A Kingdom of Venom and Vows (Stars and Shadows #3)(31)

The words didn’t alleviate the tension in his body. Instead, he pulled me toward him until I sat in his lap, and my legs straddled around him. His hand smoothed over my back, never leaving me as I stared up into his dark eyes. His hands were rough and calloused, but his touch was featherlight against my skin.

His magic poured from his fingers and skated over my injury. There was a moment of pain before my body recognized his magic and calmed. The burning skin soothed, and as I looked down at my arm, a small scarring of his magic formed.

The heavy beat of my heart slowed, and I leaned into him.

“You need to get some sleep.” He lifted his hand away from my arm and pushed some hair out of my face. “We will only be stopped for a couple hours at most before we get back on the road.”

“And you?” My hands pressed into his shoulders and I could feel his tense muscles beneath the fabric.

“I’m going to watch over you.”

“You need to rest too.”

But he quickly shook his head at my words as if weighed down by them. “Not tonight.” His hand caressed down my cheek gently and lingered there. “I’m going to watch over you.”

I knew there was no arguing with him. No denying the intensity in his gaze.

Evren’s guilt bled out of him—guilt for not stopping me—guilt over my father, and there was nothing that I could do tonight that would make him think differently.

He pressed more firmly against my back until I was forced to lay my head against his chest. I could hear the deep, steady beat of his heart beneath my ear, and the heavy sound lulled me to sleep even as I tried to fight it.

“Evren?” My voice was laced with sleep and barely understandable.

“Yes, princess?” Evren’s hand still caressed my back up and down in gentle strokes.

“You have nothing to feel guilty for, but I still want you to know that I forgive you.”

His body stiffened beneath me, and that soft beat of his heart picked up.

“For my father. For everything.”

His warm hand rested gently against the small of my back. I waited but heard only silence in response. His presence soothed me, the comfort it provided calmed my racing thoughts, and eventually I drifted off to sleep in his arms.





CHAPTER 13





EVREN





A dara was still exhausted. Her body rested against me as we rode forward into our kingdom after hours and hours of riding through the night.

Sorin had spotted no signs of Gavril or his men following us, but we had no powers to track him with the death magic he now possessed.

When I had seen the red smoky magic fall from his fingers while he held on to Adara, fear had coursed through my veins like poison. I didn’t know what he was capable of, but I knew that I didn’t trust him.

Not him, my father, nor the queen. The queen whose life was taken by Adara.

Gavril’s eyes had blazed with a seething fury as he watched Adara thrust his dagger into his mother’s chest. His fists clenched with unbridled rage, and his face contorted with a deadly intensity.

And I knew that this war wouldn’t end without his death or my own.

“We’re here,” I whispered against Adara’s ear, and she blinked open her eyes that she had been desperately trying to keep open.

Her body relaxed deeper against mine as she looked up at the palace before her, at our home.

I climbed from the horse before reaching up and gripping my hands around her waist. I pulled her down from the horse, and I couldn’t stop the way my teeth ground together at how light she felt in my hands.

Whatever my brother had done to her, it had taken its toll. Deep, dark circles formed under her eyes, and her cheeks had sunken in.

It did nothing but make the guilt eat at me harder.

She had been there suffering while I held her power inside me.

I held her in my arms as I moved toward the palace entrance.

“I can walk.” She smiled up at me with tired eyes.

Of course, she could, but I couldn’t take my hands off her. I needed to touch her to know that she was here, that she was mine.

If I let go of her for even a moment, I worried that she would disappear.

“Just let me.” I peered down at her as I walked into the palace.

My mother stood in the main room as we approached, but I avoided her completely as I headed toward my room. I could see the relief on her face, relief that I was home, relief that I carried Adara alongside me.

But Adara was still the Starblessed to her. She was still the girl who would fulfill our prophecy, and that thought filled me with rage.

But it was Mina who blocked my path and searched over Adara’s body with narrowed eyes. “Oh, gods. Is she okay?”

“I’m fine, Mina.” Adara gave her a soft smile before placing her hand on Mina’s cheek. Mina lifted her own, pressing it against the back of Adara’s and leaned into her touch.

“I’m happy you’re home.”

Adara swallowed hard before she answered her. “Me too.”

“She needs to get some rest,” I said as I adjusted my hold on Adara. “It’s been a long night.”

“Of course.” Mina dropped her hold on Adara’s hand before wiping at her cheeks. “Let me know if either of you need anything.”