest kiss anyone had ever given me. Sweet gods. “You went from, dog, barbarian to lying bastard. I know you can do better than that now,” he said in a flat cold voice, but I could sense the teasing tone along with the teasing words.

I’d ran out of words and my heart ran out of my chest. Pulling my hand away, I put my glove back throwing him a threatening glare.

“What are you upset about, Snow, tell, don’t stare it into me.” He brushed a thumb over the top of my lip before bringing it to his mouth to suck the cream that had been stuck there from the bun.

Nubil’s air that was not meeting my lungs. “Nia,” I said, clearing my throat. “When were you to tell me you are training her?”

He licked his upper lip as if savouring the taste. “It was not for me to tell, but I am glad you have your friend back, maybe now you will stop bossing me around,” he said, running a thumb over my brow. His fingers slipped to my chin and he tilted my gaze to him. “Tell me, whatever are you overthinking, tell me all. Speak to me, woman, senseless words if you wish, just speak to me. I fear your silence.”

I blinked taken aback for a few seconds. “Thank you. Thank you for helping her, it means a lot to her. It means a lot to me too. You have no idea how difficult that was for her, yet she let you teach her.”

“I know, she has told me.”

“She did? All of it?” I asked, and he nodded. Nia trusted him. Nia trusted no one. “That look again,” I sighed out, giving him a somewhat of a smile. “I am glad it is not only I who gets that terrible pity of yours.”

Something flashed in his eyes, he seemed mad. Grabbing my wrist, he pulled both of us to sit down on a bench. Silence and many impatient taps of his foot graved the situation more than I’d planned it to be.

“It was not pity,” he said, leaning onto his knees.

My fists gathered unconsciously at the tension. “What is it?”

He shook his head. “You will hate it, the answer—you will so hate it.”

“Please.” He stilled at the word, his gaze turned to meet mine. “I hate everything, it won’t make a difference.”

He exhaled loudly and leaned back on the bench. “Pain, I feel pain every time I see you in pain.”

I could not hide my shock at that revelation. “You were right, I hate it,” I said, and his head dropped. “It was not what I wanted you to feel from me. I want to make you smile, maybe even laugh if I can see the dancing starlight in you silver eyes.”

His head rose gradually, the look in his face almost made me flinch. “You said they reminded you of a snake.”

“A silver eyed snake,” I corrected, and he smiled just slightly. “But I never said I hated them. How can a creature not be relished because of its nature? And it happens this particular snake’s venom is sweet words.”

He stared at me so endearingly it had sent a deep flush all around me, I prickled and hissed in heat everywhere because of him. I took his arm, sliding myself close to him before draping it over my neck and leaning my head onto his shoulder. How terrible was I for seeking the comfort of him? I settled to overthink it later, right now I only wished to feel between clouds and under stars.

He gathered me close and I snuggled closer, shamelessly. “Do tell me your stamina has not weakened this early in life. Hold me tighter, you weak Adriatian.”

He shook in a silent laughter. “You said not to hold you tight. You don’t like it.”

I rose my head to him. “What?”

“In Brisk, you said holding you tight makes you feel like in a cage, like you can’t run.”

My mouth parted open, and I meekly said, “I did not.”

He held my chin, tilting my gaze up while his hovered over my lips. “You did, you said many more things that night too.”

My eyes shot wide. “Like what?”

“That I have a nice behind, that was after you groped me.”

I stood stupefied of embarrassment. Had I really?

He threw his head back laughing, making me a thousand red shades of frustrated. “Are you embarrassed, little beast?”