Page 9 of Clash of Storms
Malin hurried around the corner and collided with either a stone wall or the enormousdrekiwarrior she was hoping to avoid.
Not a wall, alas. She slammed against his battle-hardened leather body armor, her nose crumpling as it hit his chest.
Hands captured her upper arms, preventing her from both escaping and landing flat on her backside on the floor. She wasn't certain if she should be grateful or lash out. Sirius was touching her. Bare hands were separated from her skin by only the thin wool sleeves of her gown.
"Blackfrost," she blurted.
The verydrekishe sought to deceive stared down at her.
"Lady Malin," Sirius purred, in that velvet-smooth voice that always made the fine hairs along her spine stand to attention.
"Your Highness."
She didn't have time for his games right now. Malin pushed away from him abruptly and dipped a curtsy. There was no one else in the hallway. No rescue. No distractions.
Damn it.
"Wherever can you be going in such a hurry?" The half-amused stare locked on her.
It appeared they were going to be playing cat and mouse today.
I was rushing to thwart your plots, but it seems you've caught me at a bad moment. Don't look down my dress. I'm smuggling a toxic liquid that could burn that very handsome face from your skull.
"Nowhere important," she mumbled, staring at his chest, which was somewhat less dangerous than his eyes. "Servant business, that is all. Beneath your interest, I'm certain, my prince. If you'll excuse me?"
She stepped to the side.
Sirius stepped in her path, the faintest of smiles touching his mouth. "I'm afraid I don't. Excuse you, that is. This is the most you've spoken to me in months."
What she wouldn't give, just once, to speak her mind to him and tell him exactly what she thought. But she quite liked her head where it was. "I really have to be going."
"Well, now I'm intrigued. You're trying so very hard to avoid me. You must be up to something."
"I always avoid you, as you commanded all those years ago."
"Sweet Goddess, is that why you duck down passages whenever you see me coming? I didn't mean you had to literally flee every time we crossed paths."
Is that why every time I turn around, you're there?Watching me, as if I am some puzzle to be deciphered?
Or a mouse to be devoured.
"You're a prince," she said, in the emotionless voice she knew aggravated him. "And I a drekling so far beneath you I can barely see the sun for your shadow. I should not wish to cause offense with my presence. That is all."
"Laying it on a bit thick, aren't we?"
"My apologies, my prince." Malin bobbed another curtsy, trapping her smile behind clenched lips. Oh, he sounded so frustrated. It was delicious. "I am offending again."
"You'renotoffending me," he growled out. "And stop bloody bobbing up and down. One curtsy is quite enough."
"As my prince commands."
"Obedience?" He pretended to be shocked. "Why, I hadn't realized that was one of your traits considering how well you've ignored my commands in the past. Why don't we see how far this sudden obedience extends? Your prince commands you look him in the eye. I'm weary of staring at your braids."
Their eyes met.
It was a mistake.
She wished he were ugly. A viledrekilike the Blackfrost ought to wear his black heart on his sleeve; or barring that, some feature of it on his face. A wart or two. Even better, one bursting with thick dark hairs. Pockmarked cheeks. Stooped shoulders and a paunch, preferably.
