Page 116 of Shadow Kissed

I frown at him. “I’m not bothered in the slightest.”

He nods his head. “Good, then you won’t mind that Raegal has just escorted her onto the dancefloor.”

My eyes whip around to see him with his hand at her waist, dancing and conversing easily with her. I snort, forcing myself to turn away and focus on my dance partner. “It’s pathetic the way she throws himself at him.”

Jasiel chuckles. “She wouldn’t be the first and she won’t be the last. The ladies have always all made a beeline for our handsome commander.”

I fight to keep the smile on my face. “And I’m sure he loves the attention,”

Jasiel pulls his face. “Actually, he doesn’t. He never really cared for the attention. His focus was on being the best soldier he could be.”

I nod my head in understanding. “Because he wanted to prove to himself after what happened with his brother?”

Jasiel rears his neck. “He told you about that. Well, I’ll be damned.” He smiles. “I’m glad he has confided in you. Raegal doesn’t let many people close. He doesn’t believe he’s deserving of anyone’s time or trust.”

“I’m glad he has you to lean on, Jasiel,” I say with a smile, glad that Raegal has had this man in his corner.

“I love him like my brother,” he tells me, grinning as if he’s remembering some fond memory of their friendship. “He’s a good man, miss. I know you have your preconceptions based on the rumours about him. But underneath his ruthless façade, he’s a good man with a good heart.”

I nod my head, my eyes trailing after the man himself. He catches my eyes over the top of Shalia’s head, and he stares back at me with a hunger in his in eyes. “Trust me, miss. He’d dance with you all night if he could, but duty commands he spend time with all the chosen females.”

The dance ends and Jasiel bows to me and kisses my hand. “Okay, you’ve pawed her long enough,” Raegal says to his friend as he comes up behind me and places a hand at my waist. “My turn.” He spins me around to face him, and I flush at his nearness.

“And what if I don’t want to dance with you?” I ask with little conviction behind my words.

His answer is to smirk and take my hand in readiness for the next song. “We both know whose arms you belong in, Terror.”

“So sure of yourself, Lord Commander,” I reply teasingly, and he looks down at me with a carefree smile on his face. One I have only ever seen him give when in mine or Jasiel’s company. My heart flutters in my chest at that smile. Oh gods, I think I’m falling for him.

“What?” he asks, studying my confused face.

“Nothing,” I say, plastering on an amiable smile. “Nothing at all.” But inside I’m panicking. I can’t be falling for him, not when my part in the rebels’ plans will betray him so deeply. “Tell me of your favourite place from home,” I urge him, needing to distract my brain from its spiralling.

Raegal frowns as he considers my question. “My favourite place would have to be the lake where my brother and I wouldswim and fish together every summer. I’ll take you to see it sometime.”

I fight to keep the smile on my face even though I know I’ll never get to see it because I won’t be going to the Shadow Realm as his chosen. The rebels will hide me far away from here as part of our deal. I will finally get my freedom, a chance to carve my destiny. But what if this man before me is my destiny? If what he tells me is true, then the gods chose me to be his true blessed mate. Maybe my fate is to be with him and work to have better rights for my people.

“You’re awfully quiet, Terror. It makes me wonder what you’re plotting in that head of yours,” he says with an amused grin, pulling me from my thoughts.

“Why, your downfall, of course,” I reply with a wink. He laughs aloud, causing some of the other couples on the floor to look our way.

“If you’re to be my downfall, Terror, then I couldn’t think of a better way to go. I’d risk it all for a chance to know you again.”

I gulp. Who is this man and what has he done with the gruff and abrupt man I met months ago? The song ends and for a few seconds neither of us notice until a bell ring across the ballroom and Moryen announces it is time to reveal the top give girls. Raegal takes my hand and raises it to his lips, before he leaves me to join Moryen on the stage.

“Ladies and gentlemen. The time has come that we have been waiting for. As you know, the chosen ones have been with me and my ladies at the mansion undergoing preparation for when they do us the great honour of taking a husband from one of the many of our fine men. We are eternally grateful for the gift they give us in ensuring our people will continue on and that our race will survive. In exchange for this, we promise to protect your districts and ensure the prosperity and growth of your crops. Now, as with tradition, at each reaping, the five topscoring females are selected for the elite members of our society, often with men of the royal household or our political elite. The girls ranking in the top five have shown a level of dedication and aptitude in all areas of their teaching and are worthy of the position of a marriage within our elite.” Moryen takes the scroll that a server holds out to her on a gold platter and unrolls it to a room silent with anticipation. I look around the room at my fellow shadow kissed who all watch with a mix of excitement and hope.

“The following young ladies have made it into the top five cohort. Shalia Willowshine, Tyria Havencrag, Eilana Dewstone, Melara Pewgrain, and Eretreya Lockwood. Congratulations, ladies.”

Tyria reaches for my hand as she passes me, tugging me up to the stage as the other girls also make their way forward from across the room. We climb the steps to the raised platform, and the crowd breaks out into a round of applause and cheers. This is what I have been working for. I should be happy, but inside I’m a knot of unease and anxiety. I plaster a smile on my face and applaud my fellow students.

“Ladies and gentlemen.” Raegal steps forward to address the crowd. “I would also like to offer my thanks to the ladies standing before you and the ladies out there across the room. We know they sacrifice much to take up their place within our realm, often never seeing their families again, as someone pointed out to me recently. Mothers and fathers lose their daughters and brothers and sisters, their siblings, and it has therefore been decreed by our good king that our Shadow Kissed females shall return to Asen twice a year to visit their families and loved ones.”

My heart stutters and the noise around me fades away as I struggle to comprehend this. Tyria reaches over and pulls me into a hug, tears dripping down her face. “Reya! Did you hear that? We get to see our families again!” I nod my head, pattingher back as my eyes connect with Raegal’s. He looks at me as he applauds the news, along with the rest of the attendees.

‘Thank you,’ I mouth to him, and he nods his head in acknowledgement.

I know right there and then that he did this for me. He listened when I petitioned at the unfairness of the sacrifices we make, and not only did he enable us to have weekly contact with our families whilst at the mansion, but now we will see our families every year and get to come home. I fight the urge to walk over there and kiss him; and for the first time in a long time, a tear falls down my face as I allow myself to show vulnerability.

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