Beauty In Darkness

21

Rose might be able to assist me with her own magic once she was trained, but my heart clenched at the very thought. Even the notion of putting her in danger was intolerable. No, I had to keep her as far away from this threat as possible. The less she knew about it, the better.

“Come out and face me,” I growled to the Shadow Lord, though I knew he wouldn’t listen. He must have some qualm with me to attack my kingdom over the last few years, not just with his beasts and his darkness, but in person. I wasn’t sure why he stalked my lands, and I’d never seen him myself, but reports all described him the same: a massive, shadowy figure with pointed wings who cast black ink from his claws that quickly crept over everything in its path. He was responsible for this plague of darkness, but I didn’t know why he’d targeted us. Or how to stop him.

Once I regained a touch of my strength I walked through the town, searching for any clues as to why it had been attacked or how to stop the Shadow Lord and his minions. As usual, I found nothing. My kingdom was running out of time, and I was no closer to discovering a solution than I’d been two years ago.

Bitter frustration tore through me as I teleported back to my study with my last ounce of strength. I stumbled toward my chaise lounge, but paused when I saw Rose sleeping upon it, still in her far-too-alluring gown and wearing my mother’s jewels. Temptation urged me to run a finger along her bare shoulder, to wake her up with a soft kiss on the graceful slope of her neck, but of course I resisted.

What was she doing in my study? Was she waiting for my return? Perhaps she’d been upset at my sudden departure during supper. I’d shared a meal with her for as long as I could, despite her probing questions about my past, but when true night fell, I had work to do and couldn’t delay any longer. Work she could never know about.

I ran a ragged hand through my hair as I gazed at her. I usually passed out as soon as I returned from my nightly battles, but tonight she was in the way. An image crossed my mind of me curling up beside her, wrapping my arms around her, and pulling her body against mine, but I banished it immediately. Instead I gathered her up in my arms and lifted her carefully, my willpower momentarily overcoming my exhaustion.

She stirred slightly as she melted against me, turning into my embrace as if she belonged there, and rested her fingers on my chest. I inhaled sharply when she nuzzled her face into my neck, and I breathed in her sweet scent. Her beautiful, trusting face tilted up at me, her eyes still heavy with sleep, and a large, gaping hole opened in my chest. She made me feel all sorts of complicated, horrible things I usually kept locked deep inside. Loneliness. Longing. Desire. And something else, something I refused to even name. Something I could never feel again.

With a grunt, I tightened my grip on her soft curves and carried her out of the study through the brightly-lit halls, past the few guards who stood watch. So far, the castle had been spared most of the Shadow Lord’s wrath, though he had been spotted nearby a few times. I suspected he was waiting until I’d truly hit the end of my limits protecting my kingdom, and then he would swoop in and destroy me completely, taking everything I still held dear. Including Rose.

I wouldn’t let that happen.

With a reserve of strength I didn’t even know I had, I managed to carry my wife up the stairs and kicked open the door to her rooms. I hadn’t been in the royal consort’s chambers in years and was surprised to find they hadn’t changed much, though Rose had put her a few of her things about the room. Her mother’s old spellbook. A few trinkets she’d brought from home. A brush and a bottle of perfume. Nothing that marked this as her permanent home, not yet. As if she were still a guest here and not the lady of this castle. Not that I blamed her. It had only been a few days, after all. But I found myself hoping she would settle in and come to accept this as her new home soon.

I set her down gently on the large bed, but her fingers tightened on my shirt as if she was unwilling to let me go or wanted to pull me into bed with her. All those thoughts I’d tried to banish earlier came rushing back as I imagined how easy it would be to give in to her.

“Raith,” she said, her eyes fluttering open. The sound of my name on her lips did terrible things to me. Terrible, wonderful things.

“Shh.” I pushed a piece of silky hair back from her face before I realized what I was doing. I quickly yanked my hand away. “Go back to sleep.”

Her hands released my shirt, but then went to her neck, where my mother’s jewels were still draped across her collar. “Help me take these off.”

I removed her tiara first, before lifting her up just enough so I could unclasp the necklace. My hands brushed against her soft skin, and she let out a light sigh at my touch.

“I won’t wear them again,” she said as she climbed under the blankets, even though she was still fully dressed. Her eyes were hooded, her words heavy with sleep, which threatened to quickly claim her again.

“Why wouldn’t you?” I reached under the blankets to grab hold of her slippers and remove them. I tried to make the gesture as innocent as possible, but still felt a rush of heat as I touched her bare ankles. It had been way too long since I’d been with a woman if even her ankles, of all things, turned me on.