A Trial of Sorcerers: Book One by Kova, Elise (universal ebook reader .txt) 📕

“I know…I, we…”

“I won’t report you to the guard for trespassing into the royal wing. Take your time, collect yourselves, and head back to court. Though I recommend you find a different dark corner for any future urges that can’t be ignored.”

As the two men spoke, Eira’s attention was on Ferro. His violet eyes shone brightly, as if amused, but his brow was furrowed. The elfin’s face was in conflict, as if it couldn’t make up his mind on what reaction he wanted to have toward this discovery.

Eira bit her lip to keep herself from saying something to Ferro and ruining Cullen’s effort. She could still taste Cullen’s mouth on hers and, for some reason, it only made her want to assure Ferro more that things weren’t as they seemed.

“You are too generous, Your Highness.” Cullen bowed again.

Eira mumbled apologies and curtsied. When she raised her eyes, she only caught one more glimpse of Ferro before he disappeared through a door.

Cullen heaved a sigh of relief. “That was close.”

“Would he really have reported us to the guard?”

“Technically, he could’ve. Or he could’ve investigated further and figured out what we were really doing and revoked our pins. Or, just revoked them because trespassing is unbecoming of competitors.” Cullen pressed a finger into the pin over her chest. “And I doubted you wanted to risk that.”

“No.”

“Still, I apologize for the kiss.” Cullen took a long step away and started back toward the court.

Eira raked her fingers through her hair, making sure it was in place. The motion brought back the memory of his nails on her scalp. She shivered and barely resisted telling him not to apologize. It had been a long time since she was kissed…and she’d never been kissed like that.

“It’s all right. I understand.”

As he was putting the chain back in place, he paused. “That wasn’t your first kiss, was it?”

Eira rolled her eyes. “Of course it wasn’t.”

“Oh, thank the Mother, I would’ve felt awful. I knew you were inexperienced but—”

“How did you ‘know I was inexperienced?’” Eira grabbed his elbow, stopping him.

“Well, given how you were all over Adam…and he said…” His eyes were shifty, looking anywhere but her.

Eira gave him a jerk, summoning his full attention to her. “Listen, here’s the thing that I don’t even think Adam grasped—he was the first man I loved.” The words were like glass, every last one. They tore up her throat and made it hard to keep speaking. But something about airing her truth felt good. Felt long overdue. Perhaps she could only say these words because they had crossed a line that put Cullen closer than anyone had come to her in a long time, even if that line had been crossed by acting and nothing more. “I didn’t desire him in a carnal way. If I merely wanted satisfaction of that nature I’d find it elsewhere or give it to myself.”

Cullen stared at her in what Eira could only describe as morbid fascination.

“I’m not fragile. I’m not ignorant to the ways of the world. I was hurt that day; not because I didn’t get a man, or because he cared for someone else—I was hurt because he made a mockery of me and my feelings. Feelings I had cherished. He dared to make me never want to feel again,” Eira finished.

Cullen stared at her. She waited in silence for his judgment for an agonizing minute. When it was clear he had nothing more to say, Eira left him and the court gladly behind.

* * *

She’d been prepared for her brother to say something about how things had ended with Cullen. But he never did. Not when she told him everything she’d seen about the course. And not in the days that followed.

Either Cullen had told Marcus and sworn him to secrecy, or Cullen had kept their encounter, and all she’d said, solely between them. Eira didn’t know which she liked least. The idea Marcus would take Cullen’s side over hers and keep his secrets over checking if she was okay. Or the idea that Cullen may have the ability to respect her—that he may be a better man than she’d given him credit for. And if that was the case, that opened the possibility that she’d been wrong about him in other ways.

Those thoughts about Cullen being decent were born from the lingering haze of the kiss, surely. It had been a good kiss. The best she’d had. Eira’s more sensual experiences had been limited to a few summers of explorations with one of the handsome young sailors who were in and out of port. Nothing serious…but a few good nights in the bunch that were worth thinking about from time to time.

So Eira strove to put the whole day from her mind. She focused on her work and studies. She spent time with Alyss, sharing space quietly in their own corners. And all too fast, it was the night before the second trial and a letter was waiting on her pillow after dinner.

It had arrived as mysteriously as the last. No sign of its sender. Just like before, it was unsigned, but the seal told her as much who it was from as the elegant script within that read,

Meet me in our lounge.

Our lounge. For some reason her eyes kept snagging on those words as Eira waited for the right time to sneak out of the Tower and through the palace. It wasn’t really “theirs.” It was a random lounge that Ferro had found, or been given for his time in the palace.

But she had to admit that after their first night there it had become a special place in her mind. It had seemed more magical than the Tower then…and now, as Eira stood in the doorway, staring at the back of Ferro’s head.

“Come in,” he said in that smooth accent of his.

“How did you know it was me?” Eira asked and closed the door behind her.

“Your