Gilded Serpent Danielle Jensen (i can read with my eyes shut .TXT) 📖

Elbowing Quintus out of the way, Marcus leaned closer, feeling the breath of breeze coming from the xenthier brush against his cheek. Inhaling deeply, he nearly recoiled at the familiarity of the scents. None of it brought back good memories. Bardeen had been the last of their missions with the Twenty-Ninth. And the worst of them.

“That’s incredible.” Teriana’s braids brushed his arm as she leaned closer, sending a prickle of sensation across his skin. “It’s like Bardeen is right there.”

They were within the Empire’s reach now, whether the Empire realized it or not. “I’ve seen enough. Let’s go.”

Back on the ground, he motioned to Gibzen. “Get something solid in place just in case the Senate sends anyone else. We don’t need them falling to their deaths.”

If only that path-hunter hadn’t survived the fall.

“Yes, sir.”

Glancing back up at the stem that had the power to destroy everything he’d dreamed for the Thirty-Seventh, Marcus said, “We’ll make camp for tonight.” And despite dreading what he’d have to do once they returned to Aracam, he added, “We’ll return to the coast in the morning.”

 31KILLIAN

“You can hold your breath a very long time, Lord Calorian,” Ria said in a low voice, her eyes roving over him in a way that made Killian deeply aware of his lack of clothing. “I thought I might have to rescue you.”

She giggled as though the idea of doing so was ridiculous, then she bit at her bottom lip, her eyes glinting. Only the swirl of her brown hair in the water concealed her breasts, but he kept his gaze fixed on a tiny mole at the center of her forehead. “Is there something you wanted, my lady?”

“There’s only one thing anyone wants when they come to this part of the pool,” she said, easing closer to him.

Shit. He’d forgotten about that, wanting only to be away from Finn and the attendants. This was the last thing he was interested in. All he wanted was to be alone with his thoughts, and he silently cursed his reputation. His face. His mark. His own stupidity for allowing her the opportunity to corner him like this. “I only wanted to look at the gardens.”

Ria smirked. “I wasn’t under the impression you were the sort of man who spent much time admiring topiaries. I’d heard you preferred more … visceral pursuits.”

“Don’t believe everything you hear,” he said, knowing that the words would do nothing to dissuade her. That she’d see them as him toying with her, as though this were all a game. He’d been put in this sort of position before. It was always the same.

Ria moved forward and he moved back, but his shoulders struck the edge of the pool. Before he could edge sideways, her arms slipped around his neck, her breasts pressing against him. She reached up to kiss him, but he turned his head, feeling her lips catch him on the jaw.

She huffed out a breath. “You’re quite the tease, Lord Calorian. Is that how you got my cousin to agree to marry you?”

His pulse roared in his ears, carrying with it a wild fury that he barely managed to keep in check. He wanted her gone, and preferably never to see her face again, but there was no easy way out of this situation.

Not without rebuffing her, which would have consequences. And not by laying hands on her to push her away, which he refused to do.

Then he heard the slap slap of bare feet against the tile, and Finn said, “Sorry to interrupt, my lord, but the attendant had some questions regarding your attire for this evening.”

From the way that Ria was looking anywhere but at Finn, her cheeks flushing a bright pink, Killian was fairly certain that the boy was still naked as a jaybird.

“Who is he?” she demanded. “And what is he doing in my pool?”

“He’s my squire, my lady,” Killian answered, resting his elbows on the edge of the pool as she crossed her arms over her chest. “He goes where I go.”

“But he’s Gamdeshian!”

Killian lifted one eyebrow, about to point out that so was Sonia, but then Finn said, “Half-Gamdeshian, my lady. My father was Mudamorian, and he died fighting against the Derin invaders.”

Ria’s jaw tightened. “My condolences. May the gods keep and protect his soul.”

“Thank you, my lady,” Finn said, then without pause, added, “Lord Calorian, they are concerned they have nothing for someone of your considerable stature, and with the dinner hour nearly upon us, I’m afraid they are beginning to fret. Would you condescend to having your bath cut short so the tailor might measure you?”

“If I must.” He met Ria’s gaze. “Sorry to cut our conversation short, my lady, but it would not do to come to your table without suitable attire. If you’d excuse me.”

“Of course.” Her voice was strangled, but to her credit, Ria stood her ground in the pool instead of fleeing back over to the women’s side.

Nodding at her, Killian swam to the far end, accepting the towel that Finn handed to him.

“They don’t need to measure you,” Finn said. “I made that up.”

“I know.” And likely so did Ria. “Thank you.”

“Just doing my duty. No different than sharpening your sword.”

Casting a glance down, Killian said, “We’ve talked about this. You touch my sword, I’ll—”

“Make me run six laps naked through the army camp, I know. Though as you might be gathering, that’s not much of a threat, my lord.” Finn took a few strutting steps. “I’d run eight laps naked, just for fun.”

“Noted. I’ll think up a better threat.”

“Or,” Finn replied slyly, “you could let me have my own sword.”

Giving him a weapon would only be the first step. Then he’d be wanting to learn to use it. And then he’d be wanting to fight. And the thought of anything happening to Finn … “I just bought you a horse. Don’t get greedy.”

The attendants were waiting in the chambers with new clothes, Killian’s boots polished