Empire of Embers by Rachel Medhurst

Author:Rachel Medhurst [Medhurst, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-07-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

Blinking awake, I listened to the sound of his heavy breathing. A pang of excitement shot through me as I remembered waking up in the night, his arm around me. We had turned to each other and shared another kiss. It had been hot and heated, but now the realisation of what we’d done made me shudder.

It had only been a kiss, or several, but my friends wouldn’t see it that way. I would have to keep my tryst with Jordeek a secret.

My heart was heavy in my chest as I crawled out from the hay. The sun shone straight through the waterfall, glistening and reflecting the crashing water.

Jordeek was still fast asleep, his handsome, newly scarred face soft in slumber. I had to force myself not to reach for him as I gathered my dress and boots. Why was my guilt not as strong as it should be? I had been cavorting with the enemy – in a cave!

Lifting my sword from its scabbard silently, I looked down at him. I could plunge the blade straight through his heart. Lifting the weapon, I held it above me. My arms shook at the effort of holding it. His eyelids moved as he dreamt. What was he dreaming about? Althea? Our kiss?

Releasing my breath as quietly as I could, I relaxed my arms, allowing the sword to lower. I couldn't do it. My heart knew that I would regret killing a defenceless man, or that's what I told myself anyway.

Preparing to leave, I stopped when my eye caught sight of the twinkling black dust on the ground. It had been from the fairy when she’d delivered her riddle. Wait… she had said Dust to Dust…

Taking up the cloth I had used on Jordeek the night before, I smiled. It had dried out by the fire, which made it perfect for collecting some of the dust and taking it with me. Hurrying, I scooped it up and tied the cloth in a knot, hoping I could find a way to keep it dry.

As I went to the edge of the cave, I checked outside. There was no wolf in sight. Not only that, stepping stones had appeared from nowhere, leading the way to the other side of the pool.

Glancing over my shoulder at my enemy, I sucked in my bottom lip as I remembered the feeling of home that had soared through me when our lips had met.

I had no idea what it meant that I was potentially in lust with the man who wanted to kill me. Maybe it was a moment of weakness. Or maybe it was more.

My feet stepped lightly as I hopped from one stone to the other, grateful to the fairy or witch, or whoever had cast a spell to help me out of the cave without getting wet.

If Larnika had been here, he would've told me to slaughter Jordeek in his sleep.

A part of me had known when embracing the man who currently sat on my throne that it had been the perfect opportunity to have killed him.

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