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“Kai sent me back here and from the look of things when I left, we weren’t winning. I needed to see what she saw. To give myself peace of mind. I feared you all wouldn’t return.”
“Hmmm.” Her hands float over the glass. “I suppose that makes sense, but in the future, please refrain from disturbing my wife’s rest. Messing with her person could weaken the spell, preserving her.”
“Oh… I’m so sorry, I didn’t know.” I clasp my hands behind my back, bowing my head in a show of respect. His leather shoes turn until the polished toes face me.
“It’s okay, little one. You didn’t know.” His finger presses to my chin, lifting my eyes back to his now azure-blue stare. “She’s fine. No harm done, but you should return to your room before my son gets back. He’ll be looking for you.” His other hand lifts and his fingertips snap together. There’s no light pouring in. No world shrinking out of existence. Just one second, I’m in front of him, and then next I’m in my living room.
Fuckkkkk. He knows. He has to, right? Why else would I have been there?
28
Alice
“Luri! You asshole.” I shout,knowing she can hear me from where she rests outside.
“I’m the asshole? I tried to tell you, but you didn’t respond. How is this my fault?”
“Cat problems?” Kai asks from somewhere behind me.
Spinning around, I pause, drawing in a shaky breath.Holy mother of God…
Kai flicks his head to the side, then drags his long fingers through his wet hair. Mischievous amber eyes fall on me, scorching over every inch of my body until his lips tick upward as if he likes what he sees. His shirt is a thing of the past, and now all he wears is air and his pants cling around the deep V disappearing beneath the band. Round, full pecs, honed abs, and inky black lines stare me straight in the face as he steps forward. Blood splatter covers his skin, and his fiery eyes darken, homing in on me like a predator stalking its prey.
His body bounces as he steps down into the recessed area of our living room. It’s nothing short of dreamy and he’s not abashed in the slightest, knowing exactly what his image does to me. Who gave him the right to look this gorgeous after he just murdered people? I audibly swallow as he steps closer, and he tosses the sheathed sword in his hand onto our couch, not giving a second thought to the fact his enemy’s blood might stain it.
At this point, I don’t even know if I care.
He closes the distance at a menacing speed until he’s inches away and I’m craning my neck to hold his amber stare. “I’m glad to see you’re still breathing,” I say, trying to resist the urge to look at his full, sensual lips.
They twitch as if he gets a kick out of taunting me and getting me flustered by literally doing nothing.
“I’m glad to see you’re still bad at flirting,” he teases, dropping his gaze to watch his hand slide up my side, over my chest, then cup my jaw. Finally, smiling eyes meet mine once more, jostling between them. My stomach tightens as butterflies swirl within me, taking all sense with them.
“I was worried,” I say, as he leans to nuzzle my throat, placing sweet kisses down the length of it and across my shoulder.
“As was I.” His breath sends wisps of warm air across my flesh. “There’s something you should know, then if you want me to help you forget, I understand, but I can’t do this without you hearing it first. I’m afraid you wouldn’t forgive me if I did.” His fingers slide down the neckline of my shirt, clearing the way for him to continue.
“Are we in imminent danger?”
“No… but—”
“No buts. It can wait.” My arms loop around his neck, drawing him closer until my chest brushes against his.
“Alice… We almost lost…” Kai grabs my arms, backing away, and the way his eyes gloss over forces me to pause.
“What happened?” I feel the blood drain from my face as the urgency settles in. Someone died. I can feel it, and if he’s demanding I know, then it’s someone close—No…“Where’s Finn?”
“He’s not coming back….” Kai shakes his head, incapable of meeting my eyes as he speaks words he knows will shatter my soul.
Tears blur my vision but don’t fall. “How?”
“The High King wanted me or you in exchange for stopping. We nearly lost all the men who fought today. Less than a fourth remain breathing and a lot of them are injured. We didn’t have a choice but to give him what he wanted. Finn offered himself, claiming to be me…” His voice cracks as he takes a step back, picking at the dried blood beneath his fingernails. “The High King took him.”
My heart squeezes in my chest, denying it the ability to beat. I’m not sure whether to hug Kai, since he too just lost someone he cared about, or punch him for wanting to give himself over.
“Is he alive?” I ask, holding my breath for the answer.
Kai traps his bottom lip between his teeth to stop it from trembling, but I catch it for the split second it does. “He was when they left, but likely won’t be for long. I promised him that I’d supersede my father. It was his last request.”
