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“Absolutely.”
Shaking my head, I wrap my arms around his neck to pull his lips back down to mine. I love how warm and soft they are. I lovehow they part underneath mine. I love the sounds he makes and the way he touches me.
I love him, and it hurts.
Because now he’s become another thing I can lose.
We kiss for so long that I’m convinced I want to turnyetintonow, but then he pulls away.
“Meeting,” he says between breaths. “We have a meeting to get to.”
The sound that comes out of me is somewhere between a groan and a pout.
His lips against my neck, he says, “I would suggest we make plans to continue after the meeting, but I already know what you’ll say to that. So maybe I’ll just spontaneously kiss you afterward.”
“It’s not spontaneous if you’re planning it!” I say, lightly smacking his arm.
“Maybe I’ll spontaneously think of it again… after the meeting.”
“You’re hopeless.”
“You’re irresistible,” he counters.
Another knock sounds on the door, and Petrik’s voice calls out, “Twenty minutes!”
I flip Kellyn over, raise up onto my knees, and then roll off the bed. “What are the odds I could get away with not showing up to this one?”
“Very slim. Unless we found a very good place to hide.”
“With all the guards spanning the full length of the palace? I don’t think we’d have a chance.”
“We could barricade the door,” he suggests.
I laugh as I see myself out.
Dressed, groomed, and with my mind fortified, I exit my room to find Kellyn standing next to a servant, both waiting for me. As the servant leads the way down the hall, Kellyn and I reach for each other’s hand at the same time.
Whereas Skiro’s palace was bedecked in all manner of art, Marossa’s is filled with taxidermies. Mountain cat heads, antlers, even an entire bear can be found spread throughout the path we traverse. It’s somewhat disturbing, but given the princess’s love of the hunt, there’s no question where all of this came from.
The meeting room has too many people. Kellyn and I try to hide in the back, but Petrik forces us to the front, right next to the royals, their guards, and their advisers.
Really, it’s amazing how many people fit in the room. And everyone’s standing, like maybe there isn’t a table in the palace big enough for us all to fit.
I fidget in place, and Kellyn pulls my back against his front, before holding both of my hands in his. It’s like he’s shielding me on all sides from everyone in the room. It’s nice.
And then I catch sight of Temra, standing next to Petrik, and I feel my eyes narrow. As if she can feel the weight of my stare, she looks up.
I give a meaningful nod between her and Petrik, then raise a single brow.
She smiles and looks away.
As though that’s all we’re going to say about it.
Not a chance.
But I let it go when Prince Skiro starts filling everyone in on the situation as it currently stands.
I try to pay attention; I really do. But I quickly become distracted by something else.
