Xlynor's POV
I leaned back against the kitchen island the moment Ivara left, pressing my palm against my face.
What the hell was wrong with me?
First, I felt a spark of genuine pride when I caught her scent at the banquet—proud that my little bird had escaped so quickly and cleverly.
Then the realization of what she had really done, and how stupid it was—dawned on me, and I got angry. She literally went against me, then slapped me as if she hadn’t committed enough offenses already.
I intended to punish her properly, to teach her that actions had consequences.
But I couldn’t do it.
For some twisted reason, her slap hadn’t even felt disrespectful… in fact, it stirred something within me. But then it was still wrong.
And even when I wanted to punish her, the thought of it made me unco
