Page 70 of The Serpent Prince

Her eyes were wide with awe, and she couldn’t stop rubbing her hands over the soft leather covering the luxurious seats. A permanent smile covered her face as she marveled at all the little details.

Kiran sat opposite her. Today, he wasn’t the usual taunting, mercurial prince Imani knew. Today, he was stoic, and his profile commanded power. She could feel him gathering his magic inside him, building as he prepared to enter the dangerous city of these other elves. Imani was finding out that the elf prince was so much more than he let people see.

They had hours together before the train would arrive in the dwarves’ territory, deep in the mountain, and Kiran stared out the window, rubbing a coin between his fingers over and over. She’d never seen him nervous before. But they’d never done something so dangerous and daunting before.

Imani checked the jewels in her hair for the tenth time and prayed they could pull it off.

Kiran sporadically turned his attention on Imani to lecture her at random moments during their journey. After a while, she was ready to throttle him if he said one more word to her. Zadie had already spent the last three days pushing information into Imani’s head, ordering her about, demanding perfection. If it wasn’t for the tantalizing opportunity to search for the History of Royal Bloodlines book and possibly even the Drasil, she might have protested more at such domineering behavior.

“Are you listening to me?” Kiran interrupted her thoughts. “You need to listen to me, or we risk the whole thing,” he demanded.

Imani waved him off, silently agreeing.

He narrowed his eyes as she turned her head to gaze out the window. That penetrating gaze burned into the back of her neck until she felt it stray away. When he ignored her again, she peeked through her lashes to see him turned away from her, staring vaguely in the distance.

Eyes turning to slits, Imani tried to examine him.

His nose was perfect and straight, and his lips, although usually formed in some form of a sneer or unreadable expression, were alluring. Even now, that perfect brow was furrowed, and he held the back of his hand pressed to his mouth, thinking. No doubt, the Serpent Prince had serious thoughts running through his mind.

Imani wondered what they were. Reading his physical tells was getting easier and easier, but his inner thoughts remained elusive. Even with his expression set somewhere between irritation at her and boredom at the situation, Kiran’s thoughts were a mystery.

And with such striking looks, it was impressive how he managed to remain inconspicuous with his glamour magic. But today, he had brought his best self out in full force for the dwarves. With no illusion, he was a fearsome specimen to behold.

Did Zadie lecture him on his looks, as well?

Of course, she had. He’d never show himself so blatantly like he was now if she hadn’t.

Just as Imani had come well-groomed and dressed impeccably for their journey, he’d done the same. Covered entirely in black, his dress pants and shirt hinted that he was a lean but muscular male without giving anything else away.

Taking in the prince’s entire appearance, Imani fought a grin.

As long as he didn’t speak, pretending to be mated to Kiran would be quite enjoyable.

Shifting slightly in her seat, Imani felt somewhat insecure about her looks, something she’d never felt before. Maybe she’d thought it about her magic skills, lack of schooling, or even her accent. Most of the time, she wanted to be known as an intelligent, cunning female rather than pretty … unless it suited her, which it did now.

These elves needed to believe she was Kiran’s equal in all things.

All. Things.

Suddenly, his eyes found hers. Tingles shot through her body in response, feeling that powerful masculine energy focused on her. She forced herself to hold his gaze, drawn to his blinding green eye and the other black one. Where all jewel mountain elves had blue eyes like Imani’s, he had the beautiful green eyes of the Drow elves and the shifters. Again, she wondered about his black eye.

What happened to him?

Nothing good, she concluded.

He looked about ready to say something, but then he pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose and turned his attention back to the window.

Imani wanted his eyes back on her.

“When will you cast the heartmate illusion?” Her voice sounded blasé, yet she was anything but that at the moment. “I’m assuming you perfected it, no?”

He met her gaze head-on. “Of course I did. I can cast it now, if you’d like.”

“You figured it out without flesh magic?”

“I didn’t say that, but all you need to know is that it will work.”

“Let’s get this over with then.” She leaned back in her seat and tried to look casual.