Page 34 of To Desire

She shivered noticeably but otherwise did not move. “Aye. And the hanging star is unique to me.”

“What does that represent?”

“That is the mark of fate,” she whispered, her voice barely above the crackling of the hearth. “A symbol of a path that is uncertain but guided by the stars themselves.”

Darien’s fingers paused over the delicate lines of the hanging star, tracing the curves of the crescent moon once more. He marveled at the intricacy of the design, at how it seemed to blend so perfectly with her skin, as though it had always been there.

“And do you know where this path leads?” he asked, the air filled with inevitability.

Liana’s gaze softened, her eyes meeting his with a mix of vulnerability and strength.

“No,” she said quietly. “But I know it is tied to you.”

“Have you always known that?”

Liana slowly shook her head. Darien could not tear his hand from her skin, the mark both delicate and symbolic of strength in a way that was difficult to comprehend.

“No,” she said. Suddenly, Darien realized she was not looking at him but over his shoulder. He saw nothing there. Turning back to her, dropping his hand, Darien was almost afraid to ask. She had the same look on her face as when she was reading the runes.

“When?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

“As you touched me.” She nodded again to the empty space behind him. “Signs are always there, if you know where to look and how to read them.”

“I see . . . nothing but a . . .” Darien fixed his gaze on the tapestry. It depicted a garden filled with towering trees and blooming flowers. “Tell me where to look.”

“Among the foliage, do you see the entwined serpents?”

He did. Their emerald scales blended seamlessly with the leaves, forming a figure eight. Darien would not have spotted them without Liana pointing them out.

When he turned back to her, Liana’s eyes were round with wonder. They fixed back on him. Her shoulders rose and fell, the mark between her breasts like a beacon calling to him. He wanted to touch it again. Kiss it. Run his tongue along the lines and not stop as he worshipped every bit of Liana’s body.

Swallowing, he pushed away the thought and met her gaze once again.

“Tell me.”

“The way they twist together,” she said, her voice steady. “They symbolize infinity, a bond that transcends time. Like us, they embody transformation, the duality of their forms reflecting two strengths complementing each other. They are a sign that our connection is not only destined but also protective, as if the universe itself is affirming that we’re meant to face whatever comes next together.”

“We know our fates are intertwined. But this . . .” He waved his hand between them. “This is something more.”

“Aye,” she agreed. “It is.”

He wanted to ask but couldn’t. Unlike his father, Darien had always wished to be the master of his own fate. To consult the Fletcher women, but not have their visions be his sole influence. Never had he imagined this kind of connection. One that had him nearly taking her to his bed.

Something Darien was no longer certain he wished to avoid.

Tonight was not the time. They had a long day ahead. A king to overthrow. A country to save. But most of all, he was afraid of her answer. Afraid he was following more closely in his father’s footsteps, his reliance on the seer, than Darien could ever imagine.

Despite it, he felt compelled to warn her . . .

“I cannot promise, if we sleep in the same bed, that will be the last kiss we will share this eve.”

The heaviness of their exchange was, thankfully, replaced by something else. Playful Liana, the one from supper, had returned.

“I will hold you to your non-promise,” she said, skirting him and striding toward the canopied bed with purpose.

Darien followed, knowing with each step, this night, everything had changed.