Page 65 of Conspirators' Kingdom

“I disagree. If we’re going to pull this off, we can hardly do so if you’re too much of a coward to kiss me,” he goaded her.

“I’m not a coward,” she protested.

“Prove. It.”

“I’ll do it when I have to.”

“Am I not to your liking, little mage?”

She rolled her eyes. It was the closest he’d gotten to an admission of attraction. Something eased in his heart, a fear that she might not find him pleasing.

“Are you fishing for compliments?” she asked sardonically.

“I’ll make it easy. I’ll even close my eyes.” He slid his lids shut as he said it.

“I’ll leave you standing there like the fool you are.”

“You’ll leave me here like thecowardyou are,” he countered.

She groaned in frustration, but she did move. He heard the slide of fabric as her hand slid up his neck and pulled his head down. A quick peck on the lips was all she bestowed before she pulled away. He opened his eyes and frowned. What in the hells hadthatbeen? He’d had less chaste kisses as a young boy.

“Am I your mother or your husband?”

She fisted her hands and stomped her foot, a snarl tearing from her throat. He was surprised she hadn’t seen fit to electrocute him in her pique. Or breathe flames.

“Thenyoudo it!”

Tempting though the thought was, he wanted her curious, desperate… needy.

“No,” he grinned.

“No?!”

“No. I won’t kiss you until you ask sincerely.” He hid his grin behind a bit of glamour and a serious tone.

“Acting precludes sincerity by its very nature.” She crossed her arms and huffed, raising her brow in challenge.

Gods, but it was fun matching wits with her.

“Then I hope you’re convincing enough to fool me.”

If he’d tweaked her nose with a finger at that moment, she might have bitten it off. Fuming, she swept past him, muttering about pains in her ass, pulling her shawl closer as a particularly chill wind cut across the deck. He shivered as he lost the warmth of her nearness.

“Goodnight, Mereruka. I hope you freeze your balls off out here.”

“Meri, Taisiya. Call me Meri,” he said. No one as close to him as she was expected to be would call him anything but.

She turned her head and glared.

“Then, by all means, freeze your balls off,Meri.”

He held back from voicing a teasing accusation about her solicitude for his nether regions. She likely wouldn’t take it well. He smiled instead.

“Goodnight, Taisiya.”

Chapter 27

“HowwillIknowif fae magic is being used against me?” Taisiya asked.

---