Page 134 of Destiny of a King

He didn’t move or speak. His eyes remained fixed on hers as shock gave way to a dozen questions, she could see gathering behind his stare.

“How long?”

She wished there was time for her to explain, wished she hadn’t needed to tell him here and now, but she had had no choice. Not if they were to escape.

She shook her head and pointed urgently behind them.

Dravic heard it then, voices carried faintly through the forest.

His head snapped toward the sound. Whatever he wanted to ask would have to wait.

He gripped her hand. “Run.”

This time, Adira didn’t need a gesture. She ran.

The trees swallowed them quickly.

Dravic kept Adira close as they ran, choosing no path and trusting the thick forest to conceal them. Branches clawed at his cloak and uneven ground threatened their footing, but he refused to slow until the voices behind them had faded.

Only then did he pull Adira behind the broad trunk of an ancient tree and hold one finger to his lips.

The gesture was unnecessary. That realization struck him hard.

Adira knew what was coming before he spoke.

“You heard me last night.”

Her heart jumped. Of all the questions she expected, that was not the first.

Dravic’s gaze remained fixed on hers. “When I told you I loved you.”

There was no anger in his voice. Only certainty as something that had puzzled him finally made sense.

Her reaction. The tears. The way she had clung to him.

Adira nodded.

He reached for her, his hand settling against the side of her face. “You heard me.”

She nodded again, smiling this time.

Dravic kissed her.

It was brief, fierce, and completely unsuited to two people being hunted through a forest, but he didn’t give a damn.

When he lifted his head, Adira touched his chest, then rested her hand over her own heart.

Dravic understood. “You love me.”

She nodded.

The pleasure that struck him was fierce enough to make him want to drag her back into his arms, but distant voices reminded him they had no time for what he wanted.

“Later,” he said firmly. “You are going to tell me everything you can about when this started.”

Adira nodded.

“And everything you’ve heard.”