Page 84 of Wild Flame

Our people,I thought.

And it was not just his men, I realized. I had forgotten about the many guards and servants that were about. And Zara had apparently followed me all the way from the gardens as well. She was looking on with a broad smile. Selasi and Yesh, who stood not far from her, were fighting grins.

“You’re smiling,isholet,” Malik teased, though his eyes shone as he said it.

“Put me down,” I huffed.

“No.” He smirked. “I like you right here.”

“I thought you had somewhere to be?” I reminded him, feeling the need to distract him so I could get these unruly emotions of mine under control.

His expression sobered, and I instantly regretted reminding him of his upcoming journey. He sighed. “You’re right. As much as I would like to stay and explore this new affectionate side of you, we do need to get going.”

He finally put me down, then he crouched, picked up the flower, and slid it behind my ear. “I will see you when I return tomorrow, and we will explore then.”

“May The Warrior walk with you and The Maiden keep you safe on your travels,” I murmured.

Chapter Thirty-One

“Selasi?” I asked the next morning as we strode down the corridor. Malik hadn’t yet returned, and I missed him. After he and his men had left, the rest of the day dragged by, and that night our bed felt empty without him.

“Yes, my queen?” Everyone had begun referring to me that way since the Marking Ceremony, and the new title felt foreign to my ears.

“Do you like guarding me?”

His brow wrinkled in confusion. “Of course, my queen. I do whatever my king asks of me.”

I had to be careful how I worded this since I didn’t want to insult him, but it was a question I had had for a while. “Yes, but you are First Warrior. Do you not feel like you should have a better assignment than protecting me? Don’t you wish to protect your king?”

Understanding dawned on his face, and he smiled. “No, my queen. Guarding him would be an honor, but King Malik asked me to guard what is most precious to him. I do not take that lightly.”

Touched by his words, I simply nodded. We walked on and were about to turn the corner when a familiar voice stopped me in my tracks.

“. . . thatgirlhas no fire in her soul,” Priya said, a hint of a sneer in her cajoling tone. “She cannot possibly be making you happy.” A pause. “We were lovers once. I see no reason why we could not be so again.”

“Oh, you do,” a masculine voice replied, a voice that was so familiar it made my heart drop.

My blood ran cold. Was she talking to—

I turned the corner—praying to the Nine gods I was wrong—and came to an abrupt halt as disbelief, hurt, and anger warred inside me.

Malik stood in the center of the corridor, still wearing his armor and obviously having just returned. Priya was draped against him, her hand pressed to his chest, and her face mere inches from his. She was staring up at him with blatant invitation.

But the worst part—the part that made my stomach knot—was that he was staring down at her, his big hand clasped over hers. Firey hot jealousy took root in my belly, along with a sharp stab of pain.

Selasi cursed under his breath at my side.

Both their heads turned in our direction. If their dragons had been with them, they would have been alerted to my presence much sooner. But luckily—or unluckily for me—that wasn’t the case today.

But I didn’t care. I only had time to register the flash of triumph on Priya’s face and the frustration on Malik’s as he dropped her hand, nearly shoving her away. He held up a hand, taking a step towards me. “Siren—”

But I wasn’t listening. The blood was rushing in my ears. I turned and fled.

“Leida!” Malik yelled. “Leida, wait!”

I wasn’t quite running, conscious of the fact that I was in public, but my footsteps were hurried as I tried to contain the swirl of emotion inside me.

We were lovers once.I felt like I might throw up.

---