He was angry with me, though I did not know if it was because I had been avoiding him or because I had danced with Killian—perhaps both. I could feel it in his kiss, the way his tongue entered my mouth, viciously tasting me until I could not breathe, the way he held my face, hard, almost painfully. I pushed against him, and as he released me, his teeth bit into my lip. I stumbled back from his embrace, touching my fingers to my mouth. They came away with blood.

The sight of it shocked me, and when I looked at Adrian, I saw it shocked him too.

“Isolde,” Adrian said, taking a step toward me, but I recoiled.

I did not think he could look any more devastated, and for the second time today, I ran from him.

Eleven

Adrian

I watched her go. The jealousy that had torn through me was extinguished at the sight of her blood, which I had no intention of drawing, and I felt none of the usual euphoria that came with tasting her, only shame.

My eyes shifted to Killian, the man who had been the recipient of her happiness tonight.

“You hurt her,” he said, his mouth twisting in disgust.

And my response was no better. I was looking for a fight—a way to channel this deep and burning rage—

“She is mine—to hurt, to bleed, to fuck.”

Though I had no wish to hurt her, no wish to be the source of her tears.

I hated that I was.

Killian’s jaw only tightened. I knew he wanted to hit me. I could hear how he cursed me, but he did not move to strike. He left, a better man than I.

I felt Daroc approach.

“What do you want?” I snapped.

“I came to make sure you didn’t kill the mortal,” he said. “Your wife isn’t the only one who is fond of him. The people of Cel Ceredi also have a soft spot for him after he aided them.”

I glared at Daroc, but I was also grateful. I would have regretted any anger I took out on the man. I already regretted the words I’d spoken.

“She will hate me for this,” I said. We still stood amid the crowd, though they kept their distance and no longer stared, uninterested in the interactions between a king and his general.

“For this?” Daroc asked. “You have done much worse.”

I scowled. “I do not need your commentary.”

“Then how about some advice?”

“Are you someone who should be offering it?”

His jaw tightened. “Never mind. Your wife is right to hate you.”