Page 142 of Captive of Secrets and Storms

I’m beholden to the Shadow Prince, the heir of the dastardly king who decimated the human kingdom with his shadows.

Shadows that are the result of Queen Calla’s curse…

I rub my throbbing temples.

“Is everything all right?”

I drop my hands and meet Rian’s stare.

His agitation is gone. He’s back to the formidable, stoic prince I’m used to.

But he doesn’t feel as unapproachable as before.

I suppose having his tongue down my throat will do that…

“I’m fine. This is all just…a lot.”

The hard edge in his eyes softens. “I imagine so.”

“Do you, um…” I clear my throat. “Do you think anyone else in Virendrell knows what I am?”

Has Anders uncovered my unknown secret?

“No. Your magic is difficult to detect.” Rian shifts his weight, averting his gaze to the window, facing the ocean beyond. “I suspect it’s because you’ve spent your entire life trying to conceal it.”

I frown. “But you sense it.”

“I’m different,” he replies, not with arrogance, just fact.

“Oh.”

The simple word hangs between us.

The charged air from before has dissipated, but the pull in my gut, yearning for me to dive my fingers into his thick locks, gnaws at me. Incessant.

“I should go,” I say again, rolling my shoulders back. “I’ll find Darius and let you know if anything’s changed about his condition.”

“Thank you.”

I nod, telling myself I’m not affected by his soft-spoken gratitude.

I walk to the door.

My hand hovers over the doorknob as a question pricks the back of my mind.

I spin around.

Rian’s eyes fly up.

Was he checking out my ass?

I dismiss the thought.

“Is Darius’s curse different from the Shadowbound Curse?”

His brows lift.

“Where did you hear about that?” Before I can answer, he scoffs and says, “Never mind. Anders.”