Page 56 of The Kraken Bride

Those around us pulled themselves from their shock and bowed or curtsied to acknowledge his presence. A chorus of “majesty” rang out.

He peered at the other woman with calm authority and a dangerous edge. “Lady Sigrún, I see you’ve met my cherished consort.”

“I have, my lord,” she rushed to say as I patted his chest. “And such a lovely woman.”

“My most valuable treasure.” We met each person’s gaze. “If you’ll excuse us. I owe my lady a drink and a dance.”

Gasps all around as he drew me away. He snagged a glass of champagne from a passing tray, gave it to me, and swiped another glass. One he drained. I followed suit. Mmm. Sweet.

We left the empty glasses on another tray.

“In case you’ve forgotten, you also owe me five secrets,” I reminded him.

“The same number you owe me.” He guided me toward the edge of the dance floor. “Must you be so charming every second of every day?” he complained.

“I can’t help it.” I fit against his frame perfectly. Music from the orchestra swelled, couples circling around us. “Charming is my default setting.”

He grinned despite himself and twirled me around.

“Don’t take this the wrong way,” I whispered, “but you dance like it’s a duty rather than a pleasure. Like you are negotiating a treaty.”

His grin only brightened. “And you dance like gravity is merely a suggestion.”

I swallowed a laugh. “Just relax, darling. Let me make you look good.”

He did just that, and we drew gaze after gaze as we moved together. But halfway through, he grew serious. With torment pulling at the skin around his eyes, he bent his face to mine, his mouth at my ear.

“When we first began, I intended to imply our relationship.” He spoke English, his voice low and throaty, yet also terse. “And here we are, stating it outright. Again.”

“You started it, my sweet little poptart. Though I suppose I’m partly responsible this evening. But since we’ve already crossed the line twice…” I batted my lashes at him, a little too smug to pass for innocent. “Shall we make it worse, majesty?”

Sebastian ran his tongue over his teeth, then led me into a tidewaltz. “We shall. But you should know, Brona. You are not playing with fire. You play with ice.”

Hot to touch, frozen heart? “Is that supposed to scare me off, darling? Try again. I’m the woman who took down an entire mer army.” Was the reminder unnecessary? Ja. But also nein. Let him marinate in the memory of my strength.

He pursed his lips. “If you had any survival sense, you would pack your bags and leave this realm. You should not want me.”

Survival sense. As if being with him would only destroy my heart? As if he knew something I did not. But then, he did know something. The rune’s cost. Did his resistance to our relationship have something to do with that?

“I do want you, Sebastian,” I admitted. No reason to deny it. “Very, very much.”

He jerked, as if I’d stepped on his toes. For the record, I hadn’t. “There are things you do not know.” He pushed the words from clenched teeth.

Oh, ja. “I’ve figured that much out on my own, thank you. And fair warning, I’ll be spending a secret to find out.”

His hand tightened at my waist. “Very well, but not here,” he said, and I let him have that, because not here wasn’t never, and he’d just told me the debt could buy me the truth.

“Once I know what you’re hiding, we’ll go from there,” I said.

He drew in a breath that seemed to collect in his chest and steam there, but he didn’t respond. Just danced me across the floor. His movements were precise and accurate. But…

Before he could respond, I slipped beneath his arm into a smooth turn, my skirts blooming around us as I returned to him. His hand sought my waist again, strong, certain and possessive enough to send another murmur rippling through the ballroom.

Peering up at him, I said in English, “Because the real question isn’t if I want you.” I cupped his cheek, reveling in the scrape of stubble beneath my fingertips. “It’s this. Do you want me?”

I didn’t wait around for his reply. I glided off, leaving him a wee bit slack-jawed.

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