Kissing Danger ✔️

TWENTY SEVEN

Word Count: 2116

~Aven

"This doesn't mean I fully trust you."

Stace smiles, busing himself on the other end of the bedroom. I'm only half grateful that Stace is in this room to protect me against Larsen who is somewhere deep in this manor, but since I'm also kind of scared of Stace too, I'm not sure how to feel. There is only one bed in the room, which is thankfully a decent size, so I can avoid touching him at all cost.

I don't know what I'll do if I feel that spark again...I don't know how much of my resolve will start to melt away.

"I understand," he responds, although my eyes narrow on his smirk before he turns away, adjusting some of the pillows on the bed.

Turning around, I open the nearest dresser to see Stace has used his usual magic to fill the drawers with clothing for me, to which I pick the most conservative sleeping option. "What are we going to do while we are in Territory Three?"

"Other than being very cold." I can hear the smile in Stace's voice, although I don't feel so excited to plunge back into the snow, even if I find the heat here overwhelming. I'm just grateful now, with the window open, a coolness has blanketed the land. "Enjoy the views, have a few drinks and relax. There's not much more we can do there."

Relaxing does sound nice...

I turn around, heading toward the adjoining bathroom, bed clothes in hand. "Who rules there? More Noble's?"

"No, a royal family," Stace calls out from the other side of the ajar door while I dress. My heart flutters uncontrollable until I'm fully dressed again, trying not to think of what would happen if I walked from this room with absolutely nothing on...how Stace would react. "Their daughter, Novalie is set to take over the throne soon."

"That's impressive," I note, tossing my clothes from the day atop the dresser before crawling onto the bed. Stace stands near the window, looking out at the city lights that dot the view.

"We will be avoiding them this time," he exhales. "The current Queen doesn't like me very much."

"I'm okay with that." I could go a long time without meeting any more powerful people running Territories after all these Noble's...

Stace turns back to look at me, shadows playing along the fine contours of his face. It's hard to forget how breathtakingly beautiful he looks. All these Noble's, as handsome as they are, hardly compare to him. Stace, however, isn't as easy to look at, an unspeakable darkness about him that makes people shy away from him, but it only intrigues me more. There is something about him...Something that I'm dying to uncover.

"What made you decide to stay the night with me?" he asks softly, the tone of his voice deep and suggestive, skating across my skin, making me shiver.

I pull the covers up, tucking my legs under as I consider what would be the next, most unfortunate option would have been. "Eryk still kind of scares me."

"And I don't?"

A challenge gleams in Stace's eyes. I don't say a word as he steps forward, making me grateful his bed clothes are loose cotton pants and a shirt and nothing more revealing as he pulls the covers back on his side and clambers into bed. I shift, trying not to slide into the dent in the bed toward him.

"Oh you do," I breathe, sinking down deep into the pillows. "But I get the feeling Eryk only bothers with me because he has a job to do."

"Eryk doesn't always like people. But he will warm to you, I promise," Stace assures me.