Page 86 of Cursed Shadows 1

And the look he gives me…

It’s not just of hatred,it’s feral.

I fight the instinct to take a step back. I steel myself in my relaxed position, and I keep that tress wound around my finger. I toy it with, making it very clear with that single gesture what I mean to say, ‘how leisurely I toyed with you’.

Thank the gods for our fruits and roses and valerian and wines, because without all of them stuffed into my body, I would scream and run at the sight of Daxeel right now.

In front of me, the dark male I know transforms. He reveals that side he’s kept hidden from me so well. Carved from muscle, his body suddenly seems taller and stronger than ever. His leathers tighten as his fists do at his sides. But it’s the murderous look he wears that really turns my blood to ice.

“You shame me?” The words don’t growl out of him; they are sheets of ice, and I feel the chill of them crawling over me like invisible spiders.

A light laugh catches in my throat.

More are watching now.

I step closer—and let my hand lift to his strong, defined chest. But I don’t look away from his fierce gaze, not once as I drag my fingertips down the lines of his muscles.

“Shames and slights,” I sigh. “What I know is I got your kiss, dark male.” The grin sweeps across my face and I lean into him, angle my grin up at him, and I croon my next words, “Now, I will dance with another. Maybe I will get his kiss too,” I practically bat my lashes at him, “Is your brother here? I heard he’s something of a bedder.”

The ripple of fury doesn’t just come from Daxeel. It’s blasting at me, hot and cold, from all angles—from the dark ones.

I press my fingertips harder against his solid chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart, feeling the rumble of a buried growl as hisface twists and reveals all those sharp teeth he aches to rip me to shreds with.

Then I push myself from him, one step, two steps.

Shadows seems to lick at him, at his heels, at the darkening eyes he pins me with. That rage burns with a desire to practice all his torture skills on me. I don’t doubt that if we weren’t in the High Court, he would do just that—torture now, kill me after.

I smile something small and release the lock of hair.See how I let you go now, dark one? Believe my lies, please don’t look too closely and see how I’m dying inside.

I make to turn towards Prince Affay. He’s pushed himself to the edge of the dance, his hand outstretched, and his eyes more alive than I’ll ever feel again.

But I hear it. I don’t think anyone else does. Maybe the hem of my gown swishing over marble buries the sound. Maybe he calls it to my mind and heart like magic.

But I hear it, that soft whisper, a plea.

“Nari…”

My inside thrash. Then I feel them spill out of me, like I’ve been gutted where I stand, like they’ve been ripped out of me in a frenzy.

I’m glad I’m turned away, otherwise he would see the shutter of my face, the flicker of a grimace in that one second before I put on the ugliest calm I can summon.

I look over my shoulder at him.

“How I like it when you whisper my name.” If I grin wide enough, maybe I won’t cry. “I wonder which other dark males I can bring to their knees—and will they whisper my name, too?”

It’s a sudden eruption of growls and shouts and snarls.

Dokkalves move in on me, and it’s nothing like it was when I challenged Daxeel in front of them with a dupe dagger. But their steps, while strong and purposeful, are few.

They know where they are.

I am safe.

So I smile at Daxeel’s now stony and unreadable face.

Daxeel cuts his gaze up at the second dais, the smaller one, where my father stands, but my father watches me and gives a slight nod of approval.

I turn for Prince Affay.

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