Master of Iron (Bladesmith #2)(82)

“I suppose,” I say.

“Even when you say such beautiful words. I never thought yet would become my favorite.”

I laugh at him. He’s so ridiculous.

“Yet is now your favorite word?” I ask.

“Absolutely.”

Shaking my head, I wrap my arms around his neck to pull his lips back down to mine. I love how warm and soft they are. I love how they part underneath mine. I love the sounds he makes and the way he touches me.

I love him, and it hurts.

Because now he’s become another thing I can lose.

We kiss for so long that I’m convinced I want to turn yet into now, but then he pulls away.

“Meeting,” he says between breaths. “We have a meeting to get to.”

The sound that comes out of me is somewhere between a groan and a pout.

His lips against my neck, he says, “I would suggest we make plans to continue after the meeting, but I already know what you’ll say to that. So maybe I’ll just spontaneously kiss you afterward.”

“It’s not spontaneous if you’re planning it!” I say, lightly smacking his arm.

“Maybe I’ll spontaneously think of it again … after the meeting.”

“You’re hopeless.”

“You’re irresistible,” he counters.

Another knock sounds on the door, and Petrik’s voice calls out, “Twenty minutes!”

I flip Kellyn over, raise up onto my knees, and then roll off the bed. “What are the odds I could get away with not showing up to this one?”

“Very slim. Unless we found a very good place to hide.”

“With all the guards spanning the full length of the palace? I don’t think we’d have a chance.”

“We could barricade the door,” he suggests.

I laugh as I see myself out.



* * *



Dressed, groomed, and with my mind fortified, I exit my room to find Kellyn standing next to a servant, both waiting for me. As the servant leads the way down the hall, Kellyn and I reach for each other’s hand at the same time.

Whereas Skiro’s palace was bedecked in all manner of art, Marossa’s is filled with taxidermies. Mountain cat heads, antlers, even an entire bear can be found spread throughout the path we traverse. It’s somewhat disturbing, but given the princess’s love of the hunt, there’s no question where all of this came from.

The meeting room has too many people. Kellyn and I try to hide in the back, but Petrik forces us to the front, right next to the royals, their guards, and their advisers.

Really, it’s amazing how many people fit in the room. And everyone’s standing, like maybe there isn’t a table in the palace big enough for us all to fit.

I fidget in place, and Kellyn pulls my back against his front, before holding both of my hands in his. It’s like he’s shielding me on all sides from everyone in the room. It’s nice.

And then I catch sight of Temra, standing next to Petrik, and I feel my eyes narrow. As if she can feel the weight of my stare, she looks up.

I give a meaningful nod between her and Petrik, then raise a single brow.

She smiles and looks away.

As though that’s all we’re going to say about it.

Not a chance.

But I let it go when Prince Skiro starts filling everyone in on the situation as it currently stands.

I try to pay attention; I really do. But I quickly become distracted by something else.

Thinking about yet.

Kellyn’s fingers draw pictures on the back of my hands, and I imagine those fingers trailing to other places. I blush furiously, but it’s not like anyone knows what I’m thinking. They’ll probably think I’m overheated. There’s a lot of people in the room. Anyone who knows me will think that’s the cause.

And damn my mind, but since we talked about it, about yet, now I’m fixating. And of course it’s all I can think about. Because that is how my brain works.

Naked bodies.

I, Ziva Tellion, am thinking about naked bodies and bedrooms and sweat and heavy breathing and— “We are adjourned until Ashper returns with news. In the meantime, we need to prepare for war.”

I startle as I realize the meeting has ended, and I zoned out for the whole thing. Bodies shuffle for the door, and I spot Temra trying to sneak out the back.

I turn to Kellyn. “I’ll see you later. I need to have words with my sister.”

“Try not to mortify her too much.”

“I will mortify her as much as I see fit.”

He grins, and I grin, and then I depart.

Petrik is only a few steps behind her in the hall, as though they’re trying to leave the finished meeting separately and failing miserably at it.

Temra lets herself into her room, and Petrik reaches the door a few steps later.

“Wait,” I call out.

Petrik’s back goes rigid. When he turns to face me, he has the look of a man caught in the act of some heinous crime.

“Petrik, I value you as a friend,” I say.

At that, his face relaxes somewhat. “I value our friendship as well.”

“Good, then don’t do anything stupid to ruin it.”

“Ruin it?”

“If you hurt my sister, I will personally come after you and remove your favorite limb with the bluntest tool from my forge.”