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“Alina?” Kieran asked from behind me.
Shit. I hadn’t heard him open the door. I spun around and wished I hadn’t. The way he stared at me so intently said he could read my thoughts and secrets. The feeling unsettled me. I tugged at my dress, needing something to do with my hands.
“Is that blood?” His forehead creased as he hurried over to me. He took my hands, flipping them over. In each palm, four nail marks had broken through the skin. He pressed, “What happened?” He glanced around the halls for a culprit to blame.
I opened my mouth to say it was nothing, but the words wouldn’t come. Ugh. Had I known that one day I wouldn’t be able to lie, I would’ve enjoyed doing it a lot more during my time on Earth. “I did it to myself.” I had to settle on something that wasn’t a lie without telling him what I’d overheard downstairs. For some odd reason, I knew better than to tell him. That he wouldn’t take the news well, despite the fact that, at some point, the two of us would be fighting one another with the intent to kill.
My skin buzzed from where he touched me, and then he wiped his thumb over my cuts, smearing the blood. That should’ve disgusted me, but my body pulsed toward him.
“Why? What happened?” Concern tightened the corners of his eyes as he examined me again. “I thought you were heading to the dining room.”
“Curry was outside the doors talking, and he has a knack for bringing out the worst in me.” I pulled my hands away before I forgot all the reasons why we shouldn’t be close to each other. “It’s bad enough sitting at the table with him, let alone being stuck talking to him one on one.”
“You need to be careful with him.” Kieran pursed his lips as if hiding his true reaction. “He’s ruthless when it comes to getting things he wants.”
That wasn’t shocking. “Then why is Dallas friends with him?”
He shrugged. “I don’t have any answers for you, seeing as I’m not from that court.”
That was fair. He was king and must have a list of duties that needed his attention. I’d have to ask Dallas about Curry … if I had the chance.
“Let’s get something to eat.” He placed his hand on the center of my back. “You trained hard. Food will make you feel better.”
Even through my dress, I could feel a slight buzz from his touch. Was it a mental reaction due to how damn attracted I was to him? His kindness toward me was also making it difficult to think about him as anything other than a good, sexy man.
But I didn’t have time for a distraction, especially with Curry and his friends plotting together. “I thought we shouldn’t enter at the same time.”
“Go on, and I’ll wait right here until I see you walk through the door.”
I didn’t want to leave his side, but survival instincts kicked in. Yes, the two of us were allies, but the longer we kept that secret, the bigger of an advantage we’d have. And I needed any sort of surprise I could muster.
Moving my legs was damn near impossible. Every fiber in my being wanted to stay right next to him, but knowing that someone could come out of a room was enough of a push that I managed to descend the stairs alone.
The nape of my neck tingled as if I could feel his gaze on me, and when I reached the door to the dining room, I glanced back up to where he stood at the edge of the stairs. Our eyes locked, and my neck pulsed cold.
He nodded, encouraging me to enter.
Facing the door, I inhaled and barged through. I didn’t want any of the fae to think I was trying to hide or be quiet. If they wanted a fae royal, they’d damn sure get one.
I stalked into the room, keeping my footsteps light. Not because I wanted to please them but because I wanted to prove every last one of them wrong.
When I slid into my seat, Curry arched a brow, and the two women fidgeted in their seats. Moire glanced at her plate, avoiding my gaze … and I realized that maybe I’d go down, but I’d go down fighting like hell. I’d die with dignity in my own way.
Curry and the women didn’t bother trying to talk to me, and Moire also remained quiet. That was more than fine with me.
Snatching some bread, chocolate, and honey, I filled my plate, getting ready for the hardest days to come—when I’d fight them all.
For four complete sun cycles, Kieran and I trained in his room. The day after our first training session, I snuck armor in with me, and we made use of the area as best we could. When I wasn’t eating or sleeping, I was training with him.
“Pull out your wings,” Kieran commanded as he jabbed at me with his sword.
I blocked his sword and kicked him in the stomach, then flexed my back muscles. That was the part I was struggling with the most—getting my wings out and back in. Luckily, the clothes that were made for High Fae accounted for this very thing; a small slit was fitted for each wing. Once the wings were out, I was fine, at least in the small area of his room where we practiced.
He didn’t budge, just grunted as he swung the sword at my side. I pivoted, and our blades clashed as I flexed my back again, and then my wings exploded.
We circled each other as I blocked his blows. We’d gotten into a natural rhythm, which was bittersweet since we could read each other now.
“Attack me,” he gritted out as he increased the pace of his swings. “You haven’t tried that yet.”
