ia's

an wasn't far off, just a few steps, with his gold eyes burning into me, looking in a way that made me feel funny. He wasn't u

I breathed, barely g

s body heat, almost like it was bur

s. I actually believed

g weak was getting louder because those Council guys weren't saying anything to stop it. But here, in this room, with R

the door, snapping

ne greeted from

ed away from Rowan, not looking at him and ignoring how tight his jaw got when

ld me, his face saying nothi

ns. Another plan to take my power away, bit by bit, u

them know without saying a word tha

dded. Watch yourselves. They're look

, waiting for me to mess up. They wanted me to

they looked either bored or like they hated me. Lord Varek, the one I couldn't stand that al

owly, it's so very ki

nted. If I slipped up and showed I

. And your...partner

he smiled. A slow, creepy kind of s

t, I repli

othing. This thing you have with this outsider has made you less in charg

. That was it-a challenge, l

thout it showing, but I knew it wasn't by ac

sn't scared. Try to take what's mine, and I'll show you how

filled t

een. I was aiming for you

lew open, and ki

d without thinking, twisting and hitting the atta

He blocked another killer from getting to me. He grow

't care that their hired thugs were trying to take o

The killer screamed. Before he could say anything else I slashed his throat. My heart was

they wer

I'd never seen him fight like that. He was tough, good at it, an

was covered in blood. I gasped for air,

ow, t

he council, his eyes fu

looking back and forth between us, li

oss in me coming ou

Oh, my Queen. The mat

t he was right. And t

ood off his hands. W

ead. I am in

ed into mine.

oors slammed

dows starte

close, and it's too much. I can smell him, the scent is dark

and hard to read. I should move aw

n your boots to

my chin. I'm not fr

ot funny or what I thought i

and make myself steady. Every muscle is te

o make contact but halts himself, he ta

ast. I can't

e doing something to me. "You dislike w

never. I

ger know what is