Apprentice (The Black Mage, #2)(70)

"Who's Artemis?"

"One of the palace scribes. She's not a particularly cheerful woman. I wouldn't recommend sitting next to her at any of the dinners if you can help it." He grinned, opening the door slowly to tease me. "Are you ready for-"

"You have no right to enter this chamber! What are your names? Explain yourself at once!"

Darren's hand froze on the door. His face lost all of its color. I peeked over his shoulder and spotted the Three Colored Robes and King Lucius, along with a group of what look liked the king's advisors standing around a map of Jerar and its surrounding territories. Two guards strode forward and Darren swore under his breath. "Run."

The two of us took off, racing down the hall, ducking into random passages as Darren led us on in a mad dash to avoid the two men chasing us. Darren kept changing stairwells and halls so quickly I lost track of where we were.

"Almost – just a little bit further!" Darren turned down a wider hall than the rest. Gold, real gold sconces lit the passage and there was a lush rug padding our steps. I followed, clutching my ribs – I had forgotten how much faster Darren could run; my heart felt like it was about to explode from my racing pulse…

"In here!" The prince turned a key and then yanked me into the room behind him. He threw off his cloak and the wig and tossed them into a trunk at the foot of the bed. At that same moment there was a loud knock on the door. The guards had arrived.

I ducked behind the doorframe and Darren swung open the handle with a bored expression.

"Your highness."

"What is it?"

"I'm so sorry to disturb you, your highness, but we think an elderly lady and a young woman might have passed by here – we just want to make sure that you didn't see them."

"An old woman and her granddaughter?" Darren spoke a little too loudly. "You must have been nipping at Cook's wine, Torrance, no one has been anywhere near this hall but me."

"My apologies, your highness, we were on orders to check all the rooms."

"The only one with a key to this chamber is myself – and, of course, Father."

One of the guards muttered something unintelligible and then cleared his throat. "Of course, your highness, please excuse me for the error. You said you never saw them?"

"I didn't. But if I do I will be sure to send word."

"Yes, if you do please let us know…"

Darren leaned against the doorway and folded his arms. "Tell me, Torrance, what did you think?"

"The old woman? It's hard to say who she was."

"Didn't you say there were two of them? What was the younger one like?" I couldn't see Darren's expression, but I could tell from his tone that he was grinning. If I had been standing closer I would have kicked him. What was he thinking?

"I'm sorry, your highness, I-"

"I'll bet she was pretty." I could practically hear his laughter. "Did you think she was pretty, Torrance?"

"I'm not sure, I barely caught a glimpse, your highness."

Darren sighed. "That is all, you may go. And you too, Cyrus."

As soon as Darren had shut the door I glared at him, arms crossed. "Are you mad?"

His eyes danced. "I'm allowed to have a little fun at your expense, Ryiah."

"If they find out it was me-"

"They won't." The prince took a step forward, still smiling.

"But…" I never got to finish my thought. Darren's mouth was on mine and all protests were lost in the blink of an eye.

And then we were on fire.

I broke for air, gasping. My heart was racing and my legs were shaking and my head was spinning and I couldn't think, I couldn't—

Darren's hand grazed my waist as he pulled me back to him. "Ryiah," he said.

The two of us stumbled across his chambers. Behind me I heard the thud of something loud. Books falling to the floor. Darren pressed me against his bedside table and kissed me again, slowly, one hand cradling the back of my neck as he laid me down. Unable to stop I slid my hand under his shirt and felt him swallow. His chest was hard with smooth ridges and curves against the lean muscle. My hand trembled. I wanted to run my fingers across every inch of him and it scared me how badly I wanted to do it now.

Darren's hand ran down my ribs, my waist, my thigh, and then hooked up under my knee. I had to bite my lip as he pulled me even closer, not caring that the hem of my dress was riding dangerously high. Every part of me was burning higher and higher and higher and I knew we should stop but I couldn't bring myself to move even if I wanted to because, gods, Darren's hands were on my skin and in my hair and my entire body was a quivering mess.

Darren's breathing wasn't so steady either. His mouth fell to my shoulder and a whimper escaped my lips. Was that really me? I started to pull away, embarrassed, but Darren took my chin and kissed me hard, biting the bottom of my lip until I gasped.

My nails dug into his shoulders and I kissed him back, melting and burning and unable to keep my hands to myself. Gods, I was losing myself in what it felt like to be near him. Darren was dangerous, driving me to forget everything and everyone but this moment and I didn't ever want it to end.

Any semblance of control was broken. The non-heir choked my name, picking me up and throwing me onto his bed. Soft pillows feathered my fall. Darren's face was flushed and his eyes were wild as he pushed my wrists up against the frame.