I stood on my spot, even though I was ready to collapse.

  He looked at me thoughtfully. “Back at the castle—”

  “Don’t.” I closed my eyes.

  He placed his hands on my shoulders. “I would never have allowed you to die with that monster. I hope you know that.”

  I opened my eyes. “It sure looked like it.”

  “Elliot acted on my order. You were under our protection.”

  “I don’t know if I believe you,” I whispered.

  He saw my tiredness and placed me on the chair. “Enough. Take off your coat and boots. You have to get yourself warmed up.”

  I nodded. I was too tired to argue.

  When I removed the boots, the pain hit my toes. I hope I hadn’t injured them in the cold. But after wiggling them for a while, I realized they worked.

  When I rubbed my sore toes, I noted him taking off his shirt.

  I lost my breath.

  He was gorgeous. Oh, I had known that. I had been observing his body from the first time I saw him but seeing it bare and this close . . .. A body of a warrior bore many scars. But those muscles. He was so lean and strong. He was perfect. I let my eyes drift up and down his body. The shape of his muscles, the scars.

  I wasn’t cold any longer.

  The same feeling that I had felt for him on the first ship journey from Karis came back and swooshed over me like a wave. I remembered his kisses, I recalled how it felt to graze his skin.

  Averting my eyes, I felt the blush rising on my cheeks.

  I took off my coat and groaned when the cut on my shoulder started to throb.

  “Are you injured?” he asked and knelt by my side.

  “Yeah, a cut,” I whispered. I was suddenly feeling nervous.

  “Let me see,” he said and revealed the torn shirt from around the cut. I allowed my eyes to linger on his back muscles, focused on the heat radiating from his body.

  His fingers gently examined the cut. “It’s not too bad. You need to clean it.”

  “Yes,” I said.

  He took a few steps away. He turned and looked at me. “I was never going to abandon you. I gave you a promise.”

  “Yeah. You did.”

  I didn’t know if he was speaking the truth. I wanted to believe him. He had promised to keep me safe, to let me go home after this. He had helped me out from the maze, but was it only because of the cylinder? He had betrayed me and kidnapped me. And yet when he looked at me like that—with fire in his eyes, erotic energy radiating from him—I knew it. I had fallen for him somehow. At what point, I didn’t know.

  It was madness.

  “We are alive, Gina. After all that . . . you and me,” he said gently.

  I looked at his body, slowly examining his chest and abdomen, following his muscles that vanished under the waistline of his trousers. My eyes returned to find his eyes burning with fire that I knew was directed to me.

  He changed from one foot to another. “I think—”

  “Can I take a bath?” I breathed out.

  He nodded.

  I passed him to take a look at the hot spring. The water was crystalline and steam rose from it. The pond was molded as a shape of an oval, and it had a ledge for someone to sit on. Small stone steps lead down to the water. Gathering my bravery, I started to peel off my clothes. First, I opened the strings of my pants and pulled them down. After I had taken them off, I delivered a shy look at him. “Could you turn?”

  His eyes drilled into me. He slowly shook his head, challenge in his eyes. I turned my back to him and started taking off my shirt. My heart was fluttering. I could feel his eyes on me. There were sparks between us, and I knew something was about to happen. I desired something to happen. I decided not to care of anything else. Gradually lowering my underwear, I finally stepped out of them. I was suddenly feeling shy. My body was bruised all over, probably skinnier than I had been formerly, and my hair was so short. But did it matter? This was me now. I had a body of an adventurer, not a merchant’s daughter.

  I heard Nick’s breaths behind me. Standing like this, naked in front of him, was scary and at the same time, exiting. Taking a breath, I tiptoed on the cold plank floor and crouched down. I descended the steps and carefully sank my toes into the hot water. I let out a soft moan when they started tingling in the hot water. Gradually, I eased my way fully in and sat down. The heat surrounded my body all the way to my neck, and I relaxed. With a sigh, I let my head fall back.

  Only at that point, I dared to look at him. His eyes were darkened, nearly black. He took deep breaths and stared at me.

  “We can both fit in here,” I whispered.

  Tilting his head, he examined me. What was he thinking? Didn’t he want me after all? I wanted him. I knew it. If I was honest with myself, I had wanted him from the first time I had seen him. But all that had happened . . .. I discarded the thoughts as soon as they came. Right now, I cared nothing of charms, the Divided, the Guild, politics. All I wanted was to feel his skin next to mine. To be touched by him.

  Without averting his stare, he gradually elevated his hands and removed his pants. My heart started a loud gallop. He was masculine and gorgeous, built with firm muscles, harsh shadows, and radiated power. My heart fluttered in my chest like a butterfly. The heat started building up in me, creating a burn in my lower belly. I couldn’t tear my eyes off from his body.

  He walked to the edge of the pond and stepped down. The water splashed when he dipped in. Swirls caressed my thighs. My skin seemed to have increased senses, rising on goosebumps. He sat next to me and rested his head on the edge. I wanted to caress him so badly that it was like a sheer pain inside me, but fear of the change in our relationship kept me still.

  I started to wash the cut in my shoulder, but he said, “Let me help.”

  I nodded. Taking my wounded shoulder in his hands, his fingers slowly started washing the cut. I looked at the ceiling, feeling his closeness scream at me, feeling his tender touch on my skin.

  But too soon, he let go of me. My skin was already missing his touch.

  “There you go.”

  “Thank you,” I whispered, not looking in his eyes.

  I was a coward. I didn’t know if he could see the turmoil inside me.

  I felt his eyes on me. I felt it, even if I didn’t see it. My whole body tingled with his gaze investigating my exposed body. My cheeks flushed. Maybe from the heat of the water, but again, maybe because of my burning need. My breathing grew deeper. I enjoyed the feeling of the water swirling on my tender skin when my chest heaved the rhythm of my breaths. I finally turned to look at him.

  He didn’t say anything.

  We didn’t touch.

  We merely stared into each other's eyes. I noticed we were breathing at the same time. My fingers itched to graze his skin. I could detect his familiar scent in my nose—sweat, musk, something salty. I studied his body, his scars, and firm muscles. I was on the verge of exploding just from the thought of his naked skin touching mine.

  “Please ask,” he said.

  “Nick,” I whispered, closing my eyes. What was I doing? My brain told me this was a terrible idea, but my heart told me otherwise.

  He spoke once more, “Ask. Me.”

  I knew that with a couple of words, I would have him. He had promised he wouldn’t touch me unless I asked. I couldn’t keep it in any longer. I desired him. I had desired him for a long time.

  Discarding the walls I had built around my heart, I finally breathed out, “Please . . . touch me.”

  He extended his hands to me, entwining his fingers into my hair, pulling me closer to him and holding me steady. Our foreheads touched. My heart almost burst out from my chest. He didn’t kiss, merely held me there. Slowly, our naked bodies slid against each other in the water.

  A gentle, vibrating breath escaped from my lips.

  He placed his lips onto mine.

  First, the kiss was tender, but our passion had been building up for weeks, and soon he tilted my head with his hands, and his tongue found mine. I was dazed by the emotions, the water, and him. How familiar yet rousing it was to kiss him. Without breaking the kiss, his hands slid down my back to my bottom, and he pulled me closer to him. I wound my arms around his neck and glued myself into him. I wanted to get closer, tighter. My breasts pressed against his muscular chest, and I shuddered. He broke the kiss and started devouring my neck.

  Suffocated sighs.

  The howling wind outside.

  The splashing of the water.

  Staggering breaths.

  My fingers digging into his shoulders.

  “Why do we have this fire between us? It makes no sense," I whispered.

  “Do you remember that besides keeping you from harm, I promised you something else, too,” he whispered as he lifted my breast above the water, leaning down to caress it with his mouth. My head dropped back and I stroked his ebony hair. He delivered a bite on my nipple. The waves of pleasure washed through me. I gripped his hair in my fists and pulled his head up. He bestowed me a hungry kiss. I slid my hand down on his chest and abdomen, wrapping my fingers around him.

  “Gina . . ..” He let go of me, climbed from the water, and then reached out his hand to me. I followed, gave him my hand, and he helped me up.

  There we stood, dripping water on the cold plank floor.

  All my walls and boundaries were gone. I was my barest self. Stripped body, naked heart. If he had told me right there that this was a mistake, I would have broken into pieces and scattered on the floor like that piece of paper I found inside the damned locket.

  But he took a step forward, caressing my cheek. “I promised that when I would touch you, you would feel something. You would scream my name in pleasure. With you, darling, I fulfill my promises.”

  His hands caressed my hair, and I bent down to give small kisses on his chest, rubbing his hips with my hands. He was so lean and hard, so perfect under my hands. The taste of salt on his skin was intoxicating and I enjoyed the way he felt as I caressed his skin with my lips. He gripped my waist and lifted me. I bound my legs around him, the lust reaching new levels when I felt him between my legs. He carried me to the furs, and I lay down feeling the soft fur caress my tender skin.

  “You look wicked on that fur,” he whispered as his eyes roamed up and down my heated body. I didn’t want to hear his words. I was afraid he would say something to ruin the moment. I needed to feel. I pulled him down on top of me, and he obeyed. We kissed, and his hand rubbed my breast. Round, heavy movements, the occasional pinch to send shivers down my spine. My lower abdomen was throbbing. I was on fire. I wanted to have him inside me.

  His lips traveled to my ear, giving it a small bite. I gasped and dug my fingers in his shoulders.

  “Ah. More . . ..” I sighed, tossing my head from side to side.

  He stroked my hips, moving his hands closer and closer, soon reaching between my legs. “Are you sure you want this?”

  I gasped and squeezed his hair. He caressed me with his fingers, softly, lazily around and around.

  My hips responded to his touch. “Yes!”

  I was on the verge of explosion, but still wanting something more. He kissed me and smiled against my mouth. “Can’t hear it yet, beautiful.”

  Stroking me with his fingers, harder, deeper, I felt the heat burst into flames. My back arched when my world vibrated in bright colors. Clenching his shoulders, I breathed out his name, “Oh . . . Nicholas!”

  “There we go,” he whispered, smiling and settled on top of me. I opened myself to him. When he entered me, our gazes locked, filled with lust and even some kind of desperation, I forgot myself. I forgot everything else.

  I was satisfied, happy.

  CHAPTER 27

  I WOKE UP to whispering. I pretended to be still asleep.

  “Our troops?” That was Nicholas’ voice, I realized.

  “All in place, Master,” another voice responded. “According to the reports, nobody suspects anything. We have five thousand men and women ready to strike. When we take Dastaria and Tigras, we will get more people from there.”

  “You are getting ahead of yourself. We don’t have what it takes to take down a nation. Not yet.”

  “Master. You will discover the book. She even told you the location of the statue! It’s only a matter of time.”

  “Don’t get cocky, Maxim. It might kill you one day.”

  “Bah. The Guild can never beat us. Those idiots have been sneaking around hushing the existence of charms. Is it wonder our stock is ten times as big as theirs? Is it a wonder that we have ten times more followers? We have the chance to win this.”

  “Quiet down, Maxim. Without the book, none of it might matter.”

  “Of course, Master.” A silence. “Are you scared she will hear? Oh, you definitely can benefit from a prisoner, Master. Uh, wouldn’t you share her? It’s been a while since I tasted anything as sweet like her . . .. I bet she was extraordinary!”

  A sound of a gasp.

  “If you can’t keep your tongue, I can cut it out. She is off limits.”

  “I apologize.”

  “I must figure out how to open the cylinder. I want to unlock it before forwarding it to Father. But I possess these rings I got from the treasure room before that pirate bitch came in. Take them to my father. We must comprehend how they work. I’m certain they are some kind of weapon. Tell him we will soon find the book. If we don’t get these to work or that tube is empty, our trip to the Icy Plains was for nothing. That pirate woman got every other item from the castle. That wand she possessed . . . I want it! I would be invincible with it!”

  “Hey, now I know! Sell your prisoner to her. You saw how much she appreciated her. Maybe she’ll trade the wand to her.”

  “I am warning you. Next word that includes a hint to Gina Mansfred and the tongue comes off.”

  “Yes, Master. I’m sorry, Master. I will deliver the rings, Master.”

  “Is your group leader outside? I want to change a few words.”

  “She is in the camp, right behind the hill.”

  “Good. Let’s go. I must come back soon.”

  They left. I flashed my eyes open.

  Troops.

  War.

  The book.

  A war in Karis. My home. Father’s legacy. The orphanages. The shelters for poor. Nancy Burrows. Mrs. Hodgea. Peter the Pork. Jonna.

  No.

  Here I was in the enemy’s bed. I was torn in half, but I knew I had to do something. Nick would be back soon. I jumped up and frantically started to gather my clothes. My heart clenched inside as I looked at the bed of furs and the hot spring. A flash of a conversation we had earlier at night came into my mind. When I recalled it, I placed my hands to my cheeks.

  How could I ever leave?

  After we had made love, we lay side by side, eyes on the ceiling. I was exhausted, content, sweaty. I didn’t dare to move and thoughts swirled in my head. Were we enemies or lovers? The lines had started to blur in my mind. But the kind of magic that happened between us . . . it had been amazing. It felt like he knew every spot that made me quiver with pleasure. Our lovemaking had been so fulfilling, so thrilling.

  “What happens next?” I asked.

  “We must find the third wolf.”

  “Will I come with you?” I asked, staring into his beautiful eyes that were looking at me with warmth.

  The corners of his mouth turned up.“Yes.”

  “What will happen to me after?”

  “I honor my promises.”

  Home. He would let me return home. But did I want to? What was waiting for me back there? Silks, cotton, wool. People telling me to get married, act more like a woman, stop pretending to be a man. I missed home and I missed Jonna. I missed the Guild and Philip. But if I left, I would miss Nicholas. He slid his hand on my smooth belly. An instant fire blazed inside me. His hand drew lazy circles from one hip to another.

  His voice was gentle. “If you don’t want to go home after, you can stay. There could be a place for you with us.”

  My heart nearly burst because of his words. Stay . . . with him.

  His hand slid lower on my belly and I lost all sensible thoughts.

  “There are many parts in your body I haven’t yet examined,” he said, rolling on top of me. His lean, naked body against my tender skin ignited the flame in me again. I felt my body respond to his touch and rise to meet him.

  “If you stay, we have more time to explore.”

  “I don’t . . .. Oh, Nick.”

  I couldn’t let him start a war, but leaving him now would break my heart, and where could I even go in the snow desert? I dug the pink rock from my pocket and stared at it. It had been dim and silent for days, but now, finally, it gave out a small flash. My heart skipped a beat. Philip. He was still in the Icy Plains. I could find him with the tracker stone. I had to get away, fast. I was too deep in all this and my heart was confused. Philip would let me go home. I could tell my information to the kings and . . ..

  I stopped and closed my eyes to take a deep breath when it all sank in.

  Nick had asked me to stay.

  A man who said that he never gave his heart to anyone, a man who trusted no one. He trusted me, and now I had to break his trust. Maybe I was the monster after all. I was the one who had traded the Guild’s secrets. I was the one who allowed Nick and I get intimate, and now I betrayed him. My heart nearly shattered to pieces, but I knew I had to go. I had no one else to blame for this situation but myself. I had given my heart to someone who was not good. Whose intentions were not good. And now, my heart would break.

  Without thinking more, I took a backpack, stuffed some food in it that Nick had brought, searched for a hat, gloves, and scarf. Then I dug through his stuff and found the white cylinder he had collected from the labyrinth. At the door, I turned to look at the room once more.

  “I’m so sorry, Nick. We merely are on the wrong sides,” I whispered to the desolate room and wiped a tear away from my eyes. There was nobody in the hallway and quickly, I ran toward the gap. I saw no one outside. It was snowing lightly, but the sky was light and I knew the sun would come up soon. There were a lot of footprints in front of the hideout, and the snow would hide the rest. I escaped.

 

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