She felt, more than saw, Jaeros freeze across from them, but she ignored him, focusing on her anger and hoping Jaren felt every gods damn stab of it.

“You do not speak for me, Jaren Barilias. I said I wanted to hear what he has to say, and I meant it. So, either get your shit together or shut the fuck up.”

The bite of his nails on her wrist was her only warning before he yanked hard on her arm, pulling her completely out of her chair and onto his lap. Using his other hand to wrap around the back of her knee, he spread her legs, his scent spiking as he straddled her over his thighs.

His eyes latched on to her shoulder before flicking up, and she raised her brows in challenge. If he thought a claiming mark gave him the right to talk for her, she was going to show him its absence right before ripping his fucking teeth out.

But he just leaned down, brushing his nose along hers. “Are you speaking as my aitanta or ordering me as my Nlem snadzend?”

She opened her mouth, but he beat her to it, nipping sharply at her lip. “Choose your answer carefully.”

“Neither,” she said, lifting her chin. “I speak as a female who has her own gods damn voice.”

He wrapped a hand around the back of her neck, his answering smile as sinful as it was cruel. She felt the sting of snagged hairs along her nape as he fisted the base of her plait and pulled, smashing his lips to hers.

The fingers of his other hand dug into her thigh, and his thumb inched dangerously high as he growled into her mouth. He kissed her with a frenzy, his tongue sweeping in and demanding everything she had.

It wasn’t until she was out of breath, and Jaeros was grumbling about horny idiots, that Jaren finally pulled away, his eyes clearer than they’d been all morning.

She blinked, fighting her way up from the haze his taste always put her in. She’d expected him to be angry at her lashing out, not kiss her senseless.

Reading the confusion in her gaze, his lips quirked. “You’re fucking beautiful when you burn, little star.” He leaned closer, hovering his lips over her ear. “But just because I like it, don’t think I won’t punish this wicked mouth.”

His thumb inched even higher, brushing her center, and her face flooded with heat. She tried to scramble back, but he held on, the green of his eyes searing into her soul.

“Your lead, Veralie.”

* * *

There had to be a hole somewhere on this island to tuck herself into. A nice deep one, where no one would find her. Her anxiety was already frayed from the tension between Jaren and his father, but the walk to the stable had only made it worse.

If them kicking everyone out of the tavern hadn’t been enough, walking through the city with a male clearly from Naris and a bodyguard with no respect for personal space was practically screaming she was someone of importance.