The Siege of Shadows: Book one

Thorns of the Throne (31)

Descending the steps, I felt Kael's presence before I even saw him. His large hand wrapped around my wrist, steadying me, and though it seemed like he was controlling me, I knew better. It was for my benefit, but that didn't mean I had to like it. My irritation flared, and I yanked my arm free, but he only tightened his grip, unbothered by my resistance.

The doors slammed shut behind us, and Kael's voice dropped, low and rasping. "You did well. Now, we prepare for dinner."

I didn't respond. My mind was still spinning, reeling from the king's cold touch, from everything that was happening to me. His scrutiny, the way he sized me up like a piece of meat—it made my skin crawl. I had no intention of letting it show, though.

Kael's grip on my arm remained firm as he guided me down the castle's twisting halls, his pace unhurried, but I was practically dragging myself behind him. Every step felt like a weight, the silence between us thick with things unsaid.

When we reached his room, he guided me inside and slammed the door behind us, locking it with a finality that sent a shiver down my spine. Kael turned to face me, the tension in his posture noticeable, but his eyes—always so unreadable—had a flicker of something that I couldn't place.

He backed me against the door with deliberate force, his body just inches from mine. Without hesitation, his hand moved to my face, his fingers rough as they traced the sharp lines of my jaw. There was no gentleness in his touch, only that same steady, calculating intensity. His bare fingers burned against my skin in a way that made my blood race, a stark contrast to his usual cold, stoic presence.

I didn't back down. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" I snarled, my voice sharp.

Kael didn't flinch, his eyes flicking over my face, his gaze lingering as if he were trying to read every hidden thought I had. "You're changing," he muttered, his voice gravelly, almost too quiet.

My heart stuttered, but I refused to show any weakness. "Oh, really? I hadn't noticed."

His lips twitched, an almost imperceptible smirk threatening to surface. He examined my hand, turning it in his grasp to study the sharp, black-tipped nails that were starting to feel like a curse. "They weren't this sharp before. And they weren't black," Kael said, voice still low but with a hint of something I couldn't quite place—concern? Amusement? Whatever it was, it stirred something dangerous in me.

"Fascinating," I shot back, pulling my hand from his, "but I'm not interested in your fucking observations. Leave me alone."

The tension between us thickened, and I swear, for a moment, his expression faltered. He didn't move, didn't step back. If anything, he loomed closer, that dark helmet of his casting a shadow over us both. "You're not human anymore," he said, his voice unyielding, hard. "You're changing, and you need to accept that."

I wanted to retort, but the heat in my chest flared hotter, my temper rising with every word. "Not human? You've got some fucking nerve, Kael. Don't stand there and act like you know everything about me. You don't know shit."

For a second, I thought I saw something flicker in his gaze—a flash of something almost vulnerable—but it was gone in an instant, replaced by the usual stoic mask. He tilted his head slightly, studying me with that unsettling intensity that made my stomach tighten. "This place is changing you. You can't ignore it. The magic here—it's waking something in you."

The magic, the Veil, all of it. It was too much to absorb, too much to take in. My mind was spinning, but I kept my feet grounded, my eyes narrowing as I stared up at him. "And what the hell do you want me to do about it?" I snapped, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Sit back and let it happen? Just let you tell me how to feel? How to be?"