Page 61 of The Chaosweaver's Daughter
Eventually Kas thunked his glass down beside her on the low table, and she yelped.
“I’m going to have a bath,” he announced before striding away and slamming the washroom door.
Rolling her eyes, she traded out her wine for his tumbler. Her firstlong, slow sip burned, and she sighed as she swirled ice in her glass. More whiskey washed away the lingering tension she felt over Rihan’s unwanted advances. He was gone, back to the capital with the king, and she was safe, and sound, and had Kas Kahoth to watch over her.
When the water stopped filling the tub and she heard him splash into the enormous basin, something snapped in Nesrina, sending heat roaring up her chest. The vague notion that he was nude and no more than ten feet away made her jumpy. A coil of promised pleasure wound its way through her body and settled between her legs, forcing her to wiggle straight off the chair and move away from the washroom posthaste.
“You know I’m attracted to you, right?”
“Oh my.” Her cheeks pricked with heat.
Taking the half-full glass with her, Nesrina padded over to the armoire and selected a nightgown. She made slow work of her buttons, getting about half undone before giving up and wriggling out of her gown. Naked for a breath, she slipped a silky, deep green nightdress over her head, then went to the tall mirror to work on freeing her tresses from their twists and pins.
Hair unbound and glass one-third full, a healthy swig slithered down her throat as sloshing bath water told her Kas was nearly finished in the washroom.
Nerves, again, tensed every muscle in her body. Pinpricks of gooseflesh erupted down her arms, and her belly—and everything below—tightened.
In an attempt to find peace, Nes moved to the windows and meandered down the line to peer out of each one as she’d done during the daytime.
Under the cover of night, hundreds, if not thousands, of firelit lanterns flickered across the city. The streets were busier now than they had been earlier, but most of the horse drawn vehicles were replaced by people traipsing about. Opening the window directly in front of the bed, she leaned out, taking in the sounds and smells of the first night of the symposium.
Tiny, flickering strings of flames, crafted by firebearers, were strung between buildings below, casting the pedestrians in an ambient glow.A jaunty folk song, plucked on fiddles and pounded on drums, floated into the suite. A young couple drifted by, hotly debating who loved the other more. The man teased the woman with a splash of water to the face, and she responded by bowling him over with a burst of wind that left them giggling in each other’s arms. Spices from hot meat on food carts and cloying incense whisked in on the evening breeze.
Behind her, the bathing chamber door flew open, and Kas burst into the room then immediately fell silent. She turned slowly from the window, spying little bits and pieces of his—clothed—body through the latticed screen at the head of the bed.
“Nesrina?” His voice was a whisper as he came forward, making his way across the room toward her.
“Mmm?” She drew the window closed and stepped sideways, so she could see him in his linen pants and gaping, unlaced shirt.
“Oh—” He stalled, coming to a standstill several feet away as his eyes roved her nightgown.
It had been a gift from the queen, along with all the best pieces in her wardrobe. The sleeping dress wasn’t horribly risqué, but it wasn’t something she would have packed if she knew she’d be sharing a room with anyone, let alone withhim.
Kas’s gaze landed on his now-empty glass in her hand, and he exhaled harshly with a bitter sounding chuckle she wasn’t used to. “Surprised to find you here.”
Perplexed, Nes took a step toward the bar, which was also in the same direction as the duke. “Why?”
Hehumphed. “Thought you might’ve gone back out.”
“For?”
“To find Sarma.”
Squinting, she said, “You know he left with the king.”
Kas shrugged.
With the sort of courage afforded by consuming a tumbler of whiskey, Nes asked, “Are you fishing for information?”
His little mouth scrunched, full lips pulling together, then he reached forward and snatched the glass from her hand.
“Give that back.”
“I’ll pour you your own.”
She huffed and retreated to their chairs.
“Don’t be upset with me,” he teased sardonically, bringing her a new drink. “I didn’t make him leave this time.”
