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Peering up at him, she reached out to cup his face and uttered his name like a prayer. “Khalstorm.”
Then he seemed to shake himself and backed away. He glanced down at the weapon, which had tumbled to the floor near her feet.
Desire yielded to anger. He gripped her by the arm and yanked her toward him so that their bodies were nearly touching, menace pouring from him. “You think to use my own blade against me?”
She forced herself to look at his handsome yet fearsome face. “I . . . I wouldn’t.”I couldn’t.She had once wondered if shewould havekilled Lizbet, had her mother pushed harder.She now realized she wasn’t capable of murder . . . because even though she was Khalstorm’s hostage, even though he planned to punish her in ways she couldn’t even fathom, she hadn’t once contemplated hurting him to gain her freedom.
His dark chuckle said he didn’t believe her.
Frustration welled and she lifted her chin in defiance. “Why would I try to kill you now when I could have easily let you drown in the ocean.”
His gaze narrowed slightly as though considering her words. He seemed as confounded as she was to have been saved by her. “You likely were no’ thinking straight back there. No’ acting in your own best interest.” He paused. “As you should have been.”
Did he want her to fight him? “Are you suggesting I should have let you drown?”
He remained silent for a moment. Then, in a low tone, “If you were smart, you would have. Now you’re mine to do with as I please.”
She couldn’t suppress a shiver. Had Lizbet’s untimely death left him so shattered? So broken?
There were brief instances when she thought she saw in him the man she’d once known, when his expression seemed vulnerable instead of menacing. But when he turned fearful, his features dark and severe, she told herself it was wishful thinking. He was a complete stranger to her. A dangerous one.
So why could she not bring herself to hate him? To fear him as she should? Were her feelings for him just seared too deeply into her heart?
She’d once thought their connection was a soul bond. Unbreakable.
A memory flashed in her mind of the night he stole her heart.
Nerves firing on all cylinders, Celeste brushed the front of her bodice as if imbuing it with the qualities of mystic armor and then stepped onto the balcony of the exquisite ballroom.
A delightful melody floated up from the main level, where a talented quartet played exquisite instruments. Elegantly dressed couples danced in the center of the room while others mingled around the edges. She scanned their faces, telling herself she was only curious about who attended this evening’s soiree. But really, there was only one face she sought. It was only this morning he’d caught her at the lake, and she’d had hours now to lament over her overbold behavior—she was already an interloping witch in a kingdom that barely tolerated her presence, but she had teased the prince of the realm with a view of her naked flesh.
What must he think of me now?
She would never forget his dumbfounded expression when she had sent him flying ass first into the shallows.
Oh goddess!I assaulted Prince Khalstorm.
Upon second thought, she was surprised no one had come to arrest her.
Suddenly she found him in the crowd and locked eyes with him. He stood near the refreshment table, staring up at her with an unreadable expression and intense gaze.
The way he looked at her sent shivers through her.
He wore crisp tailored clothes: a deep purple and black doublet with delicate gold threading and ornate buttons down the front. A purple sash belt with a gold buckle was cinched at his midsection, emphasizing his narrow waist and wide shoulders.
He was absolutely mouthwatering, making it impossible to pry her eyes from him as she made her way down the curved staircase. His gaze followed her as well. But when she cleared the landing, she lost him behind the crowd.
She managed to keep from scouring the room for him…barely.
Celeste wasn’t surprised to see her mother was already here, always one for a good party. Elora and the king were cloistered together, engaged in private conversation while the queen openly glared at them from across the room.
Mother had better watch her step.
Not exactly the social butterfly, Celeste made her way to the edge of the room, hoping simply to blend in with the crowd, when a striking couple descending the stairs drew her attention. They were dressed exquisitely with an air of importance that the rest of the room seemed to unconsciously acknowledge. The other revelers respectfully made room, stepping out of their path. Celeste wondered if they were the visiting royals whose names had been on everyone’s lips these last few days.
“That’s Prince Torin and princess Rina,” Khalstorm offered from just behind her. She nearly jumped out of her skin at the seductive timbre of his voice, so close, it feathered over her skin like a heated caress. “From the Hayashin Kingdom across the ocean.” He had two glasses of wine with him and handed one to her.
Accepting the glass, she took a quick sip, the tangy sweet taste coating her tongue. “They make a beautiful couple,” she remarked, amazed that her voice remained steady.
