Dragons, Briars and Blades by Emily Michel

Author:Emily Michel
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Emily Michel

Chapter Eighteen

Sarsa needed a breath—maybe a thousand—after that kiss.

She had meant it to be fake. She’d done the exact same thing at least a dozen times since her first assignment. But as soon as her lips had touched his, it was anything but. Even now, she felt the pressure of his lips on hers, and she resisted the urged to trace her mouth with her forefinger to relive it.

Betony’s words to Cetti echoed in Sarsa’s mind the entire walk back to Ebon’s room.

“Ebon deserves better than you, and it looks like he found her.”

Ebon did deserve better, but Sarsa was not it. She’d lied to him, too, by omission if nothing else. Her mother wanted her in his bed, wanted a fairy princess in Lorea. If Sarsa was honest with herself, she wanted in his bed, but not for what he was. She wanted him for who he was. If he wasn’t a prince, she’d still want him. She should tell him what the Lady of Errozar had planned for him. It was the least she owed him—the truth.

They walked in silence. She was thrilled with the kiss. It was the best kiss of her life. But every time she thought about speaking, nothing came to mind. At least, nothing she could share on the paths through Neraida. Granite was about, and if he didn’t already know about their supposed relationship, he soon would. What would he tell her mother? And what would her mother do with the information? Sarsa had done what she could to assure her mission was successful, but it might not be enough.

The door closed quietly behind them. Brumbull raised his head from the bed, then slowly stretched and lazily rolled, exposing his belly for scritches. Ebon sat next to him and obliged, pensive as he gently rubbed the dragon’s belly. Rumbles and smoke emerged from the creature. Brum had more than forgiven Ebon for his transgressions, and it only further endeared the prince to her. Sarsa took her usual place in the chair across the room. The more distance between them, the better.

Her heart begged to differ.

“Thank you,” he said after a few moments.

“For what?”

“For making me realize Cetti is my past, and what she thinks, what she wants, doesn’t matter in the least.”

“Good. Betony is right—you deserve better.” Better than Cetti, better than Sarsa.

He glanced at her, and she saw it in his darkling eyes. Ebon was going to say something they both regretted. The words fell out of her mouth before she could stop them. Anything to avoid whatever Ebon wanted to say.

“Why did you kiss me like that?”

The pinpricks of light in his irises whirled. “Like what?”

“Like you meant it. You don’t like me.”

“What makes you believe I don’t like you?”

“You always seem…irritated when I’m around.”

He scratched Brumbull’s belly a little more. The dragon sighed contentedly.

“You are infuriating, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like you.”

She blew out a breath, tamping down the impulse to throttle him. “I’m infuriating? You’re infuriating!”

“That’s an excellent comeback.

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