Page 10 of Caged Love
“I’m a royal guard, so I do a lot of training… whatever Zython or Axe need. I spend a lot of time with Kai and Bane. Occasionally, we go to Aravelle and visit everyone there.”
By everyone, he means Astrid.
I heard how she spoke to him, and I know she cares for him. There’s a connection between them.
But Rave was standing right there, too. So there’s obviously nothing they have to hide, right?
I don’t know how to feel about him having that emotional closeness with another woman who happens to be a powerful and beautiful queen. I can’t compete with that.
I’m the daughter of his enemy, a man they killed and who has left behind nothing but his ghosts of fighting against the royal family.
All I want now is peace.
Can August give me that?
“What about your life?” he asks when I stay silent, too lost in my thoughts.
Swallowing hard, I contemplate my life. When my father was here, I did whatever he needed me to. Now he’s gone, I’ve been letting Rion treat me in a similar way. “I don’t think I know anymore,” I admit. Or, more honestly, I don’t know if I like the person I’ve become.
August smiles sadly and reaches his hand through the bars. I take it, and the second our skin touches, magic sizzles between us, the golden glow tempting us to follow the fate’s path.
“Let’s just forget everything and everyone else and get to know each other. We aren’t enemies, Milana. We never have been,” he rasps, his gaze sweeping over mine with a heated intensity. “Give me a chance.”
I want to so fucking badly.
I glance around the dungeon exaggeratedly. “We’re not exactly in the best situation for that.”
He laughs, and I pull out the water bottle from under my cloak with my free hand and pass it to him.
August arches a brow. Up close, his lashes are long, thick, and frame those dark, soulful eyes perfectly. “Rion isn’t going to love you keeping me alive. Does he know you are my mate?”
I shake my head. “No, and I’m going to keep it that way.”
I don’t know what they would do, but I know they would use me to get what they want. I’m not going to let that happen.“That’s my smart girl,” he murmurs, opening the lid to the bottle and taking a few deep swallows. When it’s empty, he hands it back to me. “I still haven’t eaten the chocolate you gave me.”
“You saving it for a rainy day?” I ask, my lip twitching. He brings his lips to my fingers and places a soft kiss there. A shiver shoots through my hand and up my arm. And then I decide to use my magic, closing my eyes and pushing it through to him.
I’ve done this once before, but I don’t know if he even knows it. It was when I was locked away in his castle. He couldn’t zip before, but with a little boost, I knew he could. And now, if Rion tries to hurt him, he will have more magic to keep him alive.
“What are you doing?” he asks, his brow furrowing as his eyes close.
“Lending you a little power,” I reply, leaning my face against the bars.
“This doesn’t feel like you hate me,” he whispers in a husky tone.
I could never hate him.
He’s half of my soul.
I just don’t know if he deserves my heart.
But what I do know, and what I need to admit to myself, is that I’m not going to let anything happen to him.
I’m wired to think of him as mine, and I was fool to think I could ignore that.
Chapter Six
Again, she boosted me with her magic. I knew when she did it before because I could feel it, but I didn’t say anything then because I was too scared she’d regret giving me anything of herself. I don’t care about the magic. Yeah, it’s nice to be able to zip after having to get others to do it for me all of this time, but that’s not why I want the beautiful female sitting in front of me.
