Page 52 (1/2)

Chapter One

Aarie

102 years After the Second Great War

Boreas—Kingdom of Winds and Mountains

Princess Saieke El Shyokara fought theto cli her lips to crease into an unconcerned smile, she lifted her hand to the Grand Duke of the house of Bayuka, Lord Augustus Cold lips brushed her fingers, and she fancied she could feel the chill through her gloves He had spouted empty flattery about her wit and beauty while Saieke could feel him suppress his lust for her body

“You cannot know the sorrow I feel on rejecting your wondrous charht blue eyes There was also the merest hint of amusement in his voice, as if he had been fully aware of her plans for seduction when she had cut in on his dance with the Countess of Azul

“Yet you have done so with such ease” Saieke chuckled ruefully Lord Augustus had presented himself at court several e rides and had even trained together on a few occasions She had not mistaken the lust that had leaked fro she would succeed in seducing hi a lavish golden ball gown eems Her hair was plaited into a pearl entwined coronet, to put the arch of her neck, and her plunging décolletage on shocking display When she had descended the wide rand entrance of the ballroo, and desire had brushed her senses fro through their chakra

Lord Augustus had followed her with his eyes all evening, and yet he still resisted her char the explicit instructions froustus, pushing her chest flush to his

This was her fifth atte a lord to her bed, and fro on his face, her fifth failure

Kings’ teeth “I can feel your desire to bed h your chakra, so intense is your need” He was a powerful lord; his control of his life energy should have been absolute Only the untrained or civilian class should have been leaking their energy so easily It did soothe her to know his desire was great enough to pierce his famed discipline

She stroked the tip of her finger over his lower lip “It is ustus”

Saieke’s stoerous ploy There were deadly consequences to taking a lover if one was already blood bound But theAjali Haddin of Nuria—the kingdom of eternal fire, would never accept an ie The purity of the bloodlines had to be protected It was her only way out of the betrothal

Need and fear warred in Lord Augustus, the eroan of defeat, he pulled her to hih, hope flaring to life

Kiss me, she implored silently

Then he pressed his lips to her

With an eager moan, he kissed her deeper, and she searched herself for a response She was frustratingly blank Saieke tipped her chin and twined her hands around his nape, tugging hiether She parted her lips to his entreaty and did not protest when he cupped her bottom and drew her even closer Disappointment stabbed in her heart Where was the passion Rai spoke of?

With a h his hair, a frown splitting his brows “To want you is to court death for my family,” he snapped

“No one will ever know,” she said, knowing in her heart his fear was a reality

“You are the blood oath queen to the king of Nuria”

Anger snapped through her “Not by my will or desire”

“If it isAjali has rimaced “I ache for you Princess Saieke, but the threat to my family is too much”

“I have been promised to man I will never desire, a dom’s ruler,” she said hoarsely