Page 24 of A Lie so Pretty and Poisonous

“Come with me,” Gabriel muttered as he placed his hand in its usual spot.

I didn’t dare make eye contact with King Torrish, who had been silently seething on his throne, looking every bit as hostile as the golden god behind him. I lowered my head and followed a mere step behind Gabriel, separating from my daughter for the first time.

Uncomfortable situations with the aristocracy had been thrust upon me my entire life. But what happened in the throne room had to be one of the tensest situations I had ever encountered. For a brief moment, I was thankful for the layers of fabric that concealed the sweat that had formed under the bodice.

As the heavy doors to the throne room shut behind us, Gabriel and I simultaneously took deep breaths. His eyes softened. “I am sorry you had to witness such behavior. It is out of character for me to challenge the king like that, but I am…protective of you.”

“It’s alright,” I reassured. “I appreciate you standing up for your principles. However, I must ask. How did you know my full name? Did you use an enchant on me? Did you know I would get interrogated?” The words rambled out of my mouth before I could stop myself.

His jaw dropped. “What?” His hand left my back and moved to my upper arm, gently guiding me down the hallway and away from the listening guards. We turned a corner into a vacant hallway and paused in front of a bronze statue of a horse. “Your satchel. Your full name was on the inside flap, and I saw it when I took it off the horse upon entering the courtyard. And no, I did not know that my brother would make you undergo questioning.” He stood with his arms crossed, his posture tense. A muscle ticked in his jaw.

Guilt coated my stomach. Gabriel had been nothing but kind to me, and I had launched into a tirade of questions right after he was berated by his king. I knew better than to do such a thing. “Gabriel, I apologize. My past is riddled with bad experiences. Particularly with men.” I hung my head, casting my eyes at his feet. A lifetime of heartache, manipulation, and abuse came at a hefty cost.

Don’t let your mask slip, Rory.

His face softened, and his arms sagged at his side. Closing the distance between us, his large hand gently grasped my chin and lifted it to look up at his face. His lapis blue eyes searched mine, and his thumb stroked a line across my jaw.

Gabriel spoke softly. “I am sorry you have not been treated kindly by men, but you cannot compare me to whatever human wasn’t kind to you. Not all men are like that. You can trust me. I need you to trust me. It would break my heart otherwise.”

I nodded.

He tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, and his gaze landed hungrily on my mouth. I recognized that hunger. One I had seen many times in my life from men. My body tensed and warmed, flushing my face.

Goddess, I hope he doesn’t try anything.

“Let me kiss you,” he whispered as he lowered his face to mine.

My eyes shut expectantly, and my mouth parted to invite him to press his lips against mine.

“Commander!” A voice called out.

Gabriel dropped his hand from my face as my eyes shot open. He positioned himself in front of me, resuming a formal stance as a soldier trotted down the hall toward us.

Was I seriously about to let him kiss me?

“What, Caleb?” His voice was stern.

I hoped the flush of my face and the hazy look in my eyes didn't give us away.

Caleb glanced at me and then at Gabriel, who was scowling. “My apologies for interrupting, Commander, but I just received a report on militia movement from the west valley. I thought you would like to be briefed, and we await your command on how to proceed.”

Gabriel inclined his head. “I will meet you and the others in my office in one hour. Dismissed.”

As Caleb jogged off, Gabriel turned back to me. I wrung my fingers, and my eyes dashed around the hallway, refusing to meet his. He took a step toward me again and brought my hands into his. “My apologies. Please do not be embarrassed. I hope I didn’t overstep.”

I fought the urge to back away. “Yes. I mean…no. I am taken aback. That’s all. Maybe we should slow things down a bit. We don’t even know each other.”

Gabriel smiled. “Of course. I want to get to know you. However much you will share with me.”

I sighed, and I internally berated myself for almost letting that happen.

Gabriel looked down the long hallway and back at me. “Now, I have to introduce you to your chaperone while I am away,” he grumbled.

He led me through the glittering marble halls. The size of the castle was disorienting. Hallways turned into more hallways; doors led to staircases. By the time the sun beamed on my face, I was completely turned around. A castle this size would take time to learn how to navigate.

“All of the off-duty soldiers and guards are in the combat ring this time of day. We should be able to find Darragh there,” Gabriel said gruffly.

I tilted my head and frowned. “Is there anything I should know? Should I be worried about us being in his care?”