Page 31 of Wild Flame

His gaze returned to mine then, and there was a flash of something like heat in his eyes. But it was gone in the next flicker of light, and I was left to wonder if I had seen it at all. “As I said, it makes no difference.”

Rolling my eyes at his non-answer, I turned back to face the stage. I really should just leave. I hadn’t been able to take in much of the performance since Malik had shown up. And there was no way I could concentrate now.

I was considering this when the man in question leaned down and murmured in my ear, “I like seeing you in Zehvitian garb, Princess. You could almost pass for one of us, save for this lovely pale skin,” he stroked his warm, rough fingers down the side of my cheek, “or those distinctive violet eyes of yours.”

“They’re not violet. They’re gra—” My breath caught as he turned my face to meet his, our mouths suddenly mere inches apart. I glanced down at his lips for the briefest of moments and then back to his eyes. They were studying me, as if waiting. Waiting for what, though, I wasn’t sure. I swallowed, suddenly having a hard time breathing. It took all of my iron will to force my body and thoughts back under my control.

“I think it’s time I go,” I murmured, nearly against his lips.

He said nothing, and for another infinite second, neither of us moved. Then I spun away, moving swiftly out of the crowd and out of the theater. I fought to calm my racing heart as I strode back out onto the lively street and began heading in the direction of the palace.

“I did not mean to cut your evening short,” Malik said, coming up beside me.

Of course, he had followed me.

“Stay,” he pleaded. “Surely there is something else to hold your attention a little longer. A different performance, perhaps?”

I ignored his question and kept walking, trying and failing miserably to lose him in the crowds. Why had the Nine cursed me with such blasted short legs and this blasted . . .tyrantwith such incredibly long ones?

After several moments, he huffed out, “Fine. If you insist on going back, I will accompany you.”

“I don’t need you to accompany me, Your Highness,” I hissed under my breath, but he was close enough that I knew he’d heard me. “By all means, stay and enjoy the celebration. I don’t want or need your protection or company. I am perfectly capable of returning to the palace on my own.”

To my utter irritation, he completely ignored what I said and mentioned with a hint of amusement in his tone, “That reminds me. It is rather impressive that you managed to leave your rooms without the statue or your guards noticing. I’m guessing they don’t know about your rather impressive climbing abilities?”

We were steering into dangerous waters with this line of questioning, and the man at my side looked all too intrigued waiting for my answer.

“I’ve spent my entire life going unnoticed and being underestimated by those around me. I’ve learned a few things.” And that wasn’t a lie.

I glanced over and hated how much I liked it when his face softened. “Siren—” he began, but was cut off by a guard.

“State your business,” the man said, looking us both over skeptically. We had reached the palace gate.

A muscle in Malik’s jaw ticked as he continued to stare at me for a moment before turning to the guard. He simply pulled down his head covering. “Good evening, warrior.”

The man’s eyes grew comically wide. “M-My prince!” he stammered with a hasty bow. “My apologies, Sire. I did not realize you were out and, ah—” The man finally took a second glance at me. “My lady.” He gave me a slight nod.

Malik put the poor guard out of his misery. “If you could let us in, please.” He said this with a raised brow, and I could have sworn that even in the darkness and with the man’s complexion, his cheeks darkened.

“O-Of course, my prince. Yes. Right away.”

The guard moved aside, and Malik and I strode up the road to the main courtyard at the palace entrance. I was glad I had remembered to veer in this direction at the last moment rather than toward my usual path. The last thing I needed was for Malik to see how I normally got in and out of the palace grounds. Though he had been following me, so who knew what he had seen or had been reported to him before announcing his presence earlier?

The hour was such that we encountered no one except a few stationed guards on our way into the palace and back up to my room—guards who didn’t even bat an eye at seeing their prince attired so, and with me of all people.

Neither of us spoke as he escorted me through the labyrinth that was this palace until we reached the corridor where my chamber was located.

As we approached my door, the two guards stationed there froze in surprise when they recognized me. One glanced toward the closed door, then back at me. “Your Highness, when—how did you—"

We came to a halt outside my door, and Malik shot my guards a scathing glare. “Your incompetence is astounding. If you were one of my warriors, I would have you mucking out stables for a month for this. Her Highness is fine, no thanks to you, but Isuggest you take better care of your charge in the future. Now go stand at the end of the hall.”

The two men looked first to me and then back at Malik.

“Now!” Malik barked, and the guards complied.

I turned to face him only once they were out of earshot. I thought briefly about scolding him for what he had said to them, but then thought better of it. He hadn’t been wrong. I had taken advantage of my guards' incompetence for years, after all.

“I would say thank you for escorting me, but it really was unnecessary,” I said, once again forcing myself to ignore the persistent flutter in my belly as I looked at him.

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