Catastrophic Attraction - Eve Langlais Page 0,36

every day. Big fucking deal.

Big.

Yeah.

That about described him. It left her aching for something she shouldn’t want. Not with him. A king.

The realization she lusted after him in spite of his ridiculous title sent her fleeing, leaving him unprotected. Titan wasn’t supposed to take over until lunch. Surely Roark would be smart and remain in the room rather than risk himself.

Never mind what his citizens claimed; he was dumber than a wasteland rock. It wasn’t long before she heard people humming about the king. Up and about after saving the castle from a bomb planted in the basement. A partial truth that made him out to be a hero. Not the first time he’d done something heroic, apparently.

Ever since the explosion that left him weaker than a newborn, she’d been hearing of Roark’s deeds. Every time she turned around she got a new praise or story of his epic nature. Feats of his courage. His compassion. His utter ruthlessness, which the citizens in his city absolutely loved. There was a rabid loyalty to the man that, at times, felt contagious because she also found herself drawn to him. She’d seen him act and couldn’t help but be impressed.

The things he’d accomplished. She couldn’t deny the man was doing great things. It didn’t help her unseemly lust for him.

At lunch, Casey ate quickly, her task more about feeding herself than anything. The princess was in her room taking lessons with Anita. However, Casey had arranged to add a few children and gotten her hands on some games to keep them entertained. Someone had offered to set up a screen for something they called a movie, a picture book that played out visually. She declined because in Emerald she recalled that type of technology remained banned, but for a good reason. It was said the Ancients used to have an addiction to stories played out on screen. The very idea baffled. Why would she want to sit staring at something for hours on end?

With the princess handled, she now had a few hours to hunt down information. She finished her plate and rose as Roark appeared, still looking pale, but determined. Fucking idiot. He wasn’t strong enough to be out here. What if his enemies saw and attacked? He had no magic. Nothing to defend himself.

As if he heard her mental chastising, his gaze slewed in her direction. She glared as she pointed to the ceiling. He smirked and shook his head. She offered him a rude gesture in reply. He outright laughed.

Titan tapped Roark lightly on the shoulder, and Roark turned away, which was when she slid into shadow, knowing she had to do better than hide in the dark places. She had to remain out of Roark’s line of sight. The last thing she wanted was for the king to follow her to the undercity. She slunk out of the dining room and quickly made her way out of the castle. She had a bit of trouble crossing the bridge with the sun overhead, but once past, she had no issues moving through the many streets, following the directions she’d been given by one of the castle servants.

Interesting how Roark thought he knew everything about his city but seemed ignorant of the fact it had a layer hidden from him. One that skirted the laws he’d made on breeding.

The king thought anyone should procreate. But some people remained old-fashioned and wanted to ensure the strain they’d be bringing into their bloodlines was pure. Those most concerned with lineage might know of a place that encouraged the creation of hybrids, such as Gus from the dungeon.

The nondescript building she stopped across from appeared to be made of plastered mud over stone remains. No sign hung above its door, not even a number to distinguish it. Yet it matched her information.

Sticking to the shadows allowed her to hide and it wasn’t long before the door opened. She entered a place that did not match its exterior. The room was more modern than the outside, the floor formed from a glossy composite. The walls were pale but mirror-like. A desk—made from carvings of a male and female body—rose from the floor, arching and curving to hold up a rounded glass top. A man sat behind the strange furniture and greeted the person who’d entered before her.

“Do you have an appointment?”

“I don’t need one.” Hands pushed back a hood.

Only then did she recognize the king.

The man behind the desk paled. “Your Majesty does us