I dropped my gaze and nodded. “Yeah, that sounds fair.”
“Here you go,” Irina strode into the room through the door that Agares had left ajar.
I tried to take the wrap off her, but she batted my hands away. “There’s a technique to this. There’s a reason I’m in charge of wardrobe you know.”
I rolled my eyes and stood like a good mannequin while she draped and pinned, hyper aware of Baal’s gaze lingering on my face, my heart pounding in my chest because it was confirmed—he wanted me.
Living in this room together for the next two days would be like walking a tightrope. I just hope I didn’t fall.
28
The ballroom was filled with djinn milling about, clutching fluted glasses and golden goblets. Servers glided across the floor carrying gold trays laden with food and wine. Some djinn lounged around on huge cushions with female djinn laying on their laps like a buffet of flesh.
Sharmutas?
Attempting to take it all in was overwhelming. The space was huge and filled with way too much visual stimulation and way too many aromas. But cutting through it all was Baal’s distinctive fragrance.
We walked in, arm in arm, his body pressed to my side, his heat mingling with mine through the silk fabric of my clothes. Irina and Agares strode a few paces behind us, ready to melt into the background if need be. Baal had explained that they were our protection, and looking about now, I saw many an Irina and Agares dotted around the room, hovering at the periphery of conversations or lingering by the walls of the massive chamber.
As we moved toward the long table laden with food, I played spot the Overlord. Five, all distinguishable by their stature, skin tone, and retinue.
I gently squeezed Baal’s arm. “How many Overlords are there?”
“Twelve Overlords to watch over the twelve provinces governed by the mamlakat alnnar—the kingdom of fire—your domain. The fifth dimension was forged by Ibris and his efreet, and after the alliance wars, it was divided into provinces to allow djinn the choice of their preferred existence. We no longer live by tribe, affinity to an element, or intention toward mankind. We live by ideals.”
We’d reached the table weighed down by food. He picked up a plate and began to place various items on it. A dumpling covered in syrup, a triangular pastry parcel, some coloured rice, and some spicy looking vegetables.
He handed me the plate, then continued with this impromptu lesson. “In my province, you will find djinn of all elemental abilities and some with none. It’s the same in all the provinces, or at least that was how it used to be, but under Kai’s rule, djinn are being forced back to the tribal days, segregated by elemental affinity and power. Those that don’t make the cut will be relegated to Evernight.” He accepted two flutes of amber fluid from a passing server, passed me one and drank deeply from the other before continuing. “Kai wants only the strongest bloodlines, the most powerful djinn to remain in the fifth dimension. He believes that under Ibris’s rule the djinn bloodlines have become tainted and weak through cross breeding, which is another reason why he will oppose your claim. Your hybrid status will make you abhorrent to him, but will appeal to all the djinn that are of mixed blood. Fire, water, air, and fire will rise up to support you, and he will fall.”
His words fuelled the flame of hope in my chest.
My drink was sweet and refreshing. “When I was with Erebus, we protected a settlement of djinn that refused to choose an affiliation.”
“Yes. And there will be more—more djinn leaving, creating further anger and dissatisfaction to feed the hoard. Under Kai’s leadership the hoard would be eternal.”
My appetite fizzled out under the weight of responsibility. I needed to step up and take what was mine and stop Kai taking my people back into the dark ages. We were given free will for a reason, and Ibris had understood that. I couldn’t let his legacy be lost.
A hush fell over the room. Irina and Agares moved closer, flanking Baal and me.
“What is it?” I placed the plate of food on the table behind me.
The crowd shifted, clearing the centre of the room as the huge double doors at the back of the ballroom swung open.
“Kai always did like making an entrance,” Baal said.
Silence fell as the clip of heels reverberated throughout the ballroom and a figure appeared, striding through the double doors as if he owned the place, which he most certainly didn’t.
Keep it cool and observe. Just … keep cool.
Tall and slender, with bright blue eyes and a thin mouth that could be called cruel or impish, he wasn’t what I’d expected. I got the impression that the other Overlords had probably underestimated him.
Lucky for him, not so lucky for everyone else.
His golden hair was swept off his forehead and was tucked behind his ears. My gaze skipped over his shoulder to take in his retinue: a short blue djinn carrying a staff; a petite woman draped in finery, her face stamped with a sulky expression; a huge tank of a djinn whom I assumed was the muscle, carrying what looked like a sledgehammer; and finally a 6ft 5inch member of his little gang. This djinn’s eyes met mine, and my breath whooshed out of my lungs. I knew that face: those emerald eyes flecked with gold, that luscious mouth, and that hair streaked with gold and green. We’d met over five years ago, an encounter at Academy that had almost gotten me killed—back then he’d had a green hue to his skin, now his skin was bronzed, just like Baal’s.
His expression remained neutral. If not for the swift shadow that passed across his handsome face I would’ve thought he didn’t remember me. Davin—the djinn who I’d freed in my first year at Academy, owed me one. But I’d never expected to see him again. And now here he was. Time to think of ways to exact that favour.
Kai pressed his hands to his chest. “Oh, please, don’t stop the revelry on my account. Please continue: eat, drink, and frolic. The night is young and the moon begins its journey.”
He clapped his hands and soft music began to play, djinn slowly drifted back into their groups and Kai began his rounds, stopping to chat from group to group, his minions at his back. My attention strayed back to Davin, a sick feeling swelling in my stomach. What if he told Kai I was human? I appeared djinn to everyone else thanks to the glamour Baal had cast on me, but he knew my face. He knew me. What if he revealed I was Fearless?
Shit!
I turned my back on the crowd and placed a hand on Baal’s bicep. “I know that djinn, the one with the green and gold hair.”
His muscles beneath my hand tensed. “Tell me.”
“He was trapped in the human realm, and I helped him escape. I was at Academy at the time. He said he owed me a favour. It was a long time ago.”
“Djinn do not forget, no matter how long they have to remember.”
He sipped his drink all casual like and turned his head slightly to whisper something to Agares. Irina moved up so she was right at my elbow, and the hairs on my arm stood to attention with a crackle.
Was she readying some kind of magick.
Crap!
I couldn’t have Davin calling me out, not now. I was too close to my goal. And then Kai was turning away from the Overlord he’d been speaking to and winding his way toward us.
Baal stood up straighter, and from the corner of my eye I noted Agares’ hand hovering at the hilt of his sword.
Kai approached us, his brows raised in greeting, “Baal, welcome to you and yours.” His eyes skimmed over Agares, lingered on Irina, and then settled on me. “Glad to see you’ve finally abandoned your peculiar aversions and taken a sharmuta, and what a lovely creature you’ve chosen.” His gaze caressed my hair, lingering on my birthmark. “And look, how quaint, she carries the mark of a warrior. Tell me,” he leaned in conspiratorially, “is she a fighter between the sheets?”
Baal’s lips tightened, his fists clenched. Irina muttered a curse, and I realised Baal was ready to blow.
Before I knew it, I was taking the floor. “Well, that would be for Baal to know
Kai blinked. His eyes flashed dangerously, his lips turning down slightly, but in the next instant he was chuckling amiably.
“Oh I see, you like them feisty, Baal. Rather you than me.” He glanced over his shoulder at the sullen female at his back. “I like mine with big tits and full lips.” He winked.
My stomach rolled.
He licked his lips, his gaze flitting to me then back to Baal. “I’m happy to share if you are?”
Baal lashed out so suddenly that there was barely time to blink. One moment Kai was making his indecent proposal, and the next he was dangling a foot off the ground by the front of his shirt.
Sledgehammer guy growled and moved forward, but Davin intercepted him.
“Baal …” Davin’s tone was saturated with warning.
Baal’s jaw ticked as if waging an internal battle, and then he uncurled his fist and dropped Kai.
Kai stumbled back, smoothing down his shirt. “Well, that was foolish.”
“No.” Baal said levelly. “It was what you deserved. Insult what’s mine again and I will do worse. Even your hold over the palace doesn’t exempt you from the basic rules of etiquette. Or do you plan on being the kind of ruler who debases his subjects?”
Kai’s jaw tightened and he exhaled through his nose. “Well played Baal, using a perceived attack on the virtue of your sharmuta to vent your impotence. I’ll let this pass because your point is valid, despite being a thin veil for your true motives. I know your agenda, but you’re wasting your time. The kingdom of fire is mine, and soon the power that comes with it will be mine also.”
“No, it won’t.” Irina said. “Only the djinn accepted by the throne will claim that power, and the people will only follow a true heir.”
He snorted. “Thanks to an anonymous benefactor there are no heirs, and the people will realise soon enough that the benefits of bowing to me far outweigh the cons.” He stepped back, inclining his head. “Enjoy the festivities and make yourself at home for the duration of your stay.”
The way he said the words made it clear he would gladly see the back of us. He turned on his heel and headed toward the double doors at a clip.
Davin locked eyes with me for a brief moment. His lips twitched and then he too was striding toward the exit.
The huge doors closed and the room erupted into a cacophony of sound as djinn stared in our direction, but pretended not to.
“Looks like we’re famous now,” Agares said. Plucking a goblet from the table he brought it to his lips and downed the contents.
“I thought the plan was to fly under the radar?” Irina said.
Baal exhaled through his nose, his shoulders sagging. “I’m sorry, Kenna. I didn’t handle that very well.”
He sounded so dejected. My heart went out to him. I slipped my hand into his much larger one and stepped into him, lifting my chin to look up into his face. “I thought you were magnificent.”
His scanned my face, his gaze lingering on my lips, and then he smiled. “Yes, I was quite the hero, wasn’t I?”
My heart lurched at that smile, and it was all I could do not to reach up on my toes and kiss the heck out of him.
I was so screwed.
29
Irina was insane. “I don’t dance.”
Irina yanked at the laces to my corset as she tried to asphyxiate me. “You can move, can’t you? You do so when you wield your blade.”
“So give me a blade on the dance floor, I’ll wield its arse off. But I do not dance.”
“Trust me, this dancing is nothing like wielding a sword.” She yanked on the laces again.
“For fucks sake, I need to breathe!”
Irina huffed and tied off the laces.
I blinked away the black spots in my vision. “How come you don’t have to wear this crap?”
Irina came round to face me. “Because I’m not playing at being a sharmuta.”
“Being a sharmuta sucks,” I muttered.
She quirked a brow. “I suppose it does when you’re not actually getting the full benefits of the role.”
I swallowed. “I don’t need the … full benefits.”
She arched a brow and crossed her arms. “A huh.”
“No seriously, Baal and I … we’re good. We have an understanding, we… Why the heck am I explaining this to you?” I turned my back on her, throwing my hands in the air. “I have a goal, a really big goal, and that is all there is between Baal and I.”
“Good to know, Kenna,” Baal said.
I spun to find him standing in the doorway, expression flat.
Shit on a stick!
Irina cleared her throat. “I’ll give you both a minute.”
“No,” Baal said. “I’m ready. We should go make an appearance.”
I followed them out of the room, my stomach a churning pit of yuk and my chest all achy and empty.
It was the damned corset being too tight, that’s all it was.
It had to be.
_____
I didn’t dance but it seemed that everyone else here did. The double doors that Kai had entered through were thrown open to reveal a dimly lit, marble floored, dancing space. But this wasn’t the kind of dancing I’d expected to see. Couples were practically … coupling on the dance floor. Wraps had come off, and there was more skin on display than I’d like to see. The music was low and sensual and definitely not the kind of disco pop stuff I was used to.
Irina leaned in. “You should see your face.”
I snapped my mouth closed and looked to Baal. He had his head averted, his profile on display, and my heart clenched painfully in my chest, nothing to do with the damned corset and everything to do with the fact that I’d hurt him with my words. There was something between us, something powerful, and it scared me.
Irina and Agares melted into the shadows, leaving Baal and I standing awkwardly in at the fringes of the dance orgy.
He sighed and looked down at me, offering me his hand. “Come, we’ll make this quick. As long as we are seen, we can escape in less than an hour and have this day done with.”
There was no bitterness or anger in his tone, just a weary resignation that tore at my heart.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I took his hand and allowed him to lead me into the mass of writhing grinding bodies. The heat hit first. It enveloped us, welcoming us into the fold, and then Baal pulled me against him, slipping his thigh between mine, and I kinda lost all coherent thought. There was only the sensation of his body against mine, his thick taunt thigh pressed against my core, and his breath on the top of my head. His hands cupped my hips and then he began to move.
Oh god.
This was torture—heavenly, delicious, mind-bending, core-melting torture.
A moan crawled up my throat. My heart was thudding so rapidly it made my head light. Rapid shallow breaths exploded from my lips as he rubbed against me. My arms slid up around his neck, fingers lacing through his silken hair.
This …
To touch him like this …
His fingers dug into my hips, as if to hold themselves immobile, and a wave of wickedness washed over me. Oh to make him lose control. I wanted him to lose control, wanted him to touch me, really touch me. I raised my chin, the music a lazy beat in my head, and grazed his collar bone with my lips, flicking my tongue out to taste his skin, salt and cinnamon. His chest rumbled as I moved upwards, trailing my lips up his neck to the tender spot just below his ear.
His ear …
The old Kenna, the sensual, alive Kenna stirred under my skin.
Do it.
I took his earlobe into my mouth and sucked on it gently.
His fingers flexed, and then they were sliding up my body, two trails of heat, tangling in my hair and pulling my head back, forcing my neck into an arch so he could look down on me. His eyes blazed with inner fire.
Do it.
A whimper of need spilled from my lips, and then he was descending on me, his mouth a hot brand, his tongue a welcome invasion sliding against mine. He kissed me like he was a drowning man taking his last sweet breath.
There was nothing and no one in that moment. The contact and the need burned like wild fire through my veins.
And then I was kissing air as Baal was yanked away from me.
He growled. His expression promised murder as he turned on Agares. The general held up his hands and took a step back into the crowd, his gaze flitting to me. Baal glanced down at me, and the anger bleed away to be replaced by panic. What? I glanced down at myself. The tell-tale white glow of my power lit up my veins.
Shit.
The heavy weight of a cloak fell over me, and then Irina was winding her arm around my waist and giggling as if I’d shared a particularly saucy secret with her. We began to move off the dance floor toward the exit. We were almost there when a djinn, who I recognised as one of the other Overlords, cut into our path.
“Baal, dear friend!” He clapped Baal on the shoulder, bringing us all to a halt.
“Caim, good to see you.”
Caim leaned in. “And thank you for the entertainment earlier.” He winked. “Well worth the journey just to see Kai taken down a peg.”
Baal looked over Caim’s head. “If you wish to talk we should do it elsewhere.”
Caim nodded. “My chambers are secure.”
“Irina, take Kenna back to our chambers and remain with her until I return.”
Irina nodded. Her golden gaze solemn.
“Agares, come with me.”
They moved off, leaving me and Irina to make our own way back to our guest chambers. As we headed to the safety of our rooms, curiosity about what they’d be discussing warred with the anticipation of Baal’s return that night.
_____
I awoke in a pool of sunlight and rolled on to my side to find Baal’s side of the bed empty.
Why had I labelled it that? We hadn’t discussed sides. In fact, we hadn’t discussed sleeping arrangement at all, because he hadn’t come back to our chambers last night.
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