Page 79 of A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash

‘Did you only kiss me to prove a point?’ she muttered, frowning.

‘That is what I said, yes.’

He smiled naughtily.

‘I hate you, wyverian.’

Kai chuckled.

‘No, you do not, princess.’

He waited for her to encourage him, to give him permission to kiss her again. He had only brushed his lips softly against hers and the way his body had responded had left him wondering what would happen if he did more. He was eager to find out.

‘Well?’ She scrunched her nose.

‘Well what?’

‘Is that it?’

Kai laughed, his hands sliding down her arms, rubbing them sweetly.

‘Tell me to kiss you,’ he purred.

‘I will not do such a thing.’

‘Command me to do it, princess.’

His black eyes deepened, turning into something feral. Alina licked her lips— his attention observing the movement with interest. Neither of them spoke; the dragons nearby were the only sound that could be heard as they watched each other. Alina gulped.

And then the drakonian princess began to unbutton his shirt. Kai turned into a statue, frozen in place. His attention on those golden hands working their way down to his stomach and pulling the shirt off, letting it fall, made him grunt, deep and low.

‘You said you were hot,’ she said.

‘Trust me, princess, it isn’t the atmosphere that’s making me feel hot.’

‘Wyverians do not do well in hot climates.’ She glanced at his strong arms and chest, tracing the tip of her finger along the skin. She was torturing him at this point.

‘What idiot said such a thing?’

‘Wyverians are cold creatures…’ She continued to trace her finger down towards the edge of his belt. ‘And drakonians are warm. Such a combination…’

‘Sounds perfect to me.’

Alina peered up at him, her head slightly tilted. A strand of blonde hair fell over her eye with the movement and Kai tucked it behind her ear, cupping the back of her head.

‘What do you want, Kai?’ It was the first time she had said his name. ‘What do you want from me?’

He wanted a great many things in that verymoment and they were far too away from his room to make them happen.

Kai traced his thumb along the curve of her lower lip, his breath shallow, his mind consumed by unholy thoughts.

Alina—on his bed.

Alina—golden and bare, sprawled beneath him, her flushed skin fever-hot against his own.

It would be a sin to touch her. A sacrilege to let her go. But he would worry about consequences later. Because there would be consequences if he crossed that line—if he allowed himself even a single taste of her—it would ruin everything.

His sister was days away from wedding the Fire Prince. Their kingdoms stood at the edge of a fragile alliance. And he—he would have to return home soon after. He had no choice. As secondborn, it was his duty to protect his land, to stand beside his future queen. There was no option of staying. No option of spending his days on the shores of the Fire Kingdom, Alina at his side, golden-skinned and laughing beneath the sun. No option of touching her in the ways he wanted to, knowing he would have to leave her behind.

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