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Aura jolted forward, her eyes flying open as the pain ceased. “What ishappening?” she whispered, her chest heaving. Aura was back in this damn bed that she’d been avoiding since she was placed in it last. She knew precisely who’d put her here and she was sick of it, sick of this palace, sick of the daily tugging sensation, and now these dreams. The girl … who she wasn’t certain was even real. But if she was, Aura couldn’t admit she was seeing her, not if the dream could somehow get answers. What did Rush have to do with her? The girl was writing a letter to a beloved then called out his name. She wouldn’t put it past him to murder someone, but a pregnant girl? Perhaps so. It sounded like madness, yet maybe not. Or maybe it was only a dream.
Aura darted for the door and she jerked on the knob to find it locked. She beat against the wood while screaming, “Get the king, now!”
The door opened to Tanix, the other guard who’d first brought her to this awful room, then had silently followed her through the palace the most. She lifted her chin in defiance. “I need to speak with the king.”
“Certainly, my lady. He’s been waiting to see you.” His muscles bulged through his tight uniform as he motioned her to follow him.
Aura narrowed her eyes but pressed her lips into a tight line before she spewed words that would make him toss her back into her room. He led her down several hallways with hanging banners, stained-glass windows, and high archways until they reached an open door. Inside, the space held walls of books, and flames crackled in the fireplace. Two black leather chairs faced each other and, slumped lazily in one with his legs wide open, was Rush, poring over a book. She couldn’t help but notice how the dark trousers hugged his powerful thighs, and the black shirt he’d left unfastened halfway down to reveal his taut and muscular chest.Arrogant bastard.
“She’s awakened, Your Majesty. I brought her here just as you asked,” Tanix said.
“Good. Leave us.” He didn’t look up from his book while motioning the guard away.
Tanix nodded, and as soon as the door closed, Rush snapped his book shut. “Finally awake, kitten? Took you long enough.” A vengeful smile spread across his face.
Aura snatched the book from his hand and tossed it into the fire.
“What did that novel ever do to you?” He watched, unbothered, as the flames licked away the pages.
“What haveyoudone tome?” Aura hissed. “Why did I faint for a second time when I shouldn’t be tired at all?”
“I warned you not to leave the palace grounds, didn’t I?”
“You didn’t tell me I would fall asleep, you ass!” she spat.
Rush slowly stood from the chair and sauntered to her. He hovered above her, his smoky scent brushing her senses. “A king commands and others obey.”
Aura scoffed. “You are not my king.”
He gently pushed her hair over her shoulder. “You’re in Moonstone, so that makes you my subject.”
Aura tightened her fists, ignoring his asinine comment for a more important matter. “Tell me what’s happening to me? Why does my heart feel a tug each day? What spell did you put on me? Why did Astor need my hair? I will not run again, so remove it.”
Rush backed her into a wall of books, caging her in. “Ah, that’s not particularly believable now, is it? I won’t remove it. Be satisfied knowing that the spell won’t kill you.”
Horror churned within her. “Satisfied indeed. Break it.”
Rush’s lips formed a tight line. “No.”
Her fists trembled when he wouldn’t tell her anything more. “At least bring Pax to me so I can explain everything to him.”
Rush growled. “Don’t mention that fucker right now.”
An unintelligible sound came out of her throat as she shoved his chest, but he didn’t budge. “I’ll mention him a thousand times if I want. Again, you arenotmy king.”
Rush drew in a deep breath, his eyes narrowed. “If you promise to behave,” he purred, “I’ll allow you to speak to someone else. You had a guest arrive a few days ago after your spell outside the gardens.”
“A few days?” Her voice rose an octave. “I slept fordays?”
“Don’t go past the gardens if you don’t want it to happen again.”
It didn’t matter because she knew better now. Hope and curiosity bloomed within her—someone had come for her. To save her? “Who’s here?”
“A sister with a dirtier mouth than you.”
“Hana,” Aura whispered as her chest tightened with fear. “What did you do to her?” If he’d hurt a single hair on her sister’s head, she would rip him apart. “Take me to her.”
“You still haven’t promised to behave.”
