Page 26 of Destiny of a King

The forest erupted into movement around them, but Adira did not understand what was happening. One moment she was standing in front of the king and the next his arm had wrapped around her, pulling her away with such force that she had barely felt her feet leave the ground.

Then she was beneath him and she could do nothing but stare at him.

His face was close to hers, his expression unlike any she had seen before. Fierce, almost feral like an animal in the forest ready to tear their foe apart. And his heart beat so rapidly she could feel it against her chest.

Instinct had her slipping her hand between their chests to rest against his, and then something strange happened. The world around her seemed to fade away and she could feel him, not just the weight of him and not just the warmth of him.

It was something deeper. Somewhat similar to when he had accidentally touched her breast, but a bit different, stronger. Concern? Protection?

Dravic felt the change in her, saw it in her eyes, and his brow narrowed in question. “What is it?”

She did not respond. How could she when she did not understand it herself? She pressed her hand harder against his chest, searching, trying to understand what she felt. What he felt… for her?

The strength of her touch caught him off guard. It raced through him, swirled around him and caught him up in something he could not quite explain. And as such, he found himself unable to move away.

Then a warrior’s voice called out, “My king!”

The moment shattered like fragile glass, scattering in pieces.

Dravic blinked, as though returning to himself. Slowly, reluctantly, he pushed away from the snow and rose. He reached down and helped Adira to her feet, his hand remaining around hers, a heartbeat longer than necessary before he let go of her.

Two of his men emerged from the trees, dragging a man between them. The prisoner stumbled but refused to lower his head, his expression filled with hatred rather than fear. They shoved him to his knees before the king.

Dravic kept Adira at his side as he approached. “Explain yourself. Now!”

The man remained silent.

“You fired upon me,” Dravic said.

The man still did not respond.

Dravic studied him carefully. “Who sent you?”

The prisoner’s mouth remained firmly closed.

Dravic had dealt with men like this before. Men who believed silence made them strong. They were wrong. It only delayed the inevitable.

He looked toward one of his warriors, the silent command needing no words.

The warrior stepped forward and struck the prisoner with such force, his head snapped to the side. Still, he remained silent.

Another strike followed and then another.

The man’s face was bloodied, his lip split, blood trailing down his chin, yet he refused to answer.

“Who sent you?” Dravic demanded.

The prisoner spat blood into the snow.

A sign of defiance that sparked anger in Dravic and with a scowl, he looked toward his warrior again.

The man stepped forward.

Before the blow could land, Dravic felt a touch… Adira.

She had stepped behind him and rested her brow against his back. She was upset. He could almost feel her concern drifting off her and around him. Or had he gotten to know her that well?

He felt it even stronger when her hand gripped his upper arm with a strength that surprised him.