Kaelith bent, hooked an arm beneath my knees, and threw me over his shoulder like I weighed nothing.
“Put me down?—”
“Absolutely not. You’ve proven you make terrible decisions.”
I thrashed. Kicked. Cursed.
He didn’t even break stride. His breath stayed maddeningly calm. His grip tightened. Still I bucked, shoulders jerking, jaw clenched. The only thing left to me was teeth.
So I bit him.
My mouth closed hard against the line of his back, through his thin tunic and muscle. He hissed, his hold jolting loose. I hit the ground hard.
He straightened slowly, hand pressed to the place I’d bitten. Eyes brightening. “Did you,” he said softly, incredulous and delighted all at once, “justbiteyour prince?”
I didn’t answer. I only met his eyes, breathing hard, letting the silence speak:Yes.
He stared, jaw working. Then he exhaled through his teeth, bent, and hauled me up again. Shadows surged back into place, binding tighter this time.
The back stair was narrow. Keepers pressed themselves flat to the damp walls as he passed, eyes averted, muttering low under their breath. A few dared glance up at me, but no one stopped him. The torchlight stuttered over their faces, then vanished as Kaelith climbed higher.
I twisted one last time, but he only adjusted his hold until I was pinned more securely.
“Enough,” he said, utterly unbothered. “You’re making a scene.”
He stopped at my chamber door, shadows still wound tight around my wrists.
He set me down but didn’t release me, his copper eyes burning into mine. “If I remove them, are you going to run again?”
I lifted my chin. “Maybe.”
For a breath, I considered bolting anyway, shadows or not. But Aeryn’s face rose in my mind, and the weight of Kaelith’s stare told me I wouldn’t make it two steps.
I swallowed the urge down, but not the fury.
His mouth curved. “If you do… I’ll tie you to my bedpost.” A promise. “Now get ready.”
The shadows released all at once.
He pushed the door open and ushered me inside, the door closing behind us with a soft click.
I stood facing him, my breath uneven but steadying.
Two more days. Just two. Then I could get back to Aeryn.
“Aurelia,” he murmured, stepping fully into the room. He crossed to the small table by the window, where two untouched glasses waited, and lifted one with idle grace. His lips curved into a slow, hungry smile as he turned back to me. “I came to check on your fitting. From the looks of it…” His gaze dragged down my frame, deliberate and devouring. He gave the wine a lazy swirl. “…it’s going quite well. Lucky I found you before you ruined that pretty dress.”
“Ah, yes. Lucky me,” I said smoothly. “All of the dresses in the wardrobe happen to fit like they were made for me.”
Play nice.Just for now. I told myself.
His smile widened, something unreadable flickering behind his eyes. “Interesting,” he said.
“Convenient,” I offered lightly. “Is there something I can help you with?”
“Oh, there are many things,” he said, his tone wrapped in innuendo. “But we’ll get to those eventually. The gowns,” he swirled the wine in his glass, “—belonged to someone quite important to this realm. She wore them almost as beautifully as you do.”
My stomach dropped. I didn’t know who they belonged to, not for certain. But I didn’t trust Kaelith’s reverence.