Page 73 of Realms of Shadow and Sun

“This is great news, hopefully that will put him in a better mood. I could tell he was frustrated that Renya wouldn't let him kill Brandle.”

Selenia chuckled, and Sion smiled at her. She felt the stirring and longing in her stomach and quickly looked away. She was thankful for the cold, which helped mask the heat rising in her cheeks.

Sion quickly looked away from her, and she tried not to sob at the rejection and instead, followed him back up to the lodge. When they got to the top of the stairs, he started walking back down the opposite hall, no doubt to fill Grayden in on Starlia's condition.

“Sion, wait,” she said, opening the door to her room. “Let me give you back your tunic.”

He met her at her bedroom door, and she tried to pull it over her head, getting one of the buttons caught in her hair.

“Ouch,” she said, tugging on it.

“Hold on, I'll help you. You're just pulling out your hair.”

The second his hand made contact with her head, she couldn't help but lean into the palm of his hand, her cheek resting there comfortably. The slightest moan escaped her lips, wanting his touch so badly that she was practically burning.

He looked into her eyes, and she could see the lust there, and it gave her a bit of relief to know she wasn't alone in her attraction. She watched his eyes move to her lips as she parted them, trying to calm her rapid breathing.

He untangled the button from her hair, not taking his eyes off of her lips, and then he held his shirt in his hand, still watching her.

And then he was kissing her, his hand cradling the back of her head and pulling her towards him, and her stomach was suddenly fluttering, like she'd swallowed the dragonflies adorning her dress. Selenia wrapped her arms around his torso, and he groaned into her mouth.

Spurred on by his response, she stood on her tiptoes and moved her fingers along his collarbone, dancing along his strong shoulders. He grabbed her roughly, pressing her body close to his, and her eyes widened as she felt him harden against her abdomen.

She backed into her room, needing him in a way she had never needed anyone or anything before.

“What is going on here?” Phillippe's voice thundered and Selenia opened her eyes, and saw the panic in Sion's.

Phillippe's fist made contact with Sion's jaw, and he spun back away from Selenia and hit the wall.

“What do you think you're doing to my sister?” Phillippe roared, cocking his fist back to hit Sion again.

“Phillippe, stop!” Selenia screamed, trying to grab his arm before he could take another swing at Sion.

Sion's lip was bleeding, and he was trying to tug his tunic back on as quickly as he could.

“What's happening?”

Selenia groaned as Grayden joined them in the hall, the door to his own chambers wide open. Selenia could tell from his hair and the way his own tunic was on backwards that he had been busy with his own romantic encounter.

“Sion took advantage of our sister!” Phillippe fumed, pushing Selenia aside as he rounded on Sion again.

Sion stood still and quiet, awaiting his punishment.

“Please, Brother, stop!” Selenia shouted, once again stepping in between the two men.

“Phillippe, I'm just as angry as you, but you need to control yourself,” Grayden said, touching his brother on the shoulder. “Sion, explain yourself. Now.” His words came out as a growl, and Selenia wasn't sure what was worse, Phillippe's fists or Grayden's tone.

“I'm sorry,” Sion said quietly, his face looking pained. “I have no excuse for my behavior. I don't know what has come over me. There is no explanation I can give, no action to take other than to accept whatever punishment you see fit to bestow.” He hung his head low, refusing to look at any of them.

Grayden looked at Phillippe, who nodded. “Sion, you are one of my best friends and a trusted confidant. Normally an offense like this would be banishment, exile from our homelands. But given your loyalty up until now, I won't force you to leave the Snow Lands. Instead, I'm reassigning you to the mountain camp.”

“No! Don't take him away from me!” Selenia couldn't believe the pitch of her own voice, the anguish strangled in her throat.

“He's taken advantage of you, Selenia. You were feeling depressed and unsettled from Jurel's death, and he preyed upon you,” Phillippe spat.

“That's not true at all,” she said, looking at Sion. He refused to meet her eye, and looked at the runner under his feet.

“My decision is final,” Grayden said grimly, as if he hated issuing the command. “Sion, leave now.”

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