Coup d'état by M. Jade Glock (inspirational books to read txt) 📕

Eloywn stood outside of his tent, taking great pains to make sure that no one was watching or following her. The night had concealed her every movement. She thanked the heavens that the moon decided not to shine on this particular night, the moon was pure and what she was about to do was anything but. The young elf noticed that light poured out of Kam’ah’srah’s tent flap. She almost didn’t continue but when she heard his steady breathing and found him sleeping her fears were quelled. Cautiously she entered using all the noiselessness of a field mouse. Elowyn came closer to where Kam’ah’srah rested, she conjured that he had fallen asleep while studying his maps since next to his bed sat pieces of parchment with several fresh drawings. She stared into his face. He looked so serene and peaceful while he slept. There was no trace of the man he was when he was awake, ruthless, merciless and unfeeling. She preferred him this way. She smirked as her emotions clouded her mind, she tried to push them away but they refused to budge. She didn’t like the idea of killing. Though she had been taught for years that this moment would bring about peace for all of the elven tribes she still questioned the morality of it. She had several opportunities to destroy this man; every day that passed meant another day towards the destruction and slavery of not only her people, but others as well. Men, women and children, it wouldn’t matter, yet her conscious still hindered her. Could there really be any other way; couldn’t there be another way to get rid of him without having to end his life so heinously? Her feelings rose to the surface; for once she willingly let them rise, laying them out in the open. She didn’t like being so vulnerable, it would one day cause her destruction if she wasn’t careful. Sometimes she questioned her honor, wondering if it was weakness that stopped her. With great hesitation she replaced her dagger to its respective spot, lingering only a few seconds longer.

“Another day” She thought to herself, she turned to leave. The hairs on the back of her neck immediately stood on end. It was the warning that came before the cold metal of Kam’ah’srah’s knife rested gently on her jugular vein. She knew all too well that it would only take a flick of his wrist to release the flow of her lifeblood, spilling it onto the earthen floor. She didn’t move, her muscles were relaxed, if he thought that she wasn’t concerned he might not be suspicious. His face pressed into her hair. She could feel him breathe in deep, taking up the scent of her. She tried not to let her muscles tense but they did anyway, giving up the ruse that she expected something like this to happen.
Even if he wasn’t touching her he would be able to tell that she had tensed at the intimate way he invaded her personal space.

“Why would a lovely flower like you come to visit a man like me?” His voice was low and seductive which did nothing to stop her from shivering, sending goose bumps throughout her body. But within the span of several seconds she had planned her excuse for him, whether it was a good one or not was beside the point, it only need to quench his curiosity and cautiousness.

“I wanted to check on you, my lord” She attempted to move the knife from her throat gracefully with two fingers to the blade but he held it there, when she realized he wasn’t going to budge she continued with her story “I saw you with one of the women earlier” She paused for dramatic effect “I was jealous, so I came to see if you were still with her” the dagger shifted. She hoped stroking his ego at the fact that she wanted him would make him forget that she was intruding in his chambers.

His lips touched the back of her neck and she could feel his grin spread “You’re lying” He said with amusement “Now why would you do that?” He took the knife from her throat, twisting her around violently so that she would be looking at him. Panic rose in her throat, but her eyes were clear of such an emotion.

He looked down at her beautiful face, the things that she could do to him confused his mind and set his heart racing, but one look into those blank eyes, made him go cold and made his heart into that of stone.

He tried to see past her eyes, but she stood there, silent. With a mirthless chuckle he traced the outline of her cheek with the point of the dagger. “You’re silent?” He smiled devilishly. Removing the dagger from her face he leaned down and whispered into her ear “You know what I could do to you don’t you?”

Heat rose in her cheeks, she tried to hide it but such talk was uncomfortable. His lips lingered near her ear for a few more seconds, no doubt to make the tension even more unbearable. It was at that point that she realized that her eyes would give away everything. When he began to pull away she held him there, not out of want, but out of necessity. If he saw her struggle within she would be ruined, all that she had trained for would then die a slow painful death. As much as she tried she knew her emotions refused to become veiled, no matter her reprimanding them, they continued to mock and tease her. She could hear the warnings ringing in her head but she couldn’t seem to force herself behind the protection of the walls she had created.

Feigning a knowing smile she spoke back to him, keeping her voice steady “Do you really think I’m that naïve?”

Her hand caressed the nape of his neck, her emotions tightened within her chest, she tried her best not to feel anything for this man but her irrational feelings began to win much to her displeasure, she hated being such a weak woman.

He didn’t expect this of her. He did think that she was naïve and innocent, proven only by the fact that she refused to kill a hostage, though her eyes were veiled at that time as well he could tell by her body language that it went against the grain of everything that she was taught. Since then he had been trying to trick and manipulate her into revealing herself. He knew she was a spy, an assassin sent to kill him. The only reason why she was still living was because he liked toying with her and she was really no sort of threat to him, he knew exactly when she had entered his tent, dagger in her hand, he could feel her eyes on him but he didn’t move. Why? He didn’t know.

Her touch surprised him, to which he responded. He tried to get a hold of himself, tried to take control, anger suddenly rose up within him. She didn’t feel anything for him, she was playing with him. He grabbed the wrist of the hand that touched him so softly and gently, the reason for the turmoil roiling within him. He stepped back, still holding onto her wrist. If she wanted to play this game, he would follow through. His eyes narrowed at her, he saw a flicker of fear before it seeped beneath those green eyes of hers. She didn’t think that her plan was going to turn on her, he took the opening.

“Stay calm” she told herself “Stay calm and you’ll get through this” she wanted to yelp in pain at the way he held her wrist, but instead she felt fear, afraid that he knew more than what she thought. If he didn’t Kam’ah’srah would have fooled with her more, try to coax some kind of feelings from her, get her to confess to something. She suspected from the beginning that he knew who and what she was, but the reasons for why he let her live she couldn’t figure it out. She still couldn’t piece it together. What was he thinking?
It didn’t take her long to learn that he wasn’t a stupid man. He was perceptive, far more than any way she could ever reach. The only reason why he couldn’t read her like he did his maps was because of the veiled emotions she kept behind walls within herself.

“If you don’t want me then let me leave” she said plainly, purposefully looking at him with an indifference that she didn’t feel. Hoping that he would let her leave, hoping that anger would boil within him throwing her out of his presence.

He smiled inside; she thought that she could back down that easy? He knew she wasn’t much for fighting, although she had strong opinions, she tried to stay on the fence about things, a trait that was easily twistable. He pulled her closer, resting the hand back against his neck, allowing the butterflies to swarm in his stomach. He would have to be careful.

“Now why would I say that?” He saw the pigment of embarrassment rise into her face which he mentally reveled in. She wouldn’t be able to resist him. Glorifying in her awkwardness he probed further. “A woman comes into my tent and then leaves?” He paused, lightly stroking her cheek with the back of his fingers “Tsk tsk. You’ve come to play, so let us play.”

She didn’t want to be here, she didn’t like how he looked at her and she didn’t like what he was implying. Her good sense was fading and if she stayed any longer she knew that she would be lost forever. She tried to pull away, but his hold on her was too strong. His face pressed into the curve of her neck sending alarm through her. She had to do something, and fast.

He felt her tense when he nuzzled her neck, he could feel her resistance fading but what was alarming was the fading of his own; he wouldn’t be able to mess with her much longer without complete control crumbling down around his ears. “Relax” he breathed. He let her go and she stumbled back. He looked at her, smiling with a gentleness that only she was able to arouse. “You better go”

She was confused with his sudden change of heart, but she refused to allow herself to fall for the deception. She did as she was told and had left. It wasn’t until she was outside that she realized just how hard her heart was racing and how warm her skin felt. She quickly went back to her tent, guilt flooded her and she slept with only one thought: She wanted to be in the arms of Kam’ah’srah again.