Page 28 of Splintered Shadow
He wanted to taste her, to savor every part of her.
Desire, a sensation he had not felt in so long, sparked and flared within him. She had the royal mark on her. She was made for him. The court and nobility might be skeptical of such a mating, but no one would dare question him. He was still a prince. He could persuade Baris to allow the mating…
No. It would be wrong.
The power imbalance between them soured the idea. She depended on him for her survival. If she agreed to anything, he could never shake the feeling of coercion.
Not while she was chained to his bed.
Power imbalance would always be an issue. Potential partners saw his title and status first, Vekele as a male second, if they ever really saw him at all. He found it easier to be alone than to deal with the complications of physical or romantic relationships. Now…
Now his world had been shaken by this human.
Despite his glares and grumbles, he enjoyed listening to Sarah. He liked her questions, even if he had no answer for them. She commandeered every conversation. Watching her mind leap from subject to subject was dizzying. Physically, he found her attractive, but her intellect proved far more compelling. Good humor and mirth bubbled up from within her, her joy flowing from an endless well. He wanted to guzzle that jubilation straight from the source, to gorge himself until he was no longer parched and thirsting.
A power imbalance existed between them, with her in command.
Perhaps she was an agent sent to sow discord. The qualities that compelled him were nothing more than an illusion. He did not want it to be true, but acknowledged that risk. He needed to be cautious with the female. He needed to keep his head. He definitely needed to keep her confined to Summerhall until he was sure of her motives.
The kitchen was too warm, he used too many dishes, and the sizable pile of greens had cooked down to a handful of mush.
He considered the bowl of mixed greens and grains, unsure if she would find the taste bland or the texture disturbing. His best effort did not look appetizing, but it would have to do.
Carefully, he carried the tray into the bedroom and balanced it as he opened the door. The sensors on the doors ceased working long ago and no longer opened as one approached.
Sarah sat by the window, feet tucked up underneath her, and stared out at the gardens. Light pooled around the chair and shadows grew as the sun set. The golden chain glinted in the light.
She turned and smiled.
At him.
It was foolish to feel a flutter of vanity, that she liked his face. She had been delirious. Confused. No doubt her vision had been impaired. Her words held no importance.
And yet…
“Food,” he said, dropping the tray to the table because he did not care, and he was not acting foolishly over the female who may or may not like his face.
The entire situation was frustrating.
“I can see that,” she said, sitting at the table. With her hands folded in her lap, she looked at him expectantly.
Vekele stood still, his back rigid. “Eat,” he ordered.
“You gonna sit down and join me? Are we pretending that’s a thing we don’t do?” she asked.
He did not huff as he sat. He retained his dignity. He was aprince.
She took a spoonful of the grains. He did not watch her, waiting for her reaction. Dignity, prince, and so forth.
“It’s good,” she said. “It’s got a consistency like risotto.”
He released the breath he did not realize he had held.
He dipped his head, focusing on his own bowl and definitely not smiling.
Chapter Seven
Sarah
