"I've had a brilliant idea."
Rani glances up as the King slides into the seat across from her, raising a brow, "Is that such a shocking experience that you felt the need to share?"
The rebuttal doesn't do anything to lessen Nikolai's smile, in fact, it seems to widen, "By now you should know I'm brilliant, darling."
"Debatable."
Nikolai's brow pinches slightly, "Now you don't get to hear it."
"I'm sure I could get it out of you if I wanted." Rani glances behind Nikolai, noticing the lack of a chaperone in his shadow. Hopefully, after she gave them Li this morning, they've decided she's worth a bit of trust.
That or the King told them to sod off.
Rani's not sure she minds either way.
Nikolai's eyes gleam. Rani remembers all the times she thought he looked angelic, like a Saint, warm and golden. But at this moment, the look in his eyes is almost wicked. "I think I would very much like to see you try."
Perhaps she should ask about Li, about the sudden jump in trust, but her pulse is starting to thrum at the look on the King's face. That conversation, politics and life, can wait for a moment. Even if it shouldn't.
Leaning forward on her elbows, Rani makes her eyes wide as she looks up at the King. Over the years she's mastered the art of softening herself, hiding the edges she's so carefully cultivated. She's found it to be the easiest way to get what she wants, men never seem to see past a sweet face.
"Please, tell me how brilliant of a man you are."
Nikolai laughs and her cursed, ridiculous heart squeezes just a bit in her chest, "A very nice try, but you'll have to do better than that."
"You'll tell me if you want to." Rani grins, the softness falling away like a cloak from her shoulders. Her voice dips lower, "And you're here, so you want to."
His gaze rakes over her, and if possible his gaze turns even more devious, "That is the least of what I want to do."
"Is that so."
Nikolai simply grins.
Rani has the urge to curse herself. No one in this place trusts her, she's been ostracized for weeks, but now that the King is before her again it's like the last few days never happened. The attraction between them is like a physical force. If only this was just attraction, Rani might not be so vehemently opposed, but emotionally honest communication had never been her strong suit, and love, well that was something she had ensured she was entirely unacquainted with.
She had been in exactly one romantic relationship that could be considered more than a fling. One that ended when she was branded a traitor and thrown out of the army as if losing Tara to Ravka wasn't enough of a blow. Looking back, it had clearly not been a strong connection, but at the time the sting of young love - or whatever it had been - was potent.
After that, Rani made a point of having relationships that lacked even a teaspoon of emotion.
So this, whatever this was with the King of Ravka, was a very bad idea.
She just had to keep telling herself that until it stuck.
"What happened to your handlers?" Rani twirls a finger, trying to dismiss the tingles crawling up her spine, "Aren't they worried about leaving you alone with the potential murderess."
"Potential being the operative word."
Rani narrows her eyes, "Your lack of self-preservation is really very concerning."
YOU ARE READING
heartless | nikolai lantsov
Фанфик"You enjoy knowing someone in your palace would as soon have a knife to your throat as help you?" "Oh, I count on it, keeps my wits sharp." \\ Kidnapping the King of Ravka was easy. Until it wasn't. When her plan goes awry, Rani is given two choi...
