Page 82 of Shadows Lost
His smile widened and he leaned in ever so slightly, water glittered on his long lashes like tiny diamonds in the sun. Tapping my nose teasingly, he rumbled. “I’ll take my kiss at a later time.”
Then he hauled his large god-like body from the pool, the water sluicing down his powerful frame. I wet my suddenly parched lips at the flex of his defined ass, so much more accented by the wet plastered leathers.
I looked away. “I believe on account of cheating our wager is void, your majesty.”
Emon crouched low and tilted my chin up to him with a deep purr. “Cheating or not…I’d say we are both ravenous right now.” Extending his hand to me, he winked. “For pastries that is…and I can smell them now. Fresh baked from Griffin’s Gateau. Drey just pulled some from the oven.”
I sniffed at the air excitedly but could smell nothing but pool water. Emon choked with restrained laughter watching me.
“Damn, shifter nose.” I grumbled, taking his hand. There was a slight pause and then I threw him over my shoulder back into the pool. Practically drowning again by the enormous splash Emon’s unsuspecting body made.
Scrambling out before he could retaliate, I rose, picking up the purple flag on the pool deck and smiling at the sputtering shifter king rising out of the water.
“Audentes fortuna iuvat.Fortune favors the bold, shifter.” I said in old fae and waved the flag at him, smirking. “You never called the game to an end.”
My smiled widened when Emon’s roaring laughter rattled the lavender lit skies.
Chapter 44
Drey,thebakerofGriffins Gateau, turned out to be the most gigantic shifter I had ever seen with the skittish nature of a bunny. The terror in his eyes when he saw me was a reminder that no matter how accepting Emon was of me, I was still the feared monster to most. I had quickly given the shifter king my order and excused myself from his shop to wait outside.
I couldn’t hold it against him though. Drey was a goddess damn good baker—my lips smacked when I sucked the delicious cherry and cream cheese hand pie from my fingertips, swiveling in the chair that occupied the king's breakfast room.
“Oh to be that pastry right now.” Emon’s voice was gruff sitting beside me.
Still living in my own personal dream world, I sucked one of my fingers teasingly, humming around the digitpurposefully.
The shifter king made an indistinguishable noise. Somewhere between a choking sound and a whimper in the back of his throat. “Cruel, little umbra. Very cruel.”
I snickered, wiping my hands, and patting my bare happy stomach. “Why are we here? Better yet. Why am I here?”
Emon tilted his head and drummed his strong fingers on the polished wood table. I forced myself to look at his painfully handsome face instead of his sinfully bare chest.
“I’d like the pleasure of introducing you to my inner circle personally, despite you having met most of them already.” He seemed deflated by that fact but it did not last. Jumping out of his chair, he peered at the doorway. “Here they come now!”
“Emon!” Squealed the young shifter I met yesterday. Penina laughed and ran to slide across the table in an array of pink chiffon and gold jewelry right into the shifter king’s waiting arms.
Seizing her, Emon spun her around with a tight hug, before setting her down and smiling grandly.
“Good to see you Nina. Remnant, I’d like to officially introduce you to Penina Sythe. Penina serves as my specialty advisor for all things within the city.”
I stood, hiding my surprise at Emon’s affection for the young shifter. A genuine affection like this could be exploited and used against him by any other fae. Without uttering the words, it was a reflection of his trust in me.
Penina’s eyes trailed down my body and her hand settled on her hip. “Why is it every time we meet you are naked?”
I laughed and waved my hand towards the scraps of black fabric I still wore. “Only half naked this time.”
Emon’s eyes narrowed and he growled out, “what do you mean every time?”
Penina snickered.
I extended my hand out to her in greeting. “Pleased to formally meet you, Penina Sythe.”
Taking a calculated risk, I tugged her towards me, drawing a shadow blade from the darkened corner, and stabbed low towards her exposed side.
She respondedexactlyhow I expected her to. Twirling away, Penina slammed her palm down hard on my wrist, forcing me to drop the shadow blade, and I blinked when her dagger fell across my throat.
I smiled, baring my teeth and winking at the shocked shifters. “Advisor you say? I think not…I know an assassin when I see one, your majesty. False truths don’t work on me.”
