Hours had passed in silence between us. The rain continued to thunder outside of the cave and the rushing waterfall dulled out most other sounds from outside.A small fire had been roasting a few small fish that Caliban caught in the pool outside of waterfall for about an hour now and I was desperately hungry. I tried to focus on the ache in my stomach more than the awkward tension within the cave.Caliban and I sat on opposite sides of the fire. Every so often I could feel his eyes burning holes into me and I refused to acknowledge him. I didn't want to see the look in his eyes or try to surmise what he was thinking.After our indecent encounter by the hot spring I didn't even want to occupy the same space as the king. If I didn't focus on the negatives of my situation, I would think of what had happened. I knew what that hunger in his eyes was.It was unmistakable.Now there was a heavy, carnal energy permeating the air. It was nearly unbearable. And I knew I hated him for it. Somet

Our lips were hot and the feeling of his fingers digging into my hips and moving closer to my ass were driving me as wild as a cat in heat, ready to burst with my needs. My heart was beating wildly in my chest and the dizzying excitement was rushing to my head.Kissing my enemy wasn't supposed to feel like this. As though I was melting with whatever alluring drug his touch was full of. As though my body moved on its own, my hips rocked against him and I nearly purred at the feeling of his impressive erection through his leather pants. He growled low in response and my body reacted with a violent shiver of pleasure.But when Caliban broke away from me and grunted with pain I gasped as I realized that my hand had left his throat in our heated moments. The dagger was still in my hand but in my carelessness, I realized that I had let my hand slip and there was now a deep gash on Caliban's arm. The black material of his shirt has pated like butter under a hot knife and blood was seeping in

"My shadows are for stealth more than anything. My mother could sense illnesses though." His mouth snapped shut as he realized he was talking to his enemy about his mother."Queen Mortala?""Yes," he hesitated to answer. “You heard of her?""I might not have paid attention to most of my studies, but I still learned more than most do. A princess still needs to know the names of her enemy even if she isn't the one plotting against them." Caliban let loose a gruff laugh at that."And yet I know next to nothing about the solen family. Mostly rumors.""Like my father having a brood of children?" I snorted."Indeed, that is one I've heard.""Well, it's just the five daughters. My mother passed in childbirth with the sixth, but that one would have been a boy." My chest ached at the memory and I wondered why I'd even said it in the first place."I'm sorry," Caliban's deep voice surprised me as he said that.."No, you're not. The death of a Mithran queen is probably a cause for you to celebrat

Wrapped in the blanket I watched the shadow king lead his horse to the shed and make sure he was settled for the storm. As he did, I stood shaking by the bags on the ground and watching in awe as snow blanketed the ground so quickly it seemed as though the world turned white in the blink of an eye."Come on." Caliban brushed past me as barely more than a whisper before stomping through the snow-covered ground to the cabin's door. When he tried to open the door, it wouldn't budge at first. He pulled back and rammed his shoulder into it and the door swung open.It was pitch black inside, but Caliban stepped inside with ease, the shadows welcoming him. Cautiously I stepped in after him, but I couldn't make out anything more than a few outlines. The relief from the powerful winds outside was enough for me to enter the cabin and shut the door.Leaning against the cabin door with the blanket around me I waited for my eyes to adjust. Only the sounds of Caliban shuffling around in the darknes

*smut warning*In the morning my heart was broken. The snow had continued to fall and still showed no signs of stopping. This led me to sitting in one of the old wooden chairs by the window trying to soak up as much sunlight as possible. There wasn't much natural light that was able to stream in at the current angle.And despite the foot of snow at the door Caliban had gone out to hunt again leaving me alone in the cabin with nothing more than the sound of crackling wood in the new fire he'd set before leaving.Boredom got the best of me and I was back to ransacking the little kitchenette and closet for whatever I could find. Looking with the dim morning light this time I found some assorted teas, so I set about making a pot.Back home I had servants who did all of this for me and it reflected on my skills now. I had no idea what I was doing and hoped I knew just enough to make something drinkable.The smell of leaves and herbs told me there was a ginseng and chamomile mix. It was the