Page 10 of Taken By the Storm King

He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. “You’re not like the others I’ve heard of. You don’t look at this world with hunger. You look at it with wonder.”

“Maybe I’m just better at hiding my true intentions,” I said, though my voice wavered.

His hand brushed my arm, and I shivered at the warmth of his touch. “You can’t hide what’s in your eyes, Lucy Stewart.”

He was so close now, his hand slipping to my waist. My back pressed against the tree trunk, and I was hyper-aware of the way his body angled toward mine, the heat radiating off him.

For a moment, I thought he might kiss me. I wanted him to.

But then a deep bell rang out across the settlement, breaking the moment.

Thalassar stepped back, his expression unreadable. “We should return to the palace,” he said, his voice rougher than before. “Come. There’s more you should see.”

I pushed away from the tree, my legs shaky as I followed him. My heart still raced, and my thoughts were a jumbled mess.

Whatever was happening between us, it was dangerous. It felt bigger than my mission, bigger than the fate of two worlds.

And that terrified me.

THALASSAR

My feet moved automatically along the path leading away from the sacred tree, but my thoughts refused to follow. The kiss that hadn’t happened played out in my mind over and over - the way Lucy’s breath had caught, how her lips had parted, the curve of her neck as she’d tilted her head back to look up at me.

The evening air wrapped around us, thick with the scent of night-blooming flowers. Lucy walked beside me, her fingers brushing over her lips when she thought I wasn’t looking. The soft silk of her gown whispered against the stones of the path with each step.

I needed to focus. To remember my duty. My people. But every time I glanced at her, my resolve crumbled a little more.

“You said the tree’s been here since before your people,” Lucy said, breaking the silence between us. “How long ago was that?”

My jaw tightened as I considered how much to tell her. “Generations. My great-grandfather’s great-grandfather led our people here.”

“Why this island?”

“The resources.” I gestured to the glowing fruits hanging heavy on the trees around us. “Rare minerals in the caves. Gems in the deep waters. Things found nowhere else in this world.”

“So it made you a target.”

“Yes.” I snarled, swallowed back the surge of anger. “Many have tried to take what belongs to my people.”

Lucy paused, her fingers extending toward a low-hanging branch. The fruit’s glow painted her skin in soft gold. “Is that when they built the storm wall?”

“No.” I moved closer, drawn to her despite myself. “That came later. After my mother died.”

Her hand dropped from the branch. “What happened?”

The old pain surged up, but I pushed through it. “She believed in peace. In sharing our resources with outsiders.” I looked away, gathering my thoughts. “She thought she could negotiate with the Mersai, old dwellers of the deep. They hate change, their prophecies filled with only darkness and blood. Still, she hoped for a better future.”

“But they betrayed her.”

I nodded. The memory of that day burned fresh in my mind - the screaming, the blood turning the sand crimson. “They murdered her during peace talks. Along with half our council.”

“I’m sorry.” Lucy’s voice was soft, but there was no pity in it. Just understanding.

“After that, I knew we needed better protection. The storm wall keeps outsiders away. Keeps my people safe.” I looked down at her. “But I wasn’t expecting your people.”

“We didn’t mean to cause trouble.” She met my gaze steadily. “Our only goal was finding refuge.”

“At what cost?” The words came out softly.

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