Calix
Shards of glass glittered across the polished wood floor in the candlelight. I stared at the broken tumbler, my rage a seething beast in my chest.
"Your Highness, please calm down before someone overhears." My aid, Chandler, stood against the door to my chambers as if he could physically bar anyone from entering my room.
I turned and glared at him. "He is selling her off to that tyrant like livestock. Tell me, Chandler, how should I feel right now? She will be nothing but a shell of the person she is in one year's time."
"You speak of the Princess as if she belongs to you. Do you care for her?"
"No," I scoffed, the lie bitter on my tongue. "But she is the one good and decent person in this cesspool of a palace and I won't see her made into a trophy for that man. Or worse."
Chandler arched an eyebrow at me, unconvinced.
"You can't stop the King, your Highness, and to question his authority in this matter is bordering on treasonous," Chandler whispered.
"You are correct. I can't stop the King, but there has to be a way to stop the marriage."
"And what would you do if you succeeded? Marry her, yourself?"
"If I must."
Chandler scoffed and threw his hands in the air. "My Lord, you cannot be serious. Isidore only tolerates you because of the power you wield with the Eastern Army. If he heard you right now, even that wouldn't be enough to save you."
"I have no doubt of that. And you should also be mindful of who is listening," I added, casting a glance around the room. "You are not wrong, however. I have no intention of marrying her, even if it would save her from becoming another victim of Damien. But that doesn't mean I don't care about what happens to her."
"What exactly are you planning?"
"Nothing yet. I need some time to think. For now, just help me clean up this mess and don't breathe a word of this to anyone."
With a nod of his head, Chandler quickly set to work helping me pick up the pieces of broken glass.
I couldn't seem to wrap my head around why Kassida's marriage was bothering me so badly. As children of nobles, we had grown up together but for the majority of our lives, she had simply been the adorable little sister of my childhood friend. But as time passed, my perception of her had shifted into something...different. It had been nearly two years since I'd seen her last and in that time she had changed dramatically. When I saw her tonight, I barely recognized her. The young woman that had sat beside her brother tonight had been the vision of feminine beauty and grace, a far cry from the girl that had preferred riding horses and climbing trees. She was no longer a child, and now I could see that she had become a woman. An achingly beautiful, tempting woman.
Clawing at my hair, I groaned and dropped onto a plush couch in front of a roaring fireplace, trying to force my body and mind to relax. There had to be a way out of this for her. I had sworn my loyalty to her brother when I was knighted and had never had a moment of regret, but now, seeing the fear and sadness in her eyes, I wasn't so sure.
Not knowing what else to do, I sent Chandler away and began to strip out of my clothes. Steam rose from the tub as I ran water hot enough to scald into it. If I couldn't get her out of my mind, I wouldn't be able to sleep and then I would be of no help to her. Sinking into the water, I immediately felt my muscles begin to relax.
Only a handful of minutes had passed before I began to feel as if I was being watched. Assassins had become common in the kingdom as of late and, due to my position as High Commander, I was a common target but I hadn't expected someone to make it into the palace walls. Without giving away that I knew someone was there, I began to inch my hand toward the dagger that I had laid out with my towel by the tub.
There was a soft scraping sound behind the large tapestry hanging on the back wall of the washroom. I casually stood up from the bath and stepped out, drying quickly with the towel to keep from slipping on the stone floor, grabbing the dagger and holding it against my forearm to conceal it. I moved towards the tapestry slowly, keeping the sounds of my breathing even and natural. As soon as I reached the corner of the room, I yanked back the fabric and slammed the intruder against the wall.
A surprised yelp rang through the room and the blade of my knife came to rest against her slender neck. Kassida's eyes were wide as she stared up at me, her chest heaving.
"What are you doing here," I demanded, immediately backing away from her.
She swallowed hard as her eyes darted from the dagger in my hand to my body that was bare before her.
"Fuck," I hissed, tossing the blade aside. I grabbed the towel and wrapped it around my waist. "Why are you sneaking around in the servants' passages, Kass?"
"I need your help."
I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. "This is not the best way to go about asking for a favor, your Highness. Or the best time."
Kassida's chest rose and fell with her deep breath as she steeled herself in front of me. She dropped her shoulders back, raised her chin, and hardened her gaze, every bit the future queen I knew her to be.
"Actually," she said, her voice shaking despite her outward confidence, "this might be the perfect time."
It was then that I noticed, with dawning horror, that she was wearing an evening robe. With trembling fingers, she began to untie the sash, revealing that she was a naked as I was underneath.
"Kass," I said, my voice strangled as the towel around my waist began to betray me, "you should leave."
She shook her head and bit her lip. "No. This is the only way."
"What are you talking about? What's the only way?"
"You want to save me from Damien, and I want to escape. I've been told that you've taken many virgins into your bed over the years and I thought maybe if you ruined me...maybe he...won't..."
She let the robe fall from her shoulders, baring herself to me completely. My mouth watered and I tried to swallow. She was perfection, and she was here, offering herself to me. But she was the Princess and I her servant. Not to mention the fact that I was nearly ten years older than her.
"Those rumors are nothing but the talk of bored soldiers," I said, not taking my eyes off hers despite the way her raven hair cascaded over her chest, begging to be fisted between my fingers.
"So you haven't ruined the innocence of any of the serving girls in the palace," she asked, her eyebrows arching skeptically.
"The only women I've taken to my bed were those old enough, and experienced enough, to handle my desires." My words were harsh, but they needed to be. Kassida was playing a dangerous game and I wasn't sure she knew the stakes.
"The Crown Prince has been promised the virgin princess of Airythia. If I don't fit that description, maybe he won't...maybe he won't take me away from here."
"That's not how Damien thinks, Kass," I said, turning away from her before I did something stupid.
She let out a frustrated groan. "The only weapon I have is my body. I can't think of another option that gets me out of this marriage." Her voice dropped as she stepped forward, her soft steps padding closer behind me. "Would you rather I seek out the company of a stable boy? Or a soldier from the barracks?"
I whirled around on her, realizing too late how close she was. She must have seen something in my eyes because she quickly backed away again, but I continued to advance on her until her back was once again pressed against the wash room wall.
"You wouldn't dare sully yourself like that." I knew how my voice sounded. I could see it in her eyes. She was afraid of me.
Good. She needed to be. I couldn't be her Knight in Shining Armor. Not with the blood staining my hands.
"You know me better than that, Calix," she whispered. "I am not a child."
"Then stop acting like one. If you truly want to escape, there are other options."
"Name one," she demanded, her tone hardening as her fear subsided.
"Run away."
She tossed her head back and laughed. "You say that like it's so easy."
"It's not. But it's easier than spreading your legs for a man who can't appreciate the gift he's being given."
"Who says you can't appreciate it?"
She reached out her slender fingers, running them over my chest. I grabbed her hand with mine and pressed it to the wall by her head. "Don't ask this of me. Don't ask me to do this to you."
"Don't you want to? I saw the way you looked at me earlier. I'm a woman now. I'm capable of making this decision."
"I know. But make it with someone other than me. Someone who deserves you."
Her eyes turned sad as she reached out with her other hand to stroke along my jaw that tensed at the sensation of her smooth fingers. "Why do you think so lowly of yourself, Calix? Do you not know how beautiful you are?" Her eyes flicked down to my lips. "Can you not see how badly I want you? How badly I've always wanted you?"
I closed my eyes and leaned into her, a growl rumbling up from my chest. "Kass, this is a mistake."
"Maybe. But if it is, we will suffer the consequences together. I'm choosing this. I'm choosing you."
My self-control unraveled with one last tug of her words. I bent down, taking her lips with mine so roughly I surprised even myself. A soft yelp escaped her lips before she leaned into the kiss, her hand snaking up to tangle in my hair. Her lips parted, and I didn't hesitate to take advantage, slipping my tongue inside. She tasted of sweet wine and I could feel her tremble with uncertainty, but when I started to pull away, she chased my lips and held me closer.
"Show me, Calix," she begged. "I want to feel what it's like with a man who loves me."
"Love," I said, pressing a kiss to the sensitive skin under her ear, "is a strong word. And a dangerous one."
"If not love, then at least care."
I pulled back to look her in the eye. "I do care. Far more than I should."
Her fingers danced along the edge of the towel still wrapped around me, pulling it loose. The fabric slid to the ground and Kassida's eyes glanced downward as she took me in. She looked up at me with uncertainty, and I reached up to cup her cheek.
"We don't have to do this," I said, searching her eyes. "Say the word, and I will forget any of this ever happened."
She smiled, turning her head to press a kiss to my palm. "And what if I don't want you to?"
"Then you need to tell me exactly what you want."
"Have you ever thought about taking me?"
"More times than I can count."
Her smile burned a hole straight to the center of me. "Then take me how you've always envisioned. Teach me what it's like to be desired by Calix DeKosta."
"That," I growled, lifting her into my arms, "I can do."