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“I have something to give,” he said as his nose brushed the side of her chin, traveling down to her neck before he nipped at her skin suddenly. Her hands tugged at his silvery hair; her eyes wide as he sucked on the spot where he’d bitten. It hurt in the most pleasurable of ways just like when he’d done it before.
She was beginning to wonder if he’d ever take her seriously. Marking her? Again? Deep down, she wished he would take her without making it a transaction. The markunder her arm was hot, and she knew she wasn’t the only one affected.
When Travus set her down, a small bruise was beginning to form. “Couldn’t forget to leave a mark. You Nymphs heal incredibly fast,” he complained.”
“Maybe you’re just an understood king. You have a very interesting outlook on certain matters. But maybe being immortal has made you lose your heart. I’ve heard so many rumors about you from both sides. You still have me puzzled.”
He kissed her cheek teasingly before letting her go. “I intend to keep you guessing. It’s how I enjoy myself.”
She quickly wrapped her robes tight around herself, stepping into her slippers to leave her bedchambers.
Heat coursed through her body, afflicting her in a way that it was hard to think straight. It didn’t help that her body still recounted the memory of the night in the courtyard, yearning for his touch, his gaze, and his inquisitive voice.
There needed to be distance between them if she was going to consciously recuperate in peace. Though he followed after her, he still stayed away a few paces, giving her space to breathe.
She couldn’t help but recount the duel with his knight, and the way rage overtook her. It was hard to grasp how her negative emotions had doubled in intensity, so much so that it overtook her sound mind and controlled her body like a marionette.
Aria was never a killer, not even by accident. The occasional bug-squashing aside, she’d never attempted to take the life of the other magical beings belonging to her nation and the others. Yet, she was so sure she wanted to finish the knight. If not that, then she had every intention to seriously injure him.
Frankly, she felt scared for herself, and she suspected that the mark did more than just allow her to feel Travus’s presence and his state of mind and body. Perhaps his nature was beginning to rub off on her as well despite her own principles.
She stopped by a stained window, looking down at her clasped hands she held close to her chest, her thumbs twiddling with uncertainty.
Answers were needed.
Turning to Travus, she waited for him to step closer until he was only an arm’s length away. She looked up at him with uncertainty, wondering if he’d even take her question seriously.
“Have you ever killed someone, your majesty?” she asked as seriously as she could. “Willingly?”
He furrowed his brows at her as all playfulness left his face. “There were moments where it was required.”
“And did you do it?”
“Not with much happiness, if that will comfort you.”
She shook her head. “I’m asking if you’ve ever had the desire to take a life? Like you have the desire to conquer the other nations.”
With a purse of his lips, he shook his head. “No, Mierna. Maybe the desire to punish or maim, yes, but only after some consideration. Inflicting direct physical harm is usually something of a last resort.”
“That can’t be right,” she grunted with accusation while crossing her arms. “You would’ve let your knight kill Arthur.”
“Goodness, Princess,” he sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “In the time you’ve been here, have you seen such a thing happen yet? What I said back then was…” he waved his hand by his head as he tried to grasp at words, “a figure of speech? A dramatic flair?”
She frowned at him, and he chuckled at her.
“You take me far too seriously, My Princess. Really, I only intended to give Arthur a scare to keep him from climbing over the castle wall again. He was nursed back to full health before being escorted to town safely just yesterday.”
It didn’t look like he was lying.
“I’m very confused…” she sighed while searching his eyes. “You…you’re taking over nations and imprisoning people–”
He raised his brows. “Whose imprisoning people?”
“Aren’t you?”
“Certain people, yes,” he admitted, “but we’re not putting entire communities into shackles, Mierna.”
“Huh,” she said suspiciously. “So, there’s something very specific you want from these places? You don’t…want to claim the nations as yours?”
