Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

NYRA

When I had awakened this morning, Dacre had been missing from his room. I laid there in his bed with his sheets tangled around my legs. I was still wearing his clothes, covered in his scent, and he was nowhere to be seen.

I was half angry and half mortified when I woke up, clinging to a pillow that smelled exactly like him.

I quickly gathered my scattered clothes from the floor, tiptoeing out of his room like a thief in the night, sneaking back to my room as if I had done something wrong.

And the way Wren hadn’t been able to stop smiling at me, even throughout our training today, made me feel like I had.

“You’re getting a lot better.” Eiran ran a hand over his face and wiped the sweat from his brow. He had just handed me my ass in the training circle, but I would take his compliment over Dacre yelling at me about what I had done wrong.

Which was why I hated myself for searching the grounds for him now.

Not only had he not been in his room when I woke, he also hadn’t been at the training grounds when I showed up this morning.

I had been fully prepared to ignore him and try as hard as I could while barely speaking a word in his direction, but I didn’t get the chance.

And that just made me angrier than I had been this morning.

“We’re all hanging out tonight.” Wren wrapped her arm around my shoulders, and I had been so distracted by looking for her brother that I hadn’t seen her approach.

“What?” I was still trying to catch my breath from where Eiran had knocked me on my ass.

“We’ve been training hard and deserve a break.” She grinned like it was the best news she could deliver, and honestly, it was. My body needed a break, and apparently, I needed an even bigger one from Dacre. “So, you, my dear, are stuck with me tonight.” She wagged her eyebrows, and I nudged her side with my elbow.

I didn’t want anyone to know I spent the night in her brother’s room, let alone Eiran.

“You’re stuck with me as well.” Eiran smiled, and it was a smile that should have made my stomach flip. But it didn’t. “I’m going to head back to clean up, then I’ll meet you all before we head out?”

“Sounds good.” Wren tucked her arm around mine and didn’t give me a choice as she led me away from the training grounds and back to our room.

She also hadn’t given me a choice when she tossed clothes at me as soon as I had finished bathing.

“Everyone is used to seeing you in your leathers. If we’re going to find you a man in this rebellion, we need to change it up.”

“I’m not interested in finding anything,” I huffed as I flopped onto the bed and tossed the clothes to the side.

“Uh-huh.” Her eyes narrowed, and she studied me. Her lips thinned before a sneaky smile slipped through before she could stop it. “That’s why you came back this morning wearing my brother’s clothes.”

“That’s because of you!” I pointed at her, and her smile finally slipped.

“Do you know how many of my roommates have hung out in the hall while I had a visitor?” She arched an eyebrow.

“Gods, I don’t want to know.”

“Far too many.” She chuckled and pressed her hand against her hip. “Do you know how many of them Dacre has let sleep in his bed because he didn’t want them out there in the cold?”

“No, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”

“None.” She said it so quickly I was barely able to finish my sentence. “And he certainly doesn’t have girls in his bed that don’t look thoroughly ruined the next morning.”

I winced as jealousy raged through me. I couldn’t help but think of the woman from the night before who gave him the wine and looked at him as if she knew him. “That’s your brother.”

“Trust me. I’m aware.” She made a gagging noise, and I rolled my eyes. “The fact that he insisted that our rooms be side by side so he could watch over me has completely backfired on both of us.”

I held up the shirt she had handed me, and my eyes widened. It contained less fabric than any shirt I had ever seen before, and I quickly dropped it back to my side. “I think you might be as insane as your brother.”

“Maybe.” She shrugged before pointing at me. “Now get dressed. It’s already late.”

I scowled and grumbled as I reluctantly pulled on the too tight shirt, desperately trying to make it reach the waistband of my trousers. No matter how hard I tugged, the fabric strained against my chest and refused to stretch.

“Stop fidgeting. You look gorgeous,” Wren whispered as we made our way down the stairs.

Eiran turned in our direction and his eyes ran over me appreciatively.

“Let’s get out of here.” He grinned and motioned us forward.

Wren led us through the city, and Eiran pulled me alongside him. He kept looking over at me with a soft smile on his face, and I returned it.

It wasn’t until we had gone over around half a dozen bridges and the floating lanterns started becoming more scarce that I started wondering where we were going.

“Where are you two taking me?” My voice echoed off the cave walls, and Wren laughed.

“Can’t tell you.” She leaned in and inclined her head toward me. “We’re not supposed to be there.”

“That sounds promising.” I sighed heavily and glanced at Eiran.

Even though I desperately wanted to trust Wren, she was a part of the rebellion, and I couldn’t trust any of them completely.

Wren was my friend now, but if she knew the truth…

As we walked farther into the cave, the air grew colder and the light grew dimmer. I could hardly see as Eiran led me forward, but he reached out and took my hand in his to help me.

I tried not to let myself think about how it felt so different from Dacre’s. How the simple slip of his skin against mine had me burning like an inferno while Eiran’s fingers wrapped around mine felt nice.

Dacre had felt anything but nice.

We edged around the bend, and a faint orange glow appeared in the distance. The farther we walked, the brighter it grew until the leaping tongues of fire illuminated our way forward. When we emerged from the shadows, I saw several people gathered around the fire, their faces lit up by the dancing flames. Bottles of wine were scattered on the ground next to them, and laughter echoed off the walls.

The darkness in this part of the cave was almost absolute, with the only source of light coming from the flickering flames of the fire. Stalactites jutted from the rocky walls like sharpened teeth.

“This is our secret spot.” Wren turned toward me and walked backward as a smile lit up her face. “Us bringing you here means you can’t tell anyone else.”

“Who am I going to tell?” I chuckled as I glanced around.

“Me.” Dacre’s voice raked down my spine, and I turned to see him lounging against a large boulder. He had one knee bent with an arm draped over it and the other hanging down loosely with an almost empty bottle of wine gripped between his fingers. His dark eyes were piercing as he spoke. “I am in charge of your training. You shouldn’t even be here.”

My body went rigid beside Eiran, and a deep flush crept up my neck as Dacre spoke. His tone was condescending, and a part of me wanted to just ignore him and walk away, but my pride kept me rooted in place.

“Well, seeing as you didn’t show up to training today, Eiran took over for you, and he invited me.” As the words tumbled out of my mouth, I could feel my cheeks redden further and wished fervently that Dacre couldn’t see it. The truth was, I wouldn’t have come at all if it hadn’t been for Wren.

Dacre cocked his head and studied me. Gods, he looked over every inch of me with his slow perusal as if he didn’t care that everyone around us could see exactly what he was doing. Eiran’s hand tightened around mine as if he could protect me against Dacre’s scrutiny.

Dacre was wearing his leathers, but his vest was missing, and I only noted one dagger at his side. His body was relaxed, his gaze glazed over from the wine, and he was devastatingly handsome.

“Eiran took over, did he?” He lifted the bottle to his mouth and took a long drink. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, and the bottle clinked against his teeth before he lowered it again.

I could see Wren looking back and forth between us out of my peripheral, but I didn’t dare take my eyes off him.

“Does that mean you’re going to strip down in his room tonight and sleep in his bed?”

Eiran went rigid beside me, and Wren sucked in a sharp breath that echoed in the silence as everyone watched the exchange. But Dacre was only looking at me.

Heat crept up my neck, and I became acutely aware of how small my shirt was, how tight it felt pressed against my skin. Eiran’s fingers twitched against mine as he held on tighter, but I was too focused on the way Dacre’s gaze smoldered as if a fire would erupt at any moment.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” I bared my teeth as I spat out the words.

Dacre leaned forward, his eyes glittering with an unsettling amusement. His chuckle was low and twisted, sending shivers up my spine.

“What’s wrong with me? Nothing at all. I was just telling the man the truth.” He lifted the wine bottle and pointed the neck toward Eiran. “Don’t you think he deserves to know you were in my bed last night since he’s clinging to you as if tonight you’ll be in his?”

My whole body tensed as a wave of humiliation crashed over me. I wanted to snatch my hand away from Eiran, but I refused to give Dacre the satisfaction.

I didn’t trust myself to speak, so I pivoted on my heel and let my silence settle in. I felt his eyes on me, burning holes into my back like a thousand suns. I shifted my weight and looked instead at Eiran. His eyes were narrowed so tightly on Dacre that he hadn’t even noticed me looking at him.

I opened my mouth to speak, but Dacre wasn’t finished.

“Come here, little traitor,” he whispered, and I shivered, hating that he drew a reaction from me so easily. “Come show me what Eiran taught you today.”

I could hear the others snickering around us. Every part of my body screamed at me to leave, but I couldn’t control the rage that made me clench my fist at my side.

I felt my palm slide from Eiran’s as I spun back around, my face hot. When Dacre noticed my expression, his lips stretched into a cocky smirk, a dimple making its appearance on his right cheek. He climbed to his feet and the glass neck of his wine bottle dangled between two fingers.

I stormed toward him, leaving Eiran and Wren behind, blocking out everyone else.

“Have a drink.” He held the bottle out in my direction. “It helped you relax last night.”

The sound of his voice was teasing, but the way he looked over my shoulder at Eiran with dark, narrowed eyes was anything but.

“I’ll be right back,” Eiran said from behind me, but I didn’t turn.

I crossed my arms, drawing Dacre’s gaze to the swell of my breasts. My throat felt tight as I asked him, “Why are you so mean?”

He reached out and delicately brushed a strand of hair off my chest, his hand grazing my skin as he leaned in close. His breath was warm on my cheek as he whispered, “You haven’t seen me be mean. If I were mean, I’d slide my cock between your lips to keep you from talking when I tire of hearing you speak.”

His words hit me like a physical blow, causing my breath to catch in my throat and my muscles to contract involuntarily. He remained close, evaporating the tiny space between us, as his gentle breath tickled my neck. His warmth was palpable despite the fact that we weren’t touching.

“You can’t say things like that to me.” My voice shook, and I wasn’t sure if it was anger or lust that coated my words.

“Why not?” His voice was like liquid pouring over me. “Because it pisses you off or because you’re getting wet between those perfect thighs you’re clamping together as you imagine it yourself?”

I sucked in a breath and stumbled back from him, my heart racing as his dark eyes lingered on my lips. The way he licked his own made me suspect he was far more intoxicated off the wine than I realized.

“That’s not true.”

His gaze fell to my thighs, and he showed no restraint in the way he was looking at me. “Are you going to show me what he taught you?”

I shifted my weight to the balls of my feet, ready to move. “I think you need some water,” I said and started to reach for his bottle of wine. But before I could touch it, his other hand shot forward with lightning speed, and he grabbed my wrist. His grip was strong, but not too tight; even drunk, he was still faster than me.

“Come on.” He nodded behind him. “I want to show you something.”

I looked over his shoulder, and all I could see was darkness. The fire didn’t touch the walls there, but the look in Dacre’s eyes dared me to say yes.

My stomach lurched as the word yes formed on my tongue, even though the rational part of my brain was screaming for me to say no. I hesitated, my mouth slightly agape.

“Here.” Eiran appeared back by my side, causing me to jump, a small cup of dark red liquid cradled in his hands. “I got you a drink.” He offered it to me with a tight smile, but his eyes flicked back and forth between me and Dacre.

“We’ve got it covered, thanks.” Dacre saluted him with the wine bottle, and Eiran’s lip curled in disgust as he glared at Dacre.

But I lifted the cup Eiran gave me to my lips and took a large swallow to help calm my nerves. My fingers were trembling around the edge of the cup, and I realized with a start that it wasn’t in fear. There was nothing but desire coursing through me.

And that want had nothing to do with Eiran.

“Thank you, Eiran.” I pressed my fingers against my lips, wiping at the wine that had clung to them. Dacre watched me intently, his gaze unblinking. “Dacre, I’ll show you what I’ve learned tomorrow on the training grounds.”

I whirled around, desperately hoping to escape Dacre’s presence, but his smug laughter echoed behind me. Eiran had the same idea as me, though, and he pulled me away from Dacre as quickly as he could.

I took a seat around the fire next to Wren, and Eiran moved to the other side of me.

Wren’s brow furrowed as her gaze drifted toward her brother, who was still watching me intently. “What was that about?” she asked, her voice soft yet demanding.

“I don’t know.” I placed my hands in front of the crackling fire and held them steady until I felt the warmth start to thaw my cool fingertips, even though the rest of me felt as if I were burning from the inside. “He’s clearly had too much to drink.”

Wren scrunched her nose, but she didn’t comment as she watched him.

People were talking around us, about life, about the rebellion, and I tried to listen to them and ignore Dacre. I tried not to be hyperaware of the way he watched me or shift when I noticed him move closer and sit on the ground directly across the fire from me.

“Are you sore?” Eiran’s hand touched my outer thigh, and I tensed, jerking away from his touch.

“No.” I shook my head and tried to play it off. “I’m okay. I spent a lot of time in the springs last night.”

His gaze flickered to where Dacre sat, but I pretended not to notice. “What about you? I didn’t go too hard on you out there today, did I?”

Eiran chuckled and brushed his hair back out of his face. “I’ve had worse, but you were definitely holding your own out there.”

He was lying, and we both knew it. But Eiran was kind, and he didn’t want to shove it in my face how miserable I was like Dacre would.

“That’s sweet of you, but I’m terrible.” I patted Eiran’s hand, and he chuckled.

“Yeah. You kind of are.” He was watching me, and not in the same way Dacre did. Eiran watched me like there was something special about me. Not like I was some secret he had to crack, but like I was a story he couldn’t wait to hear. A man like Eiran would take his time with me.

He would worship me in a way that I could never dream of.

But as I tried to imagine it, all I could think of was the man across the fire from me and the way he would destroy me instead.

“Eiran, I was with your father today.” Dacre spoke over everyone else, and I closed my eyes as Eiran looked away from me and turned in his direction.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.” Dacre slowly raised his bottle, took a long, deep swallow of the dark red wine, and then ran one hand through his thick, dark hair. “It’s too bad that you couldn’t have come with us.”

“Dacre.” Wren said his name sternly, but he paid her no attention.

“We really could have used you out there.” Dacre’s face darkened as he chuckled. “I wouldn’t be so sore right now if I had a partner.”

I glanced back and forth between him and Eiran, the tension between them so thick I could almost choke on it.

“Maybe you should visit the springs if you’re so sore. Lay off the wine.” Eiran’s voice was harder than it had been only a moment before.

“I could.” Dacre nodded as he slowly rotated the bottle between his hands. “But every time I’m in the springs and I close my eyes, all I can think about is her body and the way her legs felt beneath my palms.”

“Okay. That’s it.” Wren stood before Dacre could say anything else, and I could feel my cheeks burning as I shifted my weight. “I think you’ve had enough.”

“That’s not going to happen.” Dacre moved the bottle out of Wren’s reach as she approached him.

“I’m not kidding with you, Dacre. I don’t know what’s gotten into you tonight, but you’ve had enough.” Wren crossed her arms and quirked a brow, but he avoided her gaze and kept his eyes trained on me.

“I don’t think I have.” He took another drink, completely ignoring her.

“Dacre, seriously. Give me the bottle.”

“Okay.” Dacre nodded and leaned his head back to look up at his sister. “I’ll give it to you under one condition.”

“Which is?”

“Nyra.”

I cursed under my breath, and I could feel everyone looking back and forth between us.

“Nyra’s a person. Not a condition, you ass.”

Dacre rolled his head around before meeting my eyes again. “I want to show her something.”

He had to be joking.

“That’s not fucking happening,” Eiran answered, his voice stern and protective, and while I could appreciate the sentiment, it pissed me off that he felt like he could speak for me.

“She’s not a dog, Eiran. You can let her off her leash.”

Eiran opened his mouth to answer, but I was already climbing to my feet. “Well, if the two of you are done pissing on me, let’s go.”

Dacre glanced up at me with a sloppy smile on his face like I hadn’t just insulted him. “Let’s go then.”

He stood, and when Wren went to reach for the bottle, he tsked at her. “I’ll give it up as soon as Nyra holds up her end of the bargain.”

Eiran was staring at Dacre, but he didn’t say a word as he leaned forward, hiding his face for a moment as he clasped his hands together.

I reluctantly stepped around the roaring fire, keeping my eyes fixed on the shadows as I walked closer to him. He didn’t wait for me; he was already striding to the back of the cave, assuming I’d follow without question. And I did.

My body tensed as the light from the fire grew more distant. Pebbles crunched under my boots with each step, echoing off the damp walls of the cave.

“Where are we going?” I hurried to keep pace with him, the darkness looming all around me. I could barely make out his silhouette in the shadows, and my heart pounded with fear at the thought of getting lost back here.

He tilted his head in the direction of the unseen and spoke softly. “You’ll see.” A chill ran up my spine as I realized there was nothing but a blanket of darkness ahead.

“If you were planning to kill me, you really should have done it the first day.” I looked back over my shoulder, but I could hardly make out the others now. “I’ve become really fond of Wren.”

“Just Wren?” He cocked an eyebrow at me. “You looked like you were growing awfully fond of Eiran too.”

“Jealousy isn’t a good look for such a handsome guy.”

He stopped in his tracks, and I slammed into him from behind. His free arm shot out to catch me as I stumbled backward. When he locked eyes with me, his touch was so gentle it sent a shiver down my spine. “Did you just call me handsome?”

“I’m pretty sure I was talking about Eiran.”

“I don’t think you were.” He licked his lips again, and although he seemed to be absently doing the move, it was utterly infuriating. “It’s okay if you think I’m handsome.”

“I also think you’re an ass, but you’re really clinging to the handsome thing, aren’t you?”

“I am.” The smile in his voice made me step forward mindlessly.

“Is this where you were taking me?” I tried to steady my breathing, but it was no use; he could hear every hitch in my breath.

“No.” He grabbed my wrist in his hand and pulled me forward. “We’re almost there. Watch your head.”

He lifted my hand until it touched the cool, damp ceiling that was looming just over my head, then I watched him duck down in front of me and disappear under the low-hanging ceiling. The opening was small, smaller than any other I had seen in the cave, but I shut down the anxiety that was beating in my chest and followed after him.

I could see a hint of blue light as I crawled through, and when I stood back to my full height on the other side, I took in a sharp breath. A pool of water glowed a cool blue, casting an eerie light across the damp walls of the cave. Stalagmites surrounded us as Dacre moved around behind me, his footsteps echoing off the walls as I took it all in.

“What is this place?”

“Most of the water from the waterfall goes there.” He pointed to the far left where a small opening seemed to go on forever.

The silence between us was broken by the gentle gurgling of the river outside, carrying its load of water downstream.

“But for some reason, this pool of water doesn’t get pulled in that same direction, and it’s always this clear.”

Dacre crouched beside the pool, his outstretched fingers disturbing the glassy surface. I stepped closer and marveled at the blue light that seemed to be coming from the bottom of the pool itself.

“Please don’t fall in. You’ll drown before I’ll be able to get you up.”

Dacre smirked. “Are you worried about me?”

“I’m worried about finding my way back out of here.” I looked back over my shoulder to the small opening we had entered through as he chuckled.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure Eiran wouldn’t rest until he found you.”

“You really don’t like him.” I turned back and studied him.

His hand was still trailing over the water absently. “That’s putting it lightly.” He glanced up at me, and I found myself moving closer to him and the edge of the pool.

“Why?”

“That’s not something I want to talk about tonight.” He reached forward, and I hesitated as his fingers laced through mine, and he pulled me closer.

He tugged me down until I had no choice but to sit next to him at the edge of the water. He settled next to me and held out the bottle of wine in my direction. I took it from him, but I didn’t drink. I simply set it on the other side of me, out of his reach.

“Don’t ruin the mood.” He narrowed his eyes, but I simply rolled mine.

“Why are you drinking so much tonight anyway?” I pushed my hair out of my face before I leaned forward and ran my fingers through the water. It was much cooler than I had anticipated, and chills broke out across my skin.

“I just needed to take the edge off.”

“Off of what, exactly?”

Dacre’s eyes moved slowly over my face as he pressed his lips together in thought. His gaze was intense and calculating, as if he wanted to know whether I could be trusted with whatever he was about to reveal.

“How much do you know about the rebellion? Like, really know?” If his words hadn’t already filled me with hesitation, the way he was looking at me would’ve.

“All I know is from what I learned at the palace.” I shrugged because it was the truth. “You probably don’t want to know what they say about the rebellion.”

He nodded, and I wondered if he already knew. Was he aware of what my father did whenever they caught someone who was actively conspiring as a rebel? I knew all too well what my father was capable of when it came to those who sought to overthrow the kingdom—memories surged to the surface of traitors dangling from the castle walls at dawn, their lifeless bodies swaying in the breeze. A chill ran through me as I recalled all those nights spent struggling to put the images out of my mind.

“Well, our rebellion isn’t what the people in that palace would make it seem. I know you hate us for bringing you here and making you join our cause, but do you know how many people we have saved from King Roan’s wrath? How many people were fearful for their lives until we brought them here?”

I shook my head because I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. I knew of my father’s cruelty firsthand, but I couldn’t imagine what he would do to strangers after what I had witnessed him do to people he was meant to love.

“Today, when we were on patrol, my father took us to the base of the waterfall.” Dacre swallowed so hard I could see his throat work with the tension. “There has been word lately of movement near there, and my father had gotten intel on a possible way into the castle.”

I tensed because I half expected Dacre to question me about this, about what I knew, but he simply kept going.

“But when we got there.” He shook his head and his gaze darkened as if he were being haunted by his memories. “There were two boys lying at the base of the falls. Both of them were dead. It was their father who had been providing us with the intel.” He looked away from me, and a flicker of remorse crossed his eyes. “He had been feeding my father information from inside the castle for years. We have no idea how they found out.”

My gut sank at his words. “Who was it?”

“What?” He ran his hand over his hair and looked back at me.

“The man who was giving information. Who was it?” I knew almost every man and woman in that castle. I had spent the entirety of my life with them, and I held my breath as I waited for Dacre to answer.

“Griffin. He was an adviser to the king.” He carefully watched me for my reaction.

I gave him none. Even as my heart felt like it was beating out of my chest. I hadn’t liked Griffin during his time as one of my father’s advisers, but I had cared for his boys. And if what Dacre was saying was true…

No. I couldn’t think about it.

I swallowed down the emotion threatening to drown me and tried not to let Dacre see a trace of it on my face.

Was my father responsible?

“Did you know him?” Dacre asked, but his voice was soft as if he actually cared if I had lost someone I cared for.

My throat tightened and my voice cracked as I replied, “Only in passing.” My eyes darted around us, avoiding eye contact. I tried not to think about the time I’d spent with his sons. “I did know his boys, though.”

“I’m sorry.” Dacre’s apology was like an arrow through my chest, and I struggled to keep myself composed. His words made me painfully aware that the only thing keeping me safe from becoming a traitor in my father’s eyes was the fact that he had no knowledge of my whereabouts.

But I was a traitor, just as Dacre had named me the moment we met.

I was the princess of Marmoris, and here I sat with our enemy, talking about the cruelties of my king.

A king who should have had no more loyal a subject than his heir.

My heart raced as I imagined the worst. If Dacre discovered my true identity, he would kill me without mercy or perhaps use me in ways that would make me wish for death.

I had heard of the rebellion’s cruelties just as much as I had experienced my father’s.

I didn’t want to think about which of them was worse.

“I like to come here.” The sound of Dacre’s voice pulled me away from my thoughts, and I watched him as he looked out over the water. “I come here whenever the day has been too rough or when thoughts of my mother won’t quit plaguing my mind.”

“I’m sorry about your mother.” I couldn’t remember if I had already told him that, but it felt imperative for me to say it now. I wanted to tell him that I was sorry that my own family had a hand in taking his mother away from him. That I was sorry that his mother had spent her life fighting a king who hadn’t cared if she lived or died.

My father thought of the rebellion as a nuisance, and I didn’t think he truly took them seriously until they raided the castle. But I had seen the fear in his eyes then. My father was hoarding magic from the tithe, keeping it as a way to fuel his greed for power, but I had seen the trace of doubt on his face that day. Everything he had taken from them may not have been enough.

The man had everything, and still, it wasn’t enough to protect him when his people finally decided to fight back.

I didn’t think anything ever would be.

Dacre nodded his head before he leaned back and pressed his eyes closed. “I’m too drunk for this conversation.”

I chuckled softly even though it lacked humor. “What would you like to talk about then?”

“You wearing nothing but my shirt.” He didn’t hesitate, his words coming out slow as if he could taste them, and they hung in the air like an unspoken promise, making my skin tingle with anticipation. “It’s really the only thing I can seem to think about since last night.”

I swallowed hard as I stared at him. His lashes were fanned out over his cheeks, and he looked so peaceful like this. “I was wearing more than just your shirt.”

“I know,” he groaned softly. “But all I could think about while lying there in the dark is what if you weren’t.”

He slowly turned his head toward me and looked into my eyes with an intensity that made my breath catch. His voice surprised me, soft and deep. “I kept dreaming of stripping you bare of everything else until you had nothing left to hide behind.”

I could feel the heat rising to my face as I looked away, unable to meet his gaze. “I think it’s time for us to go,” I said, my voice tight as I bit back the words I wanted to say.

“That would be smart.” He reached forward and ran his fingers over the edge of my shirt. He played with the material mindlessly, but it was a stark contrast to the fire he was stoking inside me with each assured touch. “Did you wear this tonight to punish me?”

“How in the world would this be punishing you?”

“Because you’re not mine.”

His words intoxicated me far more than any wine ever could. “I’m not anyone’s.”

His gaze darkened as it followed the trail of his hands, his touch becoming firmer. “Has Eiran touched you?”

I stumbled over my words, barely managing to squeeze out a “What?” before an incredulous scoff escaped my lips. I shook my head in disbelief. “You can’t be serious.”

“I’m completely serious.” He lifted his gaze from my abdomen to my face, and I felt a wave of rage surge through me. His eyes were taunting me with the same disdain that had been laced through every training session he’d put me through.

I quickly stood and moved away from him before I did something I would regret.

He called out my name, but I didn’t stop as I moved back toward the entrance of the small cave. Dacre was drunk, and I wasn’t in the mood to deal with him tonight. Not when he was touching me like that.

Not when I would beg him even when he was cruel.

I squatted carefully, craning my neck downward, and felt the cold, jagged edge of rock scrape against my back. I exhaled with relief when I finally emerged on the other side of the narrow passageway, only to be met by a terrifying darkness. The faint glimmer of light, which had guided me through the tight tunnel, was now completely obscured, and I fought back my rising panic as I contemplated returning to it.

“Nyra, wait.”

I was about to walk away when Dacre stumbled out of the shadowy opening, slamming into my back. His hands shot out and caught my arms before I could fall.

“What are you doing?”

“I can’t fucking see!” I said a bit hysterically.

“If you used your magic, you could produce light.”

“Oh, thank the gods. You didn’t lose your ability to be an ass in there.” I should have moved away from him.

“We wouldn’t be able to go on without that.” He chuckled behind me, and I could feel the warmth of his breath against the back of my neck.

I shivered, and I knew that he could feel it.

“You wouldn’t be able to go on without that because it’s your entire personality. I would be just fine.”

I jumped as Dacre touched the nape of my neck, and I could practically feel him smiling as he ran his nose along my skin.

“What are you doing?”

“Enjoying you for a moment.” He breathed me in, and I pressed my thighs together as the deep rumble of his voice washed over me. “There’s nowhere for you to run away to now.”

“I could yell for Eiran.” I didn’t mean it, but I knew the words would piss him off. And I wanted to be able to get under his skin as easily as he was getting under mine.

“Do it.” He pulled me closer, his muscled arm wrapping around my waist. His fingertips grazed my bare stomach as he murmured in my ear, “I would love for Eiran to come back here and see us exactly like this.”

“It wouldn’t matter.” My body trembled beneath his strong grip as he stepped closer, pressing himself against my back. His warm breath hitched in my ear as I said, “We’re not doing anything.”

“Aren’t we, though?” He pushed in closer to me, pressing his hips against mine, and I could feel the hard bulge of his arousal pressing against my ass, sending a thrill through me at the realization of my power over him.

I closed my eyes and felt his warmth through my clothes as strong arms wrapped around me. I wanted to stay in this moment, but we shouldn’t. “We should go back,” I said quietly.

“We shouldn’t,” Dacre groaned against my neck, and the sound made my stomach ache as it tightened. “I’m not ready to go back yet.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to beg him to touch me, but I didn’t want to give him anything to use against me later.

“You’re drunk, Dacre.” My words were low as if I didn’t want them to be true.

“I’m thinking more clearly than I have in a very long time.”

The words washed over me like a wave of warmth as his lips ran over the edge of my earlobe.

“I swear they went this way.” Eiran’s voice carried to the back of the cave where we stood, even though we couldn’t see him, and Dacre stiffened behind me. “Do you see them?”

“No. Come on, Eiran.” That was Wren. “Dacre is more than capable of taking care of Nyra.”

Dacre’s hand traveled slowly across my body, sending a shiver through me as his fingers lingered along the soft skin of my neck. He moved upward and cupped my mouth with long, gentle fingers, pressing just hard enough to keep me quiet.

His hot breath breezed over my ear as he uttered an emphatic “Shhh,” and his other hand slid under the hem of my shirt, pressing lightly against my belly.

“Dacre.” The sound of his name was muffled against his palm, and he groaned against the back of my neck.

“Gods, I love when you say my name.” His hand flattened on my stomach and tugged me harder against him, harder against the evidence of how badly he wanted me. “I love it even more knowing that Eiran is looking for you.”

My mouth opened, poised to return a witty retort, but before I could utter a word, his finger grazed just between my lips until he ran it along the tip of my tongue.

“Nyra!” Eiran called out, and Dacre chuckled softly.

“I’ll let you go back to him on one condition,” Dacre breathed against my ear. “Tell me you don’t want me, and I’ll let you run off with him.”

I opened my mouth, ready to do exactly as he instructed. But before I could speak, one of his hands slipped from my mouth, trailing down my neck, and the other moved slowly against the edge of my trousers, his fingers tracing gentle circles that left me breathless.

All I could think about was that damned hand of his and how the tip of one of his fingers slipped just below the edge of my pants.

“Are you wet, little traitor?” he whispered in my ear, and a moan passed through my lips that I couldn’t stop.

I wished I could stop my reaction to him, but I had told so many lies that I couldn’t resist telling him the truth.

I nodded my head, but that wasn’t enough for him.

“Use your words, Nyra. I need to hear you say how badly you want me.”

Embarrassment flooded me, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. Not in the dark where no one else could see me or hear me. “I am.”

“You are what?” His words were a growl.

“I’m wet for you.” I could feel the moisture pooling between my thighs, and I felt like I was going to die if he didn’t touch me.

A low, guttural moan left my throat as his hands explored my body. His fingers were sure against my skin, and I felt a warmth radiating from him as he slowly slipped them beneath my clothes. My breath quivered as his fingers curved around my flesh, drawing circles that made my legs tremble with anticipation.

He took my chin in his hand, his calloused thumb gentle against my skin until my lips collided with his.

The kiss wasn’t gentle or teasing, it was punishing and brutal, and he grazed his teeth over my lips before he forced himself inside and tasted my tongue with his. His fingers explored and pushed more firmly against me, and I jerked forward in his arms.

It was the first time I had been kissed, and it was nothing like I expected. I had dreamed of this moment for years, but somehow, this was more.

His fingers slipped lower, toying with me as he traced over every part of me, and he groaned when he was met with the moisture that waited there for him. “Gods, you are so wet for me.”

I kissed him hard, trying to keep my whimpers of pleasure contained, but he lifted his thumb and pulled my lip from my teeth. He rubbed the tip of his thumb roughly over my lip before he moved his mouth back to mine and teased it open with his tongue just as a finger slid inside me. I froze for a second before his palm began to rub soft circles on my sensitive clit.

I had never been touched like this before, never felt so utterly out of control.

I leaned back into him, feeling his muscles flex under my touch. His breath hitched against my mouth as I ran my hand up his thigh and dug my fingernails into his leathers.

“Nyra!” Eiran called again, and I quickly turned my head in the direction of his voice. I still couldn’t see him, but I could see the edge of a light coming our way.

“Dacre.”

“Don’t you dare.” His fingers started pumping in and out of me gently, and my thighs tightened around his hand. “I’m not letting you go anywhere until I can taste your cum on my fingers.”

I sucked in a sharp breath because I had never been spoken to like this before. I was the princess, and everyone treated me as if I were going to break at any moment.

But Dacre didn’t.

And his words did nothing but make more wetness coat his fingers as he continued to work me.

“Do you want to come?” he asked so quietly I thought I imagined it.

“Yes,” I breathed, and he entered a second finger inside me.

I felt so full. Too full, and I whimpered as he moved his hand harder and faster.

“You’re taking me so good, little traitor.” He nipped at my ear, and I felt the move all the way to my core. “Gods, I can imagine how well you’ll take my cock. I could die thinking about this tight little pussy wrapped around me like it was made for me.”

My stomach tightened to the point of pain, and I pressed back against Dacre, letting him support my weight as I focused on nothing but chasing the high he was giving me.

“You like that idea, don’t you? Me buried inside you while you cry out my name.”

I nodded, but his command was immediate. “Words.”

“Yes.”

“Good girl.” He pressed his length against my ass, and I whimpered. “I would reward you so well.” His palm pressed harder against my clit, and I didn’t think I could handle another second of it. “I would feast upon this pussy like I had been starved for years.”

I cried out, but he wasn’t done.

“I have been starved, Nyra. Until you.”

The dam broke inside me, and I cried out his name as pleasure coursed through every inch of me. His hand didn’t stop its assault on me, and the high I was feeling was enough to make me want to cry. It was too much, the pleasure too extreme, and I pressed my lips together so everyone in this entire damn city wouldn’t hear me screaming his name.

“Nyra.” It was Eiran’s voice again, this time closer, and Dacre slipped his hand out of my trousers easily.

I whimpered at the loss of him, and he chuckled softly behind me.

“Clean them.” He brought his fingers to my lips. “Unless you want Eiran to see you still dripping off my fingers when he gets over here.”

I opened my mouth immediately, greedily, and I didn’t want to admit to myself that it had absolutely nothing to do with Eiran or what he would see.

I tasted myself on Dacre’s fingers, and he pressed them into my mouth until they hit the back of my throat. Right before I thought I would gag, he stopped.

“Suck,” he demanded softly, and I obeyed.

I hollowed out my cheeks and sucked his fingers farther into my mouth. I ran my tongue over his fingers, tasting every inch of him that he gave me, until he finally pulled out of my mouth. He kissed me then, tasting me off my lips, and he groaned into my mouth just as light flooded my vision.

“Nyra, are you okay?”

Dacre let me go, and I blinked up at him before I glanced over at Eiran. He was standing about fifteen feet away from us, and he truly looked concerned. I couldn’t possibly imagine what I looked like right now to him, but shame flooded me as the shocks of pleasure still clung to every part of me.

“Yes. I’m fine.” My voice trembled, and I hoped that Eiran couldn’t hear it. “We were just heading back.”

His gaze jumped from me to Dacre before coming back to me again. “We were getting worried about you. We know how much Dacre has had to drink tonight.”

His words slammed into me, and the shame I felt a second ago didn’t hold a candle to what I felt now. It was as if Eiran was reminding me that whatever happened between Dacre and me tonight was a result of the wine and nothing else, and maybe he was right.

Dacre hated me, but tonight, he was…well, I did’t know what he was, but I could still feel his touch between my thighs.

I could feel his touch everywhere.

“I’m perfectly fine, Eiran,” Dacre said from behind me, and I startled at the sound of his voice. “Thank you for your concern though.”

“I wasn’t concerned about you. Only her.”

“I’d say she’s more than alright. Aren’t you, little traitor?” Dacre moved around the front of me, and my mouth gaped open as I watched him slip two of his fingers between his lips. He winked at me as he slipped his tongue between them. He didn’t shield what he was doing in front of Eiran, and I wanted to kill him when he finally pulled those fingers from his mouth. “Perfect even.”

“Okay.” Eiran’s narrowed gaze looked back to me, and I hated how cautious it was. Did he know exactly what Dacre had just done? What I had allowed him to do? “Do you want me to leave you?”

“No.” I stepped forward quickly and passed by Dacre before I could think better of it. “Please take me back.”

Dacre chuckled behind me, but Eiran simply nodded.

I moved to his side, but this time, he didn’t reach out to take my hand as he did earlier.

He was still watching Dacre, and the look of disgust on his face was anything but hidden.

“Come on.” Eiran waved me forward, and I walked in front of him, not waiting for him to follow.

“I’ll see you at training.” Dacre’s voice echoed off the walls, but I didn’t stop.

I needed to get out of here.