letting go of him.
“For what?”
“Touching you.”
He leaned in and brushed his nose against mine. “Do not ever apologize for that. Never for that.”
Goosebumps spread over my skin at the tenderness in his tone and the feeling of such an intimate gesture. It took me a moment to gather my thoughts and another to form coherent words.
“Aries?”
His pink irises pulsed with an emotion I wasn’t sure I wanted to explore. “Yes?”
“Is it the pledge? Is that why you seem to feel… intensely toward me?” I had no idea of the depth of his emotion until he let me feel what he’d felt for the man he killed. The emotions that roiled through him were as violent as a twister scalping the land and stripping away everything on it.
And when he said Never for that… it made my knees weak. But something in the back of my mind told me not to lose myself in him. I was reminded of how dangerous he was.
He swallowed thickly.
“I’m sorry it’s so hard for you to deal with,” I told him.
He shook his head. “No harder than it would be to allow Taurus to claim you.”
“You barely know me.”
He smiled. “I am learning you every second. And for the first time since I was breathed into existence, I’m enjoying each one.”
My breath caught in my chest and I wasn’t sure what to say. What he felt was so strong, it scared me. It had to be the pledge. He couldn’t feel anything for me so quickly.
“Kes said ‘they knew what you did’… What did you do? What do the other Zodia know?”
His lips pressed into a tight line and he stepped away, turning to look out over the balcony at the quiet village he’d made below. “It’s nothing you should concern yourself about this evening.”
“But I am concerned,” I pushed, leaning my hip against the balustrade and crossing my arms. “You literally just told me about Virgo’s pledge being torn apart. I have a right to know what’s happening.”
“What right is that?” he asked.
I could feel him closing himself off to me. “Kes kept me in the dark about so much, and I get why, now that you’re here. But now that you’re pledged to protect me, why don’t you tell me what you’re protecting me against?”
“I showed you Taurus’s court. I showed you Libra. What more do you want?”
“Honesty!” I threw my hands up, exasperated. “A little honesty and openness would go a long way at this point, Aries. There are things you’re not opening up to me about and I need to know what you’re hiding. I don’t want your Zodia friends taking it out on me.”
His upper lip curled as he strode and walked toward the door. “Come with me,” he ordered in a clipped tone. “Our dinner is ready,” he said with finality.
“I’m not hungry,” I lied.
“Come, Larken,” he growled, waiting by the door.
“I’m good, thanks.” I turned my back on him and knew he was drilling holes at the back of my head. I’d rather starve than eat dinner with him. If he wanted to be secretive about something I knew deep down was important, he could eat alone.
Aries didn’t make a sound. I waited several long moments before turning and finding that he’d left.
ARIES
Seated alone in the dining room, I called Kes to me to ask him to guard her. She didn’t want to eat with me. She didn’t want to look at me. But there were things I had to keep to myself. Secrets that weren’t only to protect my people, but to protect her. Things she didn’t know or understand.
Kes appeared, my star sign threaded over his chest, and stood near the table. No matter what body he took on, he still looked every bit the friend I remembered. The one who didn’t care what I was, but told me how he honestly felt at all times. Told me what I needed to hear but didn’t want to. I’d missed him.
He took one look at me and glowered. “What did you do?”
I braced my hands on the table’s edge. “What did I do? She’s upset that I wouldn’t explain certain things to her. I think that we can both agree that revealing everything she needs to know would be unwise right now. You are the one who asked me to remain quiet on the matter.”
Kes swallowed thickly. “Thank you for that. We have to tell her eventually, but…”
“Eventually,” I agreed. “But not tonight.”
His demeanor turned cold again,