I toss another dress from my closet onto the floor, and with a huff, fall on top of the mountain of clothes I've already discarded. A dress isn't optimal for riding a horse and wearing pants feels so ordinary. I don't know why I'm putting so much effort into my clothing when Kyron has literally seen me covered in pig shit. But I am.
My gaze runs over the remaining items hanging and lingers on a steely gray ensemble. I stand and push the surrounding clothes to the side. The sheer ankle-length lace isn't a skirt like I first thought. It's connected to the bottom of a gorgeous, cropped jacket with a deep V neckline and delicate buttons down to the waist. Folded over the hanger is a slim satin pant, with the same lace embellishments up the side of the legs. It's perfect!
With my hair and makeup done in a sad attempt to mimic my sister's impeccable styling, I head for the stables. As I walk across the palace grounds, a gentle breeze catches the lacy bottom of my jacket, billowing it behind me in swirls which remind me of Kyron's shadows. I smile at the thought as I stare at the sky. The sun is taking its last peek of the five kingdoms before settling below the horizon, proving I'm early. If I'd waited in my room any longer, my anxiety would have only heightened until I reconsidered leaving the palace with Kyron.
Questioning what we were about to do was the last thing I wanted. Our attraction to each other is already getting the best of us. Family and friends notice our stolen glances and the uncontrollable smiles we exchange. I'll be recognized out and about and gossip is sure to follow. I'm betrothed to one of the most popular men in town and there is no way my dark-haired companion will be mistaken for Leif. Kyron and I could become the subject of a scandal, and the unleashed daydreamer inside of me doesn't give a damn.
I enter the stables and stroll down the aisle, looking for a very specific horse.
"Your Grace, may I help you with something?" A teenage boy with chestnut curls and dark brown eyes asks. He follows closely behind me, and as I reach the stall I'm looking for, he jumps in front of the gate. With a terrified look, he says, "Not this horse, Your Grace. Bite your head right off, he will. He is the spawn of demons."
I laugh, brushing the young man aside and enter the stall. "Are you being difficult again, Sammy?" Samson nuzzles his nose into my neck and snorts with joy. "Oh, I see; they are neglecting you. No one understands how delicate your feelings are, do they?" I glance back at the gawking stable boy and ask him to fetch Samson's saddle.
As I ready Kyron's horse for our trip, I'm reminded of the nights I spent with him and Nortus at Basecamp. I considered bringing my father's horse to the palace, but thought better of it. Nortus was happy to return to the fields behind our family's stable. He had served me well for the month I was away and deserved peace and wide-open spaces.
I guide Samson out of his stall and into the early evening, where I climb onto his back. I direct him to the pastures, and he sets into a gallop. The way I bounce in his saddle brings a smile to my face, and I lose myself in his carefree movements. Cool wind whips my face, filling my lungs with the crisp scent of wheat and wildflowers. The ride begs me to surrender my anxiety for what the night and reveal in the moment. I don't want this one night with Kyron weighed down with worry. My mission to save my father and the duties of the crown can wait until tomorrow.
When the last of the day's light fades away, I steer Samson to the front of the stables just in time to spot Kyron walking toward us. His hands are in the pocket of his black leather jacket and an amused look takes residence on his handsome face.
"Stealing my horse again, I see." He pets the side of Samson's neck and looks up at me.
"Just borrowing him for the night. Shall we?" I remove my foot from the stirrup and Kyron climbs on behind me.
He wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me to his chest, and I close my eyes and lean into his warmth.
"This might be the most enjoyable ride of my life," he whispers, his lips brushing the shell of my ear and sending every inch of my skin into goosebumps.
I glance at him over my shoulder and smirk. "Behave yourself, General. We're hunting for your future wife, remember?"
He scoots closer to me. "But are we really?"
I squeeze my thighs to the horse's sides, trying to subside my growing desire. "You and I already know the answer to that."
"I do, and I'm glad we will have some time to ourselves."
I can't deny that I feel the same way. I'm eager to be alone with Kyron. I nudge Samson forward, and we rush through the trees lining the property. When we near the palace gates, I steer Samson to the dirt road, and we sprint past the guards.
It doesn't take long to reach the center of town, where many of the younger citizens gather after the shops close for the day. Different musicians have claimed stake to the various corners and in between them artists, chefs, and tavern owners set up shop on the walkway, selling their goods. Colorful paper lanterns draped from one rooftop to another hang over the street, lighting it in hues of pink, green, and blue. Groups of people laugh, drink, and dance as if they don't have a single care in the world. And I'm excited about joining them.
After securing Samson, Kyron and I walk side by side, stopping periodically to admire a painting or watching a baker create foods which look like delicious works of art. We exchange our thoughts on the atmosphere around us, purposefully avoiding the heavy topics of our daily lives. I enjoy getting to know the general on a more simplistic level. It makes me feel like a normal girl.
We turn down a narrow cobblestone walkway, where the lanterns radiate an amber glow and coupled people occupy tables for two or cozy corners. A slow, wet sound comes from the tight space between two building. I look down the dark alley to where a man presses a woman against the wall, her leg wrapped around his waist. I clamp my lips together and whip my attention back to our surroundings. The bold caresses of wandering hands, faces buried in necks, and soft moans of pleasure, we're strolling the infamous Copulate Court.
This is an area which was nothing more than a rumor, a place the palace maids whisper about as they clean. I swallow down my embarrassment, hook my arm around Kyron's, and try to set a quicker pace. But his hand remains in his pocket, and he leisurely strolls along like he's basking in the sexually charged energy.
"So the armor," I say, hoping to distract him from the questionable escapades happening around us.
He glances at me and repeats, "So, the armor."
"You said the kingdom didn't have to worry about payment for what was already created."
"It doesn't."
"Did you pay for it?"
He shrugs. "I had nothing better to do with my pay. I have everything I need at camp, and have more than enough to help others, so I put the money to good use—to protect my soldiers...all of them."
His family. He would have been just as accurate to say he spent the money to protect those he loves the most. Another admirable trait to add to a long list.
I bump him with my shoulder, when his eyes wander to a woman straddling the lap of another, and say, "It was good to see Ulric today."
Kyron chuckles. "I bet Ulric wouldn't say the same about seeing me. I shouldn't have hit him so hard with my flame, but I had a point to prove, and he helped me prove it. But I'm sure he's already over it; he never holds grudges for long."
"Reminds me of my siblings." A thought crosses my mind and I debate whether to ask, but my curiosity gets the better of me. "Do you ever wonder if you have siblings or if your parents are looking for you?"
With a sigh, Kyron brings his other hand to where mine rests in the crook of his elbow and squeezes my fingers more firmly around his bicep. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't. There is a hole inside of me, waiting to be filled with knowledge and understanding and a sense of true self. But I know how powerful the addiction is, and I can't imagine my biological family thinking very far beyond it." He looks down at me with the dreaded golden glass covering his eyes. "I'd be a very different man if I stayed in Stigian, so it's hard to take for granted what I have, even if it's not perfect."
The buildings on either side of us give way to a courtyard, and in the center stands a stunning water fountain. A nude couple carved of marble embrace one another as water calmly flows over their bodies. Both figures are curvy and angular, masculine and feminine, allowing onlookers to create their own story about the lovers. At their feet, floating candles adorn the pooling water, and couples sensually dance around them to the music a quartet plays on strings.
"Will you dance with me, Kyron?"
He stiffens and clears his throat. "I've never danced before."
"Is that a no?" I ask.
Kyron studies the dancing bodies and slides his hand around mine. "I don't think I'm capable of denying you anything, Raelle."
With a bright smile, I lead him out to the courtyard and place his hands on my waist. "Just sway your body to the music and mine will follow." I curl my fingers into the silky hair at the nape of his neck, and he moves his hips, stepping to the side and then back. As his confidence builds, he moves his hand to the small of my back and pulls me closer. I study his face, memorizing every detail—his deep eyes, strong nose, and perfect mouth. My lips tingle and I rub them together, trying to satisfy the urge to press them to his. His fingers dip lower down my back until they rest on the swell of my ass. There is no longer any room between our hips as they move together.
A strand of ebony hair falls over his forehead, and I brush it back in place, letting my fingertips linger. "You implied before that your life isn't perfect, but you are, Kyron LeFur. To me, you are absolutely perfect."
The words flow out of my mouth like the water sliding down the marble bodies in the center of the fountain. I don't feel shame for my confession. In fact, it feels right to tell him how I feel.
Kyron drops his forehead to mine and whispers, "Thank you."
I rest my cheek to his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart and taking slow breaths to subside the ache in mine. If only I could always shower him with compliments and assure him that he is valued and wanted, because he is.
Rational thought says I'm investing too much too soon, but my heart firmly disagrees. I want tomemorize the plains of his body and the taste of his lips. I'm desperate tolearn more about him and share my secrets. Wrapped in each other's arms, our bodies swaying to the music, I realize I would recklessly give him everything, and nothing can make me regret it.