Secrets Among the Tides (Royal Secrets Book 1) by Aleera Anaya Ceres

Author:Aleera Anaya Ceres [Ceres, Aleera Anaya]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-02-21T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Kai

Stupid anniversary dinner...

My lip twitched into a mocking smile. “Princess.” I bowed low and when I straightened, had the satisfaction of seeing a flush brighten her skin. My eyes lingered over her modest pink dress and golden clips keeping her long purple tresses back.

Her teeth were biting down hard on her lower lip and I couldn’t help but stare at her mouth. She released her lip and stuck her tongue out to trail over them. There was something different about the shape of her lips, the arch of her throat… I’d never given either things a thought before, but now something about her seemed shy and almost tantalizing.

However, her words had been more than enough proof that there was no change in her. She was still the same spoiled little princess she always has been. That thought alone pulled my gaze away from her mouth and to her eyes.

I smiled dutifully, pretending as though I hadn’t heard a word as I looked from her to the captain, who was leaning a bit too close to her, instead of waiting at a respectable distance like he should have been. When he saw where my gaze lingered, he took a few strokes back and stiffened, his hand going to the hilt of the weapon at his waist. As if I’d be capable of hurting my betrothed. No. Even if I felt nothing for her, I would never harm her. Not when I—my kingdom—relied on this engagement.

“How are you today?” I asked.

She let out a breath. “I’m fine, Your Majesty.”

“I am glad to hear it.”

An awkward moment of silence stretched out before us. One of my advisors coughed, breaking the tension. I turned to them, to their sour faces. For a moment, I’d almost forgotten they were there. My father had insisted they come with me to Thalassar. To begin grooming me on the foreign politics of this kingdom and on the princess. As if I needed their help to understand her. As if I needed them trailing behind my every move. As if I needed them to tell me how to woo a mer.

“You are dismissed,” I told them firmly in Dracon. Their eyes widened, but they stayed where they were. They never wanted to obey me. I cleared my throat. “You may take your leave…now.” They looked at me reluctantly, looked at the princess and I knew what they were thinking. They didn’t think it safe for me to be alone with her before we were wed. It was scandalous, to go around without a chaperone. What century did they think we were in? I had no interest whatsoever in her and her guard was there, besides.

Not that Captain Saber could ever defeat me in a battle. I’d probably seen more death and killed more mer than he could have ever dreamed of meeting. In Draconi, we became adults when we first chose our dragons. Then again when we drew first blood in battle.

I was known for bloodshed and malice.

I did not need them to guard me.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.