by Lexi C. Foss
I could smell it in the air, her arousal a teasing perfume to my nostrils.
Mmm, I adored her scent, all sugar and spice. The perfect definition of her spirit. She was all soft curves and sweetness where it counted on the inside and hard edges on the outside. My feisty warrior.
Except she wasn’t really mine at all.
Just a responsibility I’d inherited from Adrik. One I enjoyed perhaps a little too much.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Her breathless question taunted my mouth, warming the blood in my veins.
“I kind of want to kiss you,” I admitted, tilting my head to the side. “Even though I shouldn’t.”
“Don’t,” she said, her cheeks flushing beautifully. The pink contrasted with her blue hair, drawing my focus upward to the spiky strands.
“What made you choose blue?” I wondered out loud. “Why not red or purple?” They would be more appropriate choices for a Noxia demon. Not that I disliked the blue. It did look rather pretty on her, especially when her eyes matched.
Like they did now.
“I want my charms, Grigory,” she said, bringing us full circle once more.
“I’m not giving them to you, Zaya,” I replied, meeting her gaze again. “This week will be difficult enough to survive without worrying about you.”
“Then don’t worry about me,” she suggested. “Let me go.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?” She sounded like a petulant child denied a toy because I wouldn’t let her run off and kill random males.
Fucking ridiculous, really.
And it truly spoiled the moment—not that we were having one.
“You’re not leaving Noxia this week, and that’s final.” I pushed away from her and dodged her fist this time with expert ease. “Stop throwing a tantrum and go back to your room, Zaya.”
“You can’t keep me here!”
“I can,” I countered. “And I will lock you in a dungeon if I have to. Now stop being a brat and leave me alone.”
This time I not only caught her punch, but I also flattened her beneath me on the ground, the abrupt movement knocking the wind from her lungs and reminding her whom she chose to fight.
“I’m not in the mood for this bullshit right now, Zaya. We’re done. You’re not leaving. End of discussion.”
“I’m not a prisoner,” she growled.
“No, you’re my damn burden,” I threw back at her. “Adrik demanded I save your life, thereby tying your essence to mine, thus making you my responsibility. And you’re an obligation I don’t have time for right now.”
I regretted my words pretty much immediately.
Especially when she gaped up at me with such shock in her gaze that I caught the flicker of hurt before she could hide it.
Lucifer, I was a bastard sometimes.
I sighed and cupped her cheek, feeling like a dick. “Look, I didn’t mean that. I just—”
“What the hell isss going on here?” a shrill voice demanded, the s holding the trademark hiss of the viper my mother wanted me to wed.
I groaned, not pleased at all by the interruption and seriously wondering if I needed to invest in a better lock. Because apparently all females felt they could just enter my room at will. Which, yeah, usually wouldn’t be a problem.
Right now, however, it was a major inconvenience.
“We were sparring, Napia,” I replied, reluctantly lifting myself off of Zaya. She refused to meet my gaze or accept my help up off the ground. Instead, she used the wall to climb unsteadily to her feet, her throat moving in a way that told me she was suppressing some unwanted emotion. Had my pinning her brought back memories? Or was that a response to my words? Perhaps both.
“I’ll, uh, leave you two to your…” Zaya waved her hand to finish that sentence, then moved around Napia toward my foyer and left without a word.
“That did not look like sparring, Grigory.” Napia folded her slender arms, her pale skin contrasting against her vibrant green dress. At least she didn’t have scales. But those snakes were a major turnoff. Beady black eyes, slithering tongues, and writhing wormlike dancing just didn’t do it for me.
“What do you want, Napia?” I asked her, causing her to lift two auburn brows in surprise.
“Isss that any tone to take with your betrothed?”
“It’s a tone you should probably get used to from me,” I told her. “Because it’s the one I will be using frequently. Now what the fuck do you want?”
It was no secret that I didn’t want to marry her, just as it was no secret that she didn’t want to marry me. Hell’s Realms, she’d even brought her consort in as part of her entourage. I wasn’t blind.
She sputtered something about hoping to have a conversation about dinner arrangements for tomorrow night, then went off on some tangent about my unacceptable manners, and ended with some lunacy about my impossible chef.
I listened to most of her words, digested maybe a fraction of them, and yawned at the rest. Loudly. Which only set her off on another lecture about our future and how I needed to change if I wanted to make this work.
“I don’t,” I said, but she was too busy ranting to hear me.
So I let her exhaust herself, then forced a contrite expression at the end with the hope that it would convince her to leave. Her snakes weren’t very convinced, if their collective hiss was anything to go by, but she eventually departed on a flourish of emerald skirts, finally leaving me in peace.
Only, I didn’t feel an ounce of satisfaction. If anything, I felt worse. It had nothing to do with Napia and everything to do with the female I’d called a burden.
I ran my hand over my face and strode out of my quarters toward Zay’s rooms. Then paused right outside her door, unsure of what I even intended to say.
Sorry for being a dick?
Sorry for taking your charms?
Sorry for not kissing you when I had the chance?
I pressed my forehead to her door and sighed, irritated at my own indecision. Why did this female tie me up in knots? No one else got under my skin like this woman. But something about her made me feel like a foolish boy trying to court a woman for the first time.
And I didn’t fucking court women.
I shoved away from her door and went back to my room.
This ended now.
I had more important things to worry about—like the sea witch my mother intended for me to marry.
And the glass painting my wall and floor.
Yeah, I’d start with that problem and work up from there.
“I hate dresses,” I muttered, staring at my reflection in the mirror.
Napia had chosen a green theme for her engagement party and was requiring all the females in the kingdom to wear various shades of emerald for tonight’s festivities.
“I look like a damn mermaid,” I said, eyeing the gaudy tail of the gown. At least it flattered my curves, but I could hardly move, let alone fight.
Not that I had any plans for a fight in the near term, thanks to the charm-stealing bastard lurking right now in my bedroom. Things had been tense between us since the night he informed me of his true thoughts where I was concerned.
“You’re my damn burden.”
Ouch.
Every time I thought about his words, I cringed. He hadn’t tried to apologize, purely keeping it professional between us every time I saw him. And there wasn’t any hint or talk of my list.
Three names.
Three demons I needed to kill.
Yet I stood here in a mermaid costume about to attend a social occasion to celebrate Grigory’s engagement.
Fuck. My. Life.
With a shake of my head, I stalked out of my bathroom to find Grigory lounging on my bed in a three-piece suit that fit him like a glove, his dark eyes on the ceiling.
He wasn’t so much here for my benefit as he was to make sure I cooperated and attended tonight’s event. He also appeared to be hiding from his bride-to-be. Considering her hideous head of h
issing snakes, I couldn’t exactly fault him for that. Only a horny rattlesnake would be interested in tangling with that serpent feline.
Grigory raised his head slightly, his heavy gaze taking in my gown. For a brief moment, he appeared distracted from his dark thoughts, his lips curling slightly as he said, “You look pretty.”
“Really? Because I don’t think green is my color,” I replied. “And I much prefer pants.”
He smirked. “I know.”
Silence fell between us, underlined in awkwardness.
He rolled off the bed, his eyes going everywhere except toward me. No hint of an apology and no discussion on what was said the other night, the words heavy between us. Or at least, they weighed on me—his burden.
Valora and Adrik were due to arrive any moment now, further driving that knife into my heart. Because they were the reason Grigory tolerated me. Adrik had forced his best friend to save me that night as a gift for Valora, forever tying us all together in a big, ugly bow of fate.
My stomach soured at the thought.
Grigory had enough to worry about with his ascension and pending marriage. His lips curled down into a frown, his posture rigid.
“Are you okay?” I asked him.
“No.” The honest answer surprised me. “No, I’m really not.”
I walked toward him, my hands seeking his chest before the action registered in my mind. Words seemed to fail me. What could I possibly say to help him? He presented a strong front before his people, his personality playful yet powerful, and beneath all that was a man trapped in a bargain he loathed.
We rarely spoke about it, but I sensed his frustration on the rare occasion his mental walls fell. Typically, at the end of a sparring session when exhaustion hit him. It only afforded me brief glimpses; however, they were enough.
He remained rigid as I circled his neck, hugging him in my own way.
It hurt that he didn’t return the gesture, but this wasn’t about me—it was about him.
It was about goodbye.
Because tonight would change everything.
Not because of his engagement, but because I had a plan. I’d attend for long enough to be noticed, then I’d disappear back to his quarters, find my charms, and leave him to his destiny while I pursued mine.
It didn’t matter what he thought because I knew in my gut that I was ready.
It’s time.
“Just a point of warning for tonight, Zay,” he said softly, his hands suddenly on my hips as he fisted my skirts. “The charms are not in my rooms.”
I gasped as he spun me around to place my back to his front, then he pulled up my skirts and knelt behind me. “What are you doing?” I demanded, trying to see his hands, but they were blocked by waves of green silk.
Then I felt his thumb against my inner thigh, followed by the kiss of leather and the hiss of a snap. I jolted at the sound, then frowned at the cool metal sensation sliding against my skin.
“For your protection,” he explained, securing the blade in the holster. “Use it on me, and you’ll regret it.”
I grunted. “Why would I use it on you?”
“Because I’ll beat your ass red if I find you lurking around my quarters later,” he replied, the heat of his body enveloping my back as he stood.
I had to shimmy my hips to make the fabric fall once more, which was precisely the wrong move since it brushed my ass against his growing erection. His palm landed on my lower belly before I could pull away, his arm tensing as he held me effortlessly against him.
“I mean it, Zay,” he said against my ear. “I will bend you over my knee and spank you like a child if you so much as set foot in my room tonight.”
It occurred to me then that he’d been playing in my head. That was the only way he could know about my plans. “So breaking into my rooms wasn’t enough; you have to break into my mind, too?” I demanded, spinning to face him, furious.
“Your intentions were written all over your face,” he countered. “Which is why I keep saying you’re not ready.”
“Fuck you, Grigory.”
“Such a naughty mouth,” he mused, his eyes dipping to my lips. “One of these times, I’m going to fuck it into submission.”
I gasped. “Excuse me?”
“Don’t act like you wouldn’t enjoy it,” he replied, his eyes darkening to black orbs with his words. “Lucifer knows how many times I’ve tasted you in our dreams, sweetheart. Maybe it’s time you taste me.” He arched a challenging brow just as a knock sounded at my door.
Grigory had just admitted to knowing about the dreams.
“Wait…”
“Duty calls,” he drawled, winking at me. “But stick around and maybe we’ll talk about those dirty thoughts a little more, Zay. Try to find the charms, however, and we’ll be having a very different conversation.”
Grigory went to the door and flung it open to reveal Valora on the other side. She was supposed to arrive earlier this week, but something with her daughter had forced them all to remain in Nova Kingdom for a few extra days.
“Zaya!” she squealed, running right past Grigory and directly to me, yanking me into her arms in a much-needed hug.
Oh, how I missed my best friend!
It hurt to stay away from her, but she resided in a place that nearly broke me indefinitely. It didn’t matter that she’d destroyed Necros and married Adrik in the process. My mind would forever remember the horrors Necros and his men had inflicted upon me in that dark palace, the night they tried to destroy me forever, all in an effort to force Valora’s submission. Yet her bowing to him hadn’t been enough. And Necros adored punishing others. Which was why he’d used me to hurt Valora.
One day, I would be strong enough to visit without cringing.
Just not today.
I pulled back from Valora and noted her gown. “Your dress is pink. Napia is going to be furious.” I said the latter part with a grin, amused.
Valora shrugged. “I’m sorry, but green isn’t my color, and my royal status supersedes hers. She’s just a princess. I’m a queen.”
“A very beautiful queen,” Adrik added, nodding at Grigory. The two of them were technically brothers-in-law since Valora and Grigory shared a mother, but their male bond went deeper than blood. They’d grown up together, essentially brothers already, thanks to Lux raising them both.
“Still not forgiven,” Valora replied, arching a brow at Adrik.
“I’ll make it up to you later, sweet star,” he promised, a devilish twinkle in his gaze as he leaned against the wall just beside the door.
“Right you will,” she agreed as a petite female entered the room, holding their daughter, Adriatica. I recognized the woman as someone who had grown up in Graystall.
A pang of longing hit my heart, seeing another woman taking the role of my former job. But I knew in my soul that it was the right thing for Valora. She needed someone fiercely loyal and fully sane at her side, and I didn’t quite measure up to that last bit. Not entirely, anyway.
“I’m so sorry we couldn’t come sooner,” Valora said to Grigory. “Adriatica has been unwell with a little childhood fever. Nothing too serious.”
Adrik grunted. “I’m not sure I’d say that. We need to redesign a few parts of the castle. Again.”
“Why?” Grigory took his niece from the maid, who curtsied and stepped aside to melt into the background of the room as maids were trained to do. I made sure to acknowledge her with a smile before refocusing on Valora and Adrik.
“Let’s just say it means Adriatica’s cough is similar to a dragon in that she spews fire from her lungs with every hack,” Adrik explained, clearly amused by Grigory’s growing anxiety. “Considering your kind isn’t fond of the element, we didn’t think it would be wise to have her in Noxia.”
“Right.” Grigory handed his niece off to Valora without so much as a kiss on her pretty dark head. “I’ll bond with the spawn later, then.”
“Adriatica,” Valora corrected.
&n
bsp; “Sure,” Grigory replied. “Maybe we should let Valora and Zaya catch up while we, uh, leave the fire-breathing demon here.” Grigory didn’t give Adrik a chance to argue; he just grabbed him by the sleeve of his jacket and pulled him out of the room. “We’ll meet you both in the ballroom later.” He gave a little wave, leaving me to shake my head in his wake.
“Coward,” I muttered.
“I think your uncle is a little scared of you, my darling,” Valora cooed at her daughter, her amusement palpable. She bounced the young girl a few times in her arms, making adorable little noises of contentment the whole time, while Adriatica watched with big blue eyes.
I rubbed a palm over my chest, the innocence radiating off Valora’s daughter tormenting a burned part of me.
I used to believe in fairy tales once upon a time. I had a mother and a father who cared about me and raised me with stars in my eyes, then Necros cruelly lit my reality on fire and made me watch it burn.
“Do you want to hold her?” Valora asked, distracting me from my darker thoughts. She held Adriatica out to me, and I accepted the darling bundle with a smile. Her big blue eyes watched me curiously as if to say, Who are you?
I’m a friend, I told her back with my gaze. While I had no direct relation to the child, I felt fiercely protective of her. She must have felt my loyalty, because she gurgled happily, her beauty radiating before my eyes.
“She’s grown so much,” I murmured, smiling. “There won’t be any lasting effect from the fire issues, will there?”
“No.” Valora shook her head, her focus on her daughter. “She didn’t kill anyone, just maimed one of Jeremiah’s recruits.”
I had meant in terms of her health, not necessarily the infrastructure, but Valora would of course be thinking of her people in addition to Adriatica.
“Was Jeremiah okay?” I wondered out loud. He had been the only guard to survive when Valora took down Necros and those residing at the palace. The guard had shown her loyalty before her rise to power, so she’d awarded him with the position of Chief Security Advisor. He was one of the good men, a blond giant with Herculean strength.
“Oh, he was fine. His recruit was, too. They both found the entire situation quite comical,” Valora said.