Page 74 of Crimson Kingdom

“And did you not imply again this week that you knew he was sleeping, thus indicating you were in his bed?” His tone was a low, dangerous growl.

“Please see my previous response for reference.” I swallowed, then added, “And if you’ll recall, I was certainly the only one being chaste that night.”

Bitterness crept into my tone, in spite of my efforts to keep it at bay.

“Lemmikki.” The word was softer than usual, and I forced myself to look at him again, forced my features not to waver.

“What?” I asked quietly.

“No one has been in my bed since you left it.” He spoke slowly, enunciating, like he was willing me to believe him.

“Then why were your blankets rumpled when you are so obsessive about them being neat?” I fired back, leaning against his desk.

Evander shifted uncomfortably, his stormy gaze boring into mine as if he was unsure of how to answer.

“Because I had been attempting to sleep in it before I gave up,” he said at last.

That gave me pause, but I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. Getting a straight answer out of him was proving to be as difficult as ever.

“You don’t sleep on both sides of the bed,” I pointed out.

Again, he paused. Then he shook his head. “No, but I sleep in the middle of it.”

I blew out a breath of disbelief. So much for him not lying.

“No, you don’t,” I argued.

He huffed in frustration, his voice louder when he spoke next. “Yes, I do.”

“I think I would remember--”

“I do since you left,” he all but yelled.

My lips parted. Several heartbeats of silence passed between us. He slept in the middle of the bed after I left… Because it felt empty? Because hedidmiss me?

I had shown more than enough of my cards for one night without asking those very revealing questions, though, so all I said was, “Oh.”

One stilted heartbeat passed, and then another, while we stared at each other from our respective chairs.

“Well then.” I cleared my throat, breaking the silence. “I suppose we’ll both be making...sacrifices for our people,”

“Ah. Indeed.” A muscle twitched in Evander’s jaw, the one that meant he was trying not to laugh.

My eyes traveled from that strong jaw, covered in a day’s worth of stubble, to his full lips angled in amusement, and I abruptly got to my feet.

“I should get to bed.” Talking about beds felt dangerous, somehow. “My bed,” I clarified. “Alone.”

And now he was smiling outright.

“Goodnight,” I finished, all but fleeing from his room before I broke down and made that sacrifice this very moment.

The sound of his dark chuckle followed me into the passageway.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-NINE

The next morning, I headed to our weapons maker. Though Rayan was far more than that.

“Young Highness.” He greeted me with a smile, but no trace of surprise.