Page 85 of City of Snakes
That last part turned my lips down into a frown.
When Sybilla reached me, she grabbed onto my arm before standing on tiptoes to kiss the side of my mouth. I closed my eyes, imagining that she meant what she had said, imagining a life where this wasn’t all a facade.
The crown serpent rattled as her soft lips met my skin. I didn’t move away. The charmed metal posed no threat, though it was quite the visual effect with them wrapped around her.
“What in the realms are you doing?” I asked softly against her cheek.
“You tried to send me away,” she whispered back as she peered up at me like I’d offered her the world. For a moment, I believed that expression.
She said through the teeth of her demure smile, “Now stop looking constipated.”
My brows rose at that.
“Better. Look at me like I’m the most beautiful woman you’ve ever seen, even though we both know I am not. I respect that, and I am truly sorry for what I said about her. That was unfair and unkind.”
I let out a low growl of acknowledgment. Reluctantly, I let the hardness peel away and smoothed out my frown as much as possible. Taking in the curve of her neck where her hair met the gown’s straps, my imagination wandered to pushing those straps down. I could manage lust. But I couldn’t handle the warm flutter in my chest that her apology elicited.
“Not bad,” she said as our gazes met. Her hand moved up to rub a gentle circle on my chest before she turned to face my people with a smile. The crowd had erupted—the Central Queen of Henosis, here, ready to be their Queen consort.
I’d barely noticed the commotion.
Sources, she was good. She’d outmaneuvered me, yet I couldn’t bring myself to feel threatened.
“This is a lot of trouble to go through to marry a man you find insufferable.” My words came out gruff as she took my hand and followed me to the center of the balcony.
There, she waved down at a small child who sat atop his father’s shoulders. “You are one of few eligible men in the realms who seems both repulsed by the idea of marrying meanduninterested in taking anything away from me. Plus, you at least look more age-appropriate than Sheffield would.”
I huffed a laugh at the last part.
She was built of contradictions—hardness where you expected something soft, softness where you expected something hard. Where some might have seen weakness, I saw a keen sense of self-preservation. The challenge of her had become exhilarating.
At least that’s what I tried to convince myself of.
I liked verbally sparring with her.
I enjoyed her company enough that it wouldn’t be a terrible match.
If only she knew all of the prophecy.
“I hope you realize what you’re doing,” I mused.
She’d left me little choice but to agree, at least while in public. Her choice to wear my colors, our public display of affection, our standing hand in hand now. The maids talked. It was likely already known around my court that we shared a bedchamber.
Turning her down here would only win me criticism from my own people for having offended a valuable ally.
I raised both of our hands. The crowd below bellowed, and flags waved wildly—a sea of rust and royal blue. I gently tugged her into Umber House.
I hadn’t thought this day would end with me presenting a Queen consort to my people.
“The snakes were a nice touch,” I noted as we slinked away from the bustle of the balcony and down a hallway.
Elsedora and Ryn remained behind to help the guards usher the people away from the estate in an orderly manner. Maids scattered about the halls, seeming to want both to eavesdrop out of curiosity and to flee at the sight of me. We needed somewhere quiet to speak.
“You told me the rattling serpent was your symbol because, unlike other snakes, they are typically docile and warn you before they attack. I identified with that.”
I pulled her into an alcove for privacy, kicking the clay-potted citrus tree that was displayed there aside. My gaze searched hers for a clue as to where this rambling would go.
She continued, “I have lived in a city of snakes for a long time, Krait. My snakes just never gave me any warning before striking. So I’ve learned to adapt and do what is necessary.”
