Shadows & Lace (Spellbound Prequel)

Chapter 14: Never Been Kissed

Braithe regretted the words the moment they escaped her lips. Aurelian looked somewhat dangerous, his blue eyes darker than normal and his jaw clenched. Before she could say that they were finished sparring, he lunged towards her and she had to jump back to avoid him. When she moved forward to jab at him with her wooden dagger, she was surprised when he didn't parry, instead allowing her to land the blow. She realised why a moment later when his hands grabbed her upper arms just below the shoulders and held her still.

They stared at each other for a moment, their breaths laboured. His eyes were so dark, and so... angry?

"What are yo-" her question was interrupted by his lips pressing against hers, hard and most definitely angry.

The shock kept her from reacting at first. The feeling of his kiss, even with the thin layer of fabric between them, was so foreign. Then she regained her wits and wrestled out of his grip, though he held on to one arm, keeping her close.

"What are you doing?" she snapped, glaring at the hand on her. Did he like men?

"I'm claiming that kiss I forewent the other night," he ground out, a muscle in his jaw twitching.

"The other..." She gasped. "You know!"

"Yes. Princess." The word was dripping with vitriol. He really wasn't happy.

She tested the strength of his grasp, but he wouldn't budge, so she stilled and looked up at him. "How long have you known?"

"Only since you fell over." The muscle in his jaw twitched again. "Were you ever going to tell me?"

The hurt and anger in his eyes made her look away, guilt washing over her. "I don't know," she admitted. "I think so. I wanted to be sure I could trust you."

He let out a bitter chuckle. "Have I not proven myself enough? You know I came here to find out the truth of what was going on."

"I'm sorry." She searched his eyes for the perpetually happy man she was used to seeing, but could find no trace. He was hidden beneath the layers of anger and resentment. "It was unfair, but I worried what might happen if you let my parents know. Even indirectly by telling the High King and him telling them. You don't know my parents as well as I do. They would have no compunction about locking me in a tower for the rest of my life, or marrying me off to that detestable Sheriff."

"I can't believe I didn't realise it sooner," Aurelian said, shaking his head, his voice incredulous. "It was so obvious. I just never imagined that the vigilante would be a woman. Let alone a princess."

Braithe glared at him. "I like to think my disguise isn't half-bad."

"It's not," he admitted, looking down at her. "Fooled me well enough, didn't it?"

Lifting his free hand, he pulled down the cloth covering her face and pushed the hood of the coif back, revealing her to him. Braithe swallowed as his gaze roamed her face, fastening on her lips. His blue eyes were dark like a stormy summer's night, his face unusually grim, and she found that she missed his familiar easy smile. He cupped her cheek in his hand and caressed her lower lip with his thumb, his touch not ungentle.

Meeting her eyes again, he smiled wryly. "You have no idea how difficult it was to not kiss you that night. I wanted nothing more, but knowing what I was about to do to your parents..."

Unable to reply, Braithe stared at him helplessly, breath hitched in her throat.

"Were you laughing at me the entire time?" he asked, still holding her arm, but his grip had loosened. "The foolish knight falling for the princess?"