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'I bet they loved him,' said the Spider, sending Fyia a wide-eyed look.
'Like a cat loves a mouse,' said Fyia.
The Spider chuckled. 'I'll make preparations. Good night.'
The door clicked shut, and silence settled over the room. 'What did Starfall mean, about helping to get rid of your parents?' asked Adigos.
He moved to sit next to Fyia on a formal sofa, his bulk taking up most of the space. Warmth radiated off him, and she resisted the urge to reach up and play with his wavy blond hair. She craved the simple intimacy with a force that surprised her.
Fyia gave him a searching look. 'You know what happened.'
'I know you staged a coup, and had your parents bundled off across the Kraken Sea, but I didn't know Starfall helped.'
'You were with my brother, so I guess that makes sense, and few know what really happened.' Fyia could trust almost no one—she'd learned that the hard way—but there was no harm in telling Adigos now. 'After I refused my parents' edict to marry the Emperor across the Kraken Sea, I ran away. That meant, when I decided to overthrow them, I needed help from inside the castle.
'Starfall lived there, and invited my parents to her rooms one night for dinner. Her personal guards bound and gagged them, then carried them out through the secret passages. I went in the same way with my force, and took the castle without spilling a single drop of blood.'
'Why did she help you?'
'There was no love lost between her and my parents. My father was her younger brother, and Starfall was supposed to rule. My father pretended he had no interest in the throne, then organized a coup of his own, forcing a vote of no confidence in Starfall before she ever ascended the throne. She never saw it coming … that's what eats her up the most.'
'Didn't she want to rule herself once your parents were out of the way?'
'No. She'd never wanted it all that much anyway. She wanted freedom more … and revenge.'
'And hedonism,' said Adigos, raising an eyebrow.
'Nothing wrong with that,' said Fyia, a challenge in her eyes.
Adigos held her gaze, and the air went taut. A smile played across Fyia's lips; it had been a while since she'd enjoyed herself with a man, and Adigos had a lot to offer. She let her eyes roam across his broad chest, down his torso, across the bare, muscular forearm that rested across his thigh. She flicked her gaze back to his face: angular jaw, high cheekbones, light blue eyes, and her lips parted involuntarily.
He leaned in, invading her space, his eyes searching hers. His lips were achingly close, but he was hesitant. After everything that had happened, it wasn't surprising, but she didn't want him to hesitate. She wanted him to kiss her, take her, to have one place and time where her power and position didn't matter … to have an equal.
She lifted her fingers to his face, eyes on his lips, so close she could smell the whiskey on his breath. She shouldn't do it, not with him, not after everything, but she so wanted to … needed to. She skimmed her fingers over the prickle of his stubble, then ran her thumb across his lips. He parted them, gently biting the pad of her thumb before licking the skin with the tip of his tongue.
She closed her eyes against the sensation, desire pooling everywhere. She scraped her nails through his hair, and he sighed, leaning in so their cheeks touched. She rested against him, then exhaled sharply as he tugged her earlobe with his teeth. He lifted his fingers to her neck, caressing her with featherlight touches, then moved his lips, brushing them across the sensitive skin behind her ear. She tipped her head back, giving him all the access he wanted, her hand fisted in his hair.
The door clunked open just as Adigos finally got around to kissing her properly, sucking at her neck. He froze, and she let out a hiss of disappointment, her wolves growling as they approached.
'Your wolves were trying to get in,' said a light, female voice, '… oh, sorry, I can come back … wait, is that … Adigos? Okay, no, I'm staying.'
Adigos kissed Fyia's cheek, then pulled away, standing. 'Impeccable timing as always, Essa,' he said.
'It's so nice to see you too,' said Essa, cocking an eyebrow.
'I would hug you, but …'
'… Gods no,' said Essa, shuddering and circling a hand in the general direction of his nether regions.
'See you tomorrow,' said Adigos, sending Fyia a smoldering look.
Fyia lifted her head in acknowledgement.
'Your Majesty,' said Essa, bowing low. She was short, with dirty blond hair and a round, full face to match her curvy figure. Her grey eyes were sharp as knives, the juxtaposition striking. 'I would say I'm sorry, but I think I just saved you from yourself.'
'It's been a long time,' said Fyia, disappointment coursing through her.
'Since you saw me? Or since you indulged in carnal delights?'
