Crown of Feathers (Book 2 of the Crown Trilogy)

Thirteen

I tug down my ruined dress with the slit along the side now ending at my waist. I pull both ends into one hand, take a step, and the skin-tight material slips from my grasp. A sigh falls from my lips as I work to figure out a way to get back to my room without someone catching a glimpse of my undergarments.

Kyron's warm chuckle washes over me. He stands in front of the alcove, tying his trousers and watching me from under his lashes.

"Someone is proud of himself," I say, trying again to close the gap.

He stands up straight and props his forearm above his head on the wall. "Don't blame it all on me; you're equally responsible for this mess."

"If you weren't so irresistible, maybe I'd have some self-restraint." I mumble.

"That angers you?"

I give up on the fabric and drop my hands to my sides, clapping them on the thighs. "Yes. No. I...I just wish I weren't finding you so irresistible under the circumstances."

With a slight smile, Kyron grabs each side of his leather jacket and pulls it off. He wraps it around my shoulders saying, "Even if you don't want to admit it, I know you have always found me alluring."

"It's the bond."

He hooks his finger under my chin and lifts my face to his. "Our bond is more than an uncontrollable fate; what we feel for each other transcends power and higher beings. It is ours."

"You have a lot of pretty words, Your Grace," I whisper.

"Don't do that; you know they are not just words; they're the truth."

I pull my face away from his fingers. "Just because we had sex doesn't mean everything between us is fixed. I don't trust you, at least not with my heart. Parah bond or not, I won't let you in like I did before. I won't give you the chance to hurt me like that again."

"I understand, and I promise to make things right between us."

"I don't think you can."

He looks right into my eyes and says, "Then I'll spend the rest of my life trying."

"We have a lot to overcome, and I don't know if I can do it."

"We will."

Every cell of my body wants it to be the truth, but it is impossible to imagine rectifying the damage done. It is more than my broken heart. We are up against the legacy of our predecessors. How do we end decades of a bloody war without one of our kingdoms bending? Our people are resolute in their beliefs. Mine don't want to succumb to power-lust and his are content to take what isn't theirs—not to mention they would experience painful withdraws. Who gives in so him and I can build a life together?

It won't be Lucent.

Kyron gathers our crowns from the floor and offers me his arm. "Let's get you back before we are discovered. A Lucent and a Stigian copulating in the hallways would be scandalous."

"Statera forbid we give the people something to gossip about," I say, taking my crown and placing it upon my head.

We turn into our wing of the palace, and Zek lifts his head and lowers the front legs of his wooden chair to the floor. With raised brows, he stands and looks me up and down—my torn clothes, puffy lips, and messy hair. Zek's fingers skim the pummel of his sword, and as we move closer, Kyron returns his glare with a smug smile.

I pull Kyron's jacket tighter around me and smack him in the stomach with the back of my hand. "Contain yourself. You've not won; I'm still sleeping in my room alone."