Page 105 of Hidden Kingdoms

I started to back away, needing to find space from him, my head clearing with each step. Air that didn’t taste of him filled my lungs, and with each breath, I felt magik settling.

“Like you said, he’s a bastard.” My voice wasn’t as steady as I would have liked, and my stomach flipped at the ghost of a smile that played on his face.

“I’m going to go keep… doing what I was doing.” Slowly, I turned away from him, both eager for space and reluctant to take it.

I didn’t know how much longer I had left in here, and I hadn’t found a single book that would help. I wasn’t sure how well I’d be able to concentrate knowing Marcellus was in here now.

Ready to hurry away into the dark, I almost made it to the nearest shelf, when the glowing sconces flared with light as I felt a presence behind me. His body was close enough I could feel his heat, and I shivered as his breath swept over my shoulder.

“What were you looking for, Little One?” I was frozen to the spot, every inch of my body alight at his nearness. “You’ve been searching for a while.”

Well fuck, what was I meant to say now?

That I’m looking for more information about this place so I can learn more about my magik, and break out and go home and never see any of you again?

Ignoring the pang of grief that flared briefly at the thought, I wracked my mind for an answer that would fit.

“A book.” I answered dumbly, his proximity was embarrassingly messing with my mind along with my body, turning my head to look at him, as he raised an eyebrow at me.

It’s not exactly a lie.

I cleared my throat as I scrambled for more. “I had a book, before, and I think it was a children’s book, but it had all these old stories in it. I had it with me when… when that guard…” I blinked hard against the memory of that day, forcing my eyes to stay on the man who had found me.

“I don’t know where it ended up. I’d like to carry on reading it.” I turned fully towards him, head tipped back, his gaze holding mine. Light splintered off the opal that was inlaid in the pommel of his sword, the tiny points scattered across his bronzed skin.

“What was it called?” Reaching out, he brushed a lock of white hair from my face, rough fingers grazing my cheek, leaving a trail of fire behind that travelled through my whole body.

“Er, I don’t really know.” I was melting, my mind focusing on the burn he had lit within me instead of the reasonable question he had asked.

“Full of answers.” The gravel of his voice tipped with humour.

I rolled my eyes at him. “Something about one hundred old tales?”

“One Hundred Tales of the Fae of Old,” he responded instantly.

“Yes, that’s the one!”

“And that’s all you were looking for, was it? You were taking your time.”

“Yes.” I nodded.

Did he know? That I was looking for ways to beat the asshole who had brought me here and get back home? My heart hammered at the thought, and I almost found myself blubberingout excuses for why I had to leave, but instead I latched onto something else.

“How would you know how long I’ve been in here?”

“I knew you were here the moment you walked through the door.” He stepped away, cool air invading my body. Heart still racing in my chest, I whirled on the spot trying to see where he had gone, but there was no one there. The light had dimmed, only the ones closest to me lighting the gloom I was surrounded by, and I was alone in the silence.

40

CHAPTER FORTY

KAIUS

“Hello,” I said to the little Fae creeping round the door, keeping my eyes on the room that unmistakably belonged to a teenager.

I let my magik drift through the room, skimming across a messy bed that contained a surely uncomfortable amount of pillows. Let it hover over photos that had been taped to a mirror in need of a wipe, faces beaming from each image. Light footsteps padded into the room, brave little footsteps to walk in here when there was a full-grown warrior standing amongst the discarded notepads and crumpled clothes.

Pushing energy into every corner, I searched for anything out of place as I turned to the small person beside me.

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