She squinted at him. “You wouldn’t.”
“You can’t fight all of us. Don’t test me, Kadaki. If you can’t open your foolish mouth without insulting my country, then keep it shut.”
Her eyes widened. He’d never spoken to her this way.
Maybe he really would arrest her.
But he could go to every hell if he thought she’d allow him to call her a fool and tell her to keep her mouth shut.
She jerked out of his grip. “Fuck Ysura,” she said, enunciating clearly. “Fuck you and your commander and every other pointy-eared pyromaniac in town. If I have the chance to get rid of you myself, I’ll take it, and you can tell everyone I said so. Fuck Ysura and fuck Aevyr.” She waved her hand toward herself. “Go on, then. Arrest me. Burn me. Collar me. If that’s what you think is right, if that’s what you think you have to do, then go ahead. Try it.”
Neiryn stared at her. Kadaki waited, shaking slightly with anger.
Then he leaned forward and kissed her. Her entire body went rigid with surprise.
She took in every sensation with studious attention, because instantly she knew that this was important and that she didn’t know when or if it would ever happen again. His hands were on her shoulders, gripping her tightly. His skin was hot, his touch hard and angry, and a faint scent of heat and char filled her nose. Suddenly she was relaxing into him, his heat melting her.
He broke the kiss suddenly, without ceremony, and looked at her in disbelief, as if she were to blame for this transgression. But then, instead of coming to his senses and backing away, he came in to kiss her again.
This time, she pushed him back and grabbed him by the collar. She gathered magic in her hand, and a spell gave her strength beyond her body’s capabilities. She spun him around and shoved him into her chair so hard that it tilted back on two legs for a moment. He flailed for balance, and then the chair settled.
He blinked in surprise, breathing hard. “I’m sorry—I—” he began, but she interrupted him by pressing her lips against his again. And because she was now bending at an awkward angle, she climbed into his lap so she could reach him better, putting her hands on the backrest as her knees settled on either side of his hips.
His hands found her waist and then his arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer. His body was large and warm, and when his arms locked around her, he seemed to encompass her completely. As a hand crept up her back to the nape of her neck, his tongue darted out and licked along her lips. She shivered and opened her mouth a little wider, cautiously letting him in. His tongue and his lips gently prodded and flicked against her, sending bolts of shivery heat through her. Every brush against her felt indecent and frightening and so, so good.
Her hips had begun to rock without her meaning for them to, and his hips rolled in response. They were movements that required no thought or discussion, because their bodies seemed to do them instinctively. His legs spread under her, bringing her even closer against him, and her groin met his. A hard length protruded upward beneath his pants, pressing between her legs.
Her insides turned to water. She felt her skin heating as a furious blush consumed her face and neck.
Neiryn suddenly went still. He pulled away from her, much to her dismay, and looked over her shoulder. She turned to look toward the door.
Roshan stood in the doorway. His eyebrows were so high they encroached on his hairline.
Kadaki’s cheeks burned. She was still sitting in Neiryn’s lap, and his arms around her suddenly felt like chains holding her down. She thought of what she must look like. She thought of the Ysurans she’d seen on the road casually shoving humans who got in their way, and of the men in town who’d tried to force dream on her, and of Neiryn, who had in fact just condescended to her, called her foolish, and threatened her.
Roshan left as quickly as he had arrived, closing the door behind him.
Kadaki scrambled out of the chair.
Neiryn reached for her. “Kadaki—”
“I have to deal with this,” she hissed, not sure whether she meant to be apologetic or reproachful.
She chased Roshan into the hall and caught him around the corner. He’d been waiting there, knowing she would come after him.
“That wasn’t what it looked like,” she said.
“It looked like you were tasting Sair Neiryn’s tonsils.”
She winced. “Please don’t be angry.”
He looked amused. “Why would I be angry?”
So many reasons. “He’s… one of them.”
“That does complicate things a bit, doesn’t it?”
Kadaki rubbed a hand over her face. What had she done? What had she been thinking?
