Page 101 of Burning Heir

Choking on shadows, I stayed silent for a beat. “Are you insinuating your heart beats for mine?”

“When I feel you in my veins miles away, I begin to believe so.”

I shook my head. “What happened to only knowing the other’s name?”

“I knew more than your name before you had ever heard of mine.” He sheathed another dagger into a holder, lifting the hem of my dress. “And I would have stayed suffering because I promised Klaus I would protect you.”

And I knew right then how much my brother meant to him. Did Archer know his last words?

Chapter Twenty-Two

Nothing could tame that wildfire of anger that brewed in my veins as we went toward the festival.

Kian wore a black leather jacket and a sword over his shoulder. It was a short walk toward the bustling core of Grimswire. The sounds of the gathering grew louder as we approached. A violin played a higher note, along with the strum of a guitar. The melody was the same as what my mother hummed while cooking and sewing. The city whispered its history along the aged stones and the chipped buildings. And I was immersed in a world of shattering light, quells, and the rich scent of cinnamon and citrus. Town folks danced under the fading sun. My gown blew within the flurry of dust.

“The finest wine in all of Verdonia,” Archer said as he passed me a goblet shaped like a flower, the stem narrowed and slender. Bubbles rose from the bottom up, and I tilted my head back as Archer waited patiently for my approval.

“It’s good. Better than anything I’ve ever had,” I said, taking another sip to drown the thoughts of Damien away. At least a buzz could tame that pounding in my mind.

Kian held his hand out before me. “Well, if you aren’t going to ask Sevy to dance, don’t mind if I do.”

Archer kept that hard-ass stance, resting against the bars overlooking the canal. “I do not control Severyn. If she wishes to dance, don’t let me stop her.”

Kian grabbed my hand, bowing slightly. “May I?”

I rolled my eyes. “You may.” And he spun me thrice as we danced with the other villagers in the town’s core. I dipped back, laughing, spilling the wine.

“Have my brothers driven you mad yet?” he asked. We did something like a waltz, feet swaying with the music as my hand rested on his shoulder.

“I have three of my own,” I yelled over the music. “Four, I mean.”

Kian widened his eyes, wiping his brow dramatically. “No younger sisters?”

“I am afraid not.” Kian stretched his arm out, swinging me toward the crowd as he laughed. “Don’t be pissed at what I’m about to do.”

His head nodded slightly before two firm hands gripped my hips. I turned to meet Archer, nearly slamming into his chest. My feet stilled as he awkwardly adjusted his hands higher up on my waist.

“I never knew you could dance,” he said.

“My father taught me,” I whispered. “I always assumed I would be married off someday.”

A slight grin curved at the ends of his lips. I knew this meant nothing, but I couldn’t stop my blood from heating as he held me close to him.

“And if that were the case, you would never know who killed that man you were forced to marry,” he whispered. “It might have started a war.”

I traced the ripple of shadows that followed our every sway. I was naïve to believe any part of him enjoyed this. Our breaths were in sync. Our hearts beat as one—I felt him in my veins, and I think I had for a while. I glanced at those beautiful lips. Those eyes of wonder and grace worthy of an ocean named after them as I traced every part of his face.

“You wouldn’t dare,” I said. Was Archer jealous of the hypothetical possibility of me marrying a man?

“I would be a nightmare that haunted you forever had we not met. I would have stayed as a name you hated and accepted that fate, Severyn.”

It was true. My body wanted him—there was no denying it. As for my mind, I’d admit it had strayed too far.

The shutters of our bond rippled, forcing a seal—

But I was nothing more than a setback on his journey to greatness.

“What are you doing to me, Blanche?” he whispered close to my ear. “First, I kneel before you, and now I am dancing with you. Have I proven myself to be friendly yet?”

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