those claws might feel like on my skin.
When I opened my eyes, he’d stepped back a pace. My stomach clenched with disappointment. Make up your mind, Hazel.
“Thank you for a lovely evening,” he said, his warm voice filling the space his body had vacated. He watched me intently. Seeing, I suspected, more than I’d have liked, but not taking advantage of my confusion. “It’s been a long time since I found myself this comfortable speaking with someone. You must be tired, though. Shall I walk you to your room?”
“Thank you.”
It was a good thing this monster was also a gentleman. Uncomfortable as I was with risks, I had to admit to myself that he was tempting.
I smiled as I remembered the first time I saw him. The devil, indeed. A convenient scapegoat for bad decisions since forever.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
We didn’t speak as we walked, and I didn’t look out the windows we passed, where distant flames flickered against the black, star-filled sky. I stopped outside Verelle’s rooms.
“This was lovely,” I said. My heart fluttered into my throat as I realized how close he was standing. Not a friendly distance. Just far enough that he could look me over again, eyes lingering on the bare skin between my breasts and on my throat.
He looked hungrier than seemed decent for a perfect gentleman, but I could deal with that imperfection. His gaze met mine, and my heart stumbled.
I leaned back against the door. He’s going to kiss me. Do monsters even kiss here? Do humans? Or is it like the salute, completely different?
Familiar, tingling warmth filled my body, electric currents that woke me up and brought the world into sharp focus, relaxing and exciting me at the same time.
Zinian placed one hand flat on the rough stone wall beside me and leaned closer.
I closed my eyes.
And yelped as the door opened and I tumbled into the room, saved from falling by Auphel’s hand around my waist.
“Sorry!” she cried, and set me awkwardly on my feet. “I heard you and thought maybe I’d accidentally locked you out.” Her eyes went wide as she spotted Zinian, and her lower lip trembled. “So sorry, sir.”
She slammed the door, leaving us alone again.
Zinian laughed quietly. “Well. Goodnight, Hazel. We’ll have to do this again before I leave.”
As my head cleared from the shock, a queasy feeling came over me. I liked him. And when I loosened my hold on ideas of what should be allowed, I understood that I wanted him, monster or not. But getting involved with Zinian—with any monster, but especially one so powerful— was a bad idea. For both of us, if I’d interpreted his story correctly. But standing so close to him messed with my thoughts and instincts in ways I didn’t understand, clouding them with physical desires.
Besides, I still had too many questions about the things he hadn’t volunteered to talk about. Something niggled in the depths of my mind, something about him I didn’t feel comfortable with, but it refused to come forward.
Always look before you leap. It’s not worth the risk.
I reached behind me and opened the door.
“Thank you,” I said as I stepped back, leaving him standing in the hallway looking bemused.
I closed the door behind me and leaned against it until my heart slowed. For the first time in my life, I couldn’t tell whether the fluttering was from excitement or anxiety.
“How was supper?” Auphel asked. She’d retreated to her sleeping space by the cold hearth.
“I actually have no idea.”
Chapter Ten
T he next afternoon , I was ready to move out of the palace. The library had turned out to be a mess, but I was excited to get started on reshelving and reorganizing—not to mention have the opportunity to shut the world out for a while. The sight of real-life monsters roaming the palace halls had become familiar enough that their appearances no longer shocked me, but I still didn’t care for the way most of them looked at
When I opened my eyes, he’d stepped back a pace. My stomach clenched with disappointment. Make up your mind, Hazel.
“Thank you for a lovely evening,” he said, his warm voice filling the space his body had vacated. He watched me intently. Seeing, I suspected, more than I’d have liked, but not taking advantage of my confusion. “It’s been a long time since I found myself this comfortable speaking with someone. You must be tired, though. Shall I walk you to your room?”
“Thank you.”
It was a good thing this monster was also a gentleman. Uncomfortable as I was with risks, I had to admit to myself that he was tempting.
I smiled as I remembered the first time I saw him. The devil, indeed. A convenient scapegoat for bad decisions since forever.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
We didn’t speak as we walked, and I didn’t look out the windows we passed, where distant flames flickered against the black, star-filled sky. I stopped outside Verelle’s rooms.
“This was lovely,” I said. My heart fluttered into my throat as I realized how close he was standing. Not a friendly distance. Just far enough that he could look me over again, eyes lingering on the bare skin between my breasts and on my throat.
He looked hungrier than seemed decent for a perfect gentleman, but I could deal with that imperfection. His gaze met mine, and my heart stumbled.
I leaned back against the door. He’s going to kiss me. Do monsters even kiss here? Do humans? Or is it like the salute, completely different?
Familiar, tingling warmth filled my body, electric currents that woke me up and brought the world into sharp focus, relaxing and exciting me at the same time.
Zinian placed one hand flat on the rough stone wall beside me and leaned closer.
I closed my eyes.
And yelped as the door opened and I tumbled into the room, saved from falling by Auphel’s hand around my waist.
“Sorry!” she cried, and set me awkwardly on my feet. “I heard you and thought maybe I’d accidentally locked you out.” Her eyes went wide as she spotted Zinian, and her lower lip trembled. “So sorry, sir.”
She slammed the door, leaving us alone again.
Zinian laughed quietly. “Well. Goodnight, Hazel. We’ll have to do this again before I leave.”
As my head cleared from the shock, a queasy feeling came over me. I liked him. And when I loosened my hold on ideas of what should be allowed, I understood that I wanted him, monster or not. But getting involved with Zinian—with any monster, but especially one so powerful— was a bad idea. For both of us, if I’d interpreted his story correctly. But standing so close to him messed with my thoughts and instincts in ways I didn’t understand, clouding them with physical desires.
Besides, I still had too many questions about the things he hadn’t volunteered to talk about. Something niggled in the depths of my mind, something about him I didn’t feel comfortable with, but it refused to come forward.
Always look before you leap. It’s not worth the risk.
I reached behind me and opened the door.
“Thank you,” I said as I stepped back, leaving him standing in the hallway looking bemused.
I closed the door behind me and leaned against it until my heart slowed. For the first time in my life, I couldn’t tell whether the fluttering was from excitement or anxiety.
“How was supper?” Auphel asked. She’d retreated to her sleeping space by the cold hearth.
“I actually have no idea.”
Chapter Ten
T he next afternoon , I was ready to move out of the palace. The library had turned out to be a mess, but I was excited to get started on reshelving and reorganizing—not to mention have the opportunity to shut the world out for a while. The sight of real-life monsters roaming the palace halls had become familiar enough that their appearances no longer shocked me, but I still didn’t care for the way most of them looked at
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