Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71403 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 286(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71403 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 286(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Learn when not to shine. Bright and shiny attracts attention. Shadows collect secrets.
Pretty sure I’d just failed that one, Adelaide.
I focused on Sebastian. Should I close the distance? Deep down, I knew. Every move I made from this point forward would be remembered, discussed, and interpreted. So, nein. I shouldn’t close the distance. Besides, this was Sebastian’s show. He must come to me.
I searched for someone, anyone else I might know. Oh. The other ambassadors were here as well, all clustered together.
The bear spotted me and elbowed the griffin. In unison, all the others faced me, eyes wide. They’d seen me yesterday and hadn’t reacted like this. Which meant they’d already heard about my budding romance with the kraken king.
I turned to Freyja to tell her—absolutely nothing. She had already gone. In her place was Mountain Man. He stood directly behind me, unconcerned about personal boundaries.
Um. “Hello?”
He was a tower of strength and so wide I wasn’t sure how he fit in the dome, much less the garden. Dark hair brushed the collar of his coat, practical rather than styled. His strong jaw framed a face carved in hard, uncompromising lines. He wore all black and hadn’t even tried the slightest to hide the arsenal of weapons strapped to his body.
“I’m Gunnar, my lady.” Silvery eyes studied me. “I’ve been assigned to your safety.” His deep voice boomed. “I take this assignment seriously. Anyone who harms you will die screaming.”
So I now had a personal assistant, a lady’s maid and a bodyguard.
I was never to be alone here, was I? And I got it. I did. As the king’s rune whisperer, I must be protected at all costs. Not that anyone else knew it. To them, I was a shiny new toy.
Because irritation helped no one, I sighed. “It’s nice to meet you, Gunnar. Please allow me to offer a pre-apology for any trouble I cause you.”
“Make my king happy, and I’ll die for you, if need be.”
He spoke as if he’d made a simple statement of fact, as plainly as if he’d said sunny weather is warm. His devotion left me reeling. He and Sebastian must share a special bond.
“I’d rather you didn’t do any dying, thank you,” I informed him. He shrugged, responding without words. I heard his words anyway.
That’s on you now, isn’t it?
A tall kraken with jet hair and a neon-blue velvet suit stepped onto the dais, striking the stone once with a slender rod of coral. The sound rang clear and resonant.
“Welcome one and all. Especially our illustrious king. I’m Game Master Bjarki,” he announced with a wide sweep of his arms, “and this wonderful morning, we honor kraken tradition with… Tideweave!”
Cheers exploded across the garden. Most of the crowd directed their exuberance at Sebastian himself. The king nodded in acknowledgement. All the while, my nervous system roiled.
The game master raised a hand, and the attendees quieted. “Partners will enter the circle together. You will remain connected, no exceptions. When the floor reveals the tide, you follow its rhythm and activate the royal crest as they rise.”
Activate the royal crest. Like we would soon activate the rune? That must be why he’d chosen this game. To get me familiar with the process. Smart.
“Miss one,” the game master continued, “and the tide leaves you behind. Break form, and you’re out. The first couple to activate all five crests wins. But remember. The smoother your steps, the faster your crests appear.”
All right, that sounded easy enough. Although, there would be more than just occasional brushes. There would be constant contact. Uneasiness shimmered along my spine.
“For those participating, you have five minutes to select a partner. Choose well,” the game master added with a cheeky grin. “Your victory—or your loss—depends on it.”
I didn’t mean to, but I looked at Sebastian again. He still watched me, locked on as though no one else existed. He’d flipped his switch, the full weight of his focus bearing down on me.
I gulped. The woman next to him reached for his arm. To recruit him? But he started forward, heading straight for me.
I flattened a palm over my stomach.
People didn’t just move aside; they yielded, as if instinct screamed a warning. All eyes remained on him, curiosity tinging the air.
Sebastian stopped directly in front of me, a faint pull at my center intensifying.
“Good morning, princess.” He took my hand and lifted my knuckles to his mouth. The moment warm black leather touched my skin, the world shifted, coming into sharper focus. “I’m told women prefer compliments to their intellect over their appearance, but your brain is not the one wearing that dress.”
I tried not to react, I really did, but my lips lifted in a smile. When he looked at me like that… “You may feel free to remark on my appearance.”
“Beauty such as yours should be a crime, Brona. As king, I might declare it so.”