Page 32 of Fearless

My eyes lift to his, and whatever it is he sees within them has the Enforcer looking at me as though I’ve already become his queen. And some possessive part of myself aches to command him to never look away.

My touch travels lazily up his chest, fingers outlining the swirling tattoo etched above his pounding heart. The sky cries steadily above, speckling us with water. But Kai barely seems to notice, his attention fully on my hand now twining around his neck.

His sword clatters to the ground. Strong arms wrap suddenly around my waist before another drop of rain can fall from the sky. I’m being pulled closer, pressed flush against his solid body. With a tilt of my chin, he murmurs against my lips. “My pretty Pae. Tell me you missed me.”

Our lips brush, and I can taste his desperation for me. I smile.

My response is a swift hook of my foot behind his. With a firm tug, I accomplish something few have ever done.

I send the Enforcer sprawling into the dirt.

My voice drifts into the night like the cloud of dust between us. “I missed kicking your ass.”

“Oddly enough”—his smile is crooked—“so did I.”

He attempts to pull me down with him, but I dance away from hisgrasp with a laugh. “I have more Trials to train for. So no more distractions.”

“You started it, Gray.” He seems content to stare up at the starry sky, even as it cries steadily. “I was trying to keep my hands to myself.”

“Well, don’t,” I offer. “Fight me.”

My words have him sitting up solemnly, ignoring my request. “I hate that you’re being thrown back into this.” I feel his head shake. “You should have never agreed to these Trials.”

“Well, it was nice to have a choice this time.” I swallow my bitterness. “Besides, it was the only way. I mean, you saw how the court reacted—”

“Yes, because they want to watch you die.” He tears himself off the ground, standing swiftly to his feet.

“So I won’t,” I say, with much more confidence than I feel. “I need to do this. And if I die, then make me a martyr.”

“Amartyr, Paedyn?” His laugh is void of humor. “Do you even hear yourself? Part of you has already given up before even starting.”

“I’m not giving up; I’m being realistic.” My words are clipped. I’m stunned by how suddenly this conversation escalated. “I could die—”

He closes the distance between us, pressing rough palms against my cheeks. “So damn the Trials. Pae, let me force every person in this kingdom to their knees for you.”

“This is so much bigger than me now.” I shake my head in his hold. “I have to do this.”

His hands slip from my face, wet with rain. “Just like you have to marry Kitt?”

The words hit me hard, as if we were fighting with our fists. It pains me, that look in his eyes. The one that pleads for a different, happier ending to our story. “Yes,” I whisper. “Just like I have to marry Kitt.”

He lets out a slow, steadying breath. I watch him regain his slippingcomposure. His next words are blunt, laced with defeat. “Fine. It seems you’ve already decided your fate. And I won’t be in it.”

“But I want you in it,” I force out. “We just need to be careful. Kitt can’t see us together. It… it will only make everything more complicated.”

“Right.” He stiffens slightly. “Pretend.”

“And if I want to survive this, I should train,” I add quickly.

Kai takes a step back, his head shaking. The movement is more terrifying than him swinging a sword at me. “If you want me to fight you, I won’t, Paedyn. I told you in that field of poppies how I would never do that again. That when I lay a hand on you, it would only ever be in a caress.” Raindrops drip from his lashes, but he doesn’t dare blink as he murmurs, “And I plan to keep that vow.”

A long moment passes between us, in which I attempt to fathom just how much he cares for me. And nothing has ever felt so right, vowing to never fight the Enforcer again. So I smile up at him, a bead of water sliding down my nose as I attempt to tease. “If you were sick of getting your ass kicked, just say that.”

The corner of his mouth lifts begrudgingly. “Oh, is that what you think?”

“Let’s just say I can sense it.” I lean in, whispering, “I’m kind of a Psychic.”

The last thing I see is a shake of his head before the world flips upside down. I squeal when he throws me over his shoulder, hair dangling and face angled toward the now-muddy ring.

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