Reign of Darkness (The Prince's Assassin #2) - Ariana Nash Page 0,116
doing to Niko and delighted in every torturous admission.
Vasili genuinely cared for him? This wasn’t some spice-addled written fantasy letter, but startling reality. What did it mean that the prince had confessed such a thing? Too many questions, and until Vasili returned, there would be no answers—if he ever planned on having any. Knowing Vasili, he’d never mention it again, and Niko would be left wondering if he’d imagined it all.
But damn… Niko smiled at the empty room. Damn. Vasili cared and Niko cared right back?
But no, he couldn’t dwell on that. Considering what came next, it would be better to forget Vasili entirely.
Amir should be his focus.
Niko’s service had bought Vasili an army and Loreen a last chance against the elves. There was no other way.
He was a soldier. Fucking Amir, surrendering to that bastard’s desires, was just another battle.
If he could think of it like that, he’d get through it.
Late afternoon light spilled into the room by the time the door lock rattled, and two guards entered. “The king is ready. Come along quietly and we won’t have to restrain you.” The guard who spoke showed Niko his iron shackles, emphasizing his point.
“You won’t need those.”
They escorted him through scorched hallways, passing crumbled holes in the ceiling where water streamed through. The palace was barely habitable and echoed the city’s decay. Soon, there’d be nothing left of Loreen worth saving.
The new bedchamber they took him to was untouched by smoke or fire. The guards left him alone inside, closing the door behind them. Niko eyed that door. He hadn’t heard a lock, but he couldn’t leave. Couldn’t walk away. Not from this.
He’d done some terrible things at the front line, given in to that monstrous part of him that had enjoyed slicing a blade through elf flesh too much, but he’d never submitted and never surrendered.
Vasili had better win his damn battle while Niko fought his.
Amir strode in near sunset, neatly closing the door behind him. He instantly stopped at a sideboard to pour himself a drink. Niko’s only acknowledgment was a twitch of Amir’s eyebrow.
He downed the contents of his glass and sighed like he’d already had enough of the day. “He finally got you to heel.”
Niko clenched his jaw and locked his hands behind his back.
He leaned back against the sideboard and pressed the glass to his cheek, rolling it across his skin. “What did he tell you, hm? That this was for the good of Loreen? Did he appeal to your need to be heroic?” Amir’s gaze drank Niko in. He was firmly Amir in this moment and untouched by the flame, probably because the dark had no interest in his carnal affairs.
“You look different.” He set his glass down and moved to stand close. “Rougher, definitely. These last few months can’t have been easy. Learning you had a whole other family, how it’s in your ancestry to shape the flame. Oh yes, I know all about the Yazdans. I know all about you.”
“If we’re going to fuck, let’s get on with it. You might learn a thing or two.”
Amir’s lips twitched. “There’s that infamous mouth of yours.” He reached up and dragged his fingertips down Niko’s cheek. It was all Niko could do to stand rigid and not take a swing at him. He gritted his teeth and willed the disgust from his head. This wasn’t going to get any easier.
“Do you really think that’s all I want you for?” He smiled as he backed up. “Interesting.” Refilling his drink, he took a medicine bottle from the cupboard beneath the sideboard and removed the stopper, pouring a few sprinkles of spice into his glass. “It’s unlike my brother to be so short-sighted, but then I suppose, if he’d told you the truth, you wouldn’t be here.”
Whatever the bastard was talking about, Niko was done listening. Maybe he planned to bore Niko to death with the sound of his own voice. Gods, he’d almost prefer the sex.
“Where do you want me?” He didn’t even bother to try and hide his impatience. At least nobody expected him to enjoy this.
“Right where you are.”
That smile, there was something very wrong with it. Vasili had his own version, and it had nothing to do with happiness and everything to do with having caught his prey in his trap. Just what game was Amir playing?
“You clearly know about the flame, but I’m going to assume Vasili hasn’t told you all of it.”