Page 55 of Powerless

Kitt stares back at me with eyes so like his father’s that I have to blink the image of the king away, forcing myself to focus on the boy in front of me instead. His smile is warm, his eyes wandering over my face. I return the action before quickly looking away, desperate to avoid his gaze as my eyes crash into a familiar pair.

I’m suddenly swallowed in the storm that is his steely gray gaze framed by dark lashes. Kai tilts his head slightly, smiling at me in a way that has me spinning the ring on my thumb nervously.

I hope he’s losing his mind trying to puzzle me out like I am him.

Kai’s gaze flicks to my thumb and the ring I’m now spinning on it. There’s a glint in his eyes when he leans across the table towards me. “Something making you nervous, Gray?”

Plagues, how can one person be so equally infuriating and infatuating?

“And what would give you the impression that I’m nervous?”

“Hmm,” he hums, running a hand over his rough jaw. “Should I start with the fact that you’re spinning that ring or the more obvious one being that you’re clutching a knife?”

I blink at him before looking down. There is, in fact, a steak knife gripped in my fist, though I’m not sure when found its way there. I stare at it, huffing out a laugh before uncurling my fingers from the handle. When my gaze finally meets his, it’s searching, softer than before.

And annoyingly enough, I’m mirroring that same look he’s giving me, though we are seeing very different things.

I see a boy who is confusing and captivating, cocky and calculating. But with every new detail I discover about him, the less I think I know. He has a soft spot only for those he loves dearly, that much is clear. But he’s built walls, guarded himself, slipped on masks, making him annoyingly difficult to decipher.

My mind wanders to our fight, to the feel of his hands on me, steady and strong. Watching him fight is like watching a dancer, one who feels the music in their soul, their very bones. He was born for battle. Raised to kill.

And I need to remember that.

I’m jolted from my thoughts when a servant reaches to grab my plate. Out of pure instinct, my fingers itch to snatch a roll or two before they are whisked away. I’m still not used to having regular, let alone nourishing, meals every day, and I find myself constantly fighting my thieving instincts when they scream at me to grab whatever food I can get my hands on.

Chairs scrape against the marble floor as those around me stand to leave. An airy, delicate voice calls out over the commotion, and we all stop to turn towards the sound. The queen has her hands folded neatly in front of her, clasped over her pristine navy gown, shimmering in the setting sunlight.

She smiles at us and the twinkle in her eyes reminds me vaguely of Kai. “Only a few more days until the first ball! Ladies, I trust you all have selected a gown, or you’ve spoken to your maids about having one prepared.”

I have most definitely done neither of those things yet.

“Oh, and don’t forget to be practicing your dancing,” the queen adds with a smile. “I trust you’ll want to make a good impression on the people.”

Oh, I’ll definitely make an impression.

She dismisses us with a nod, and I head swiftly for the door, intending to slip back to my room and seek Ellie’s council on my gown.

“Paedyn.”

My feet falter, slowing me to a stop. The warmth in that voice and the use of my name tell me it’s not Kai behind me.

No, it’s his brother.

I’ve turned on my heel and am now watching Kitt stroll towards me, his blond hair messy and his smile charming. I swallow when he steps close to me, when he looks at me with those emerald eyes he shares with a murderer.

“Hey,” he says warmly. “Mind if I walk you to your room?”

Yes.

“Not at all,” I hear myself say through the teeth I’m flashing at him.

We start walking down the hall, heading for the contestants’ wing of the castle. “I have yet to congratulate you on your interview,” he says with a pinch of pride in his voice. “Didn’t I say you’d do just fine?”

I think back to the interviews when I’d managed to make a mess of the one thing I was expected to say.

“Survival. I expect to survive this.”

I almost laugh at the thought. “Well, it’s good to know that the future king won’t have my head for screwing up his kingdom’s motto.”

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