2_-_court_of_mist_and_fury_a_-_sarah_j._maas

circles. “She does enjoy playing,” he mused onto my shoulder. He jerked his chin toward
the Steward. “Get her some wine.”
Pure command. No politeness.
Keir stiffened, but strode off.
Rhys didn’t dare break from his mask, but the light kiss he pressed beneath my ear told
me enough. Apology and gratitude—and more apologies. He didn’t like this any more
than I did. And yet to get what we needed, to buy Azriel time … He’d do it. And so would
I.
I wondered, then, with his hands beneath my breasts and between my legs, what Rhys
wouldn’t give of himself. Wondered if … if perhaps the arrogance and swagger … if they
masked a male who perhaps thought he wasn’t worth very much at all.
A new song began, like dripping honey—and edged into a swift-moving wind,
punctuated with driving, relentless drums.
I twisted, studying his face. There was nothing warm in his eyes, nothing of the friend
I’d made. I opened my shield enough to let him in. What? His voice floated into my mind.
I reached down the bond between us, caressing that wall of ebony adamant. A small
sliver cracked—just for me. And I said into it, You are good, Rhys. You are kind. This
mask does not scare me. I see you beneath it.
His hands tightened on me, and his eyes held mine as he leaned forward to brush his
mouth against my cheek. It was answer enough—and … an unleashing.
I leaned a bit more against him, my legs widening ever so slightly. Why’d you stop? I
said into his mind, into him.
A near-silent growl reverberated against me. He stroked my ribs again, in time to the
beat of the music, his thumb rising nearly high enough to graze the underside of my
breasts.
I let my head drop back against his shoulder.
I let go of the part of me that heard their words—whore, whore, whore—
Let go of the part that said those words alongside them—traitor, liar, whore—
And I just became.
I became the music, and the drums, and the wild, dark thing in the High Lord’s arms.
His eyes were wholly glazed—and not with power or rage. Something red-hot and
edged with glittering darkness exploded in my mind.
I dragged a hand down his thigh, feeling the hidden warrior’s strength there. Dragged it
back up again in a long, idle stroke, needing to touch him, feel him.
I was going to catch fire and burn. I was going to start burning right here—
Easy, he said with wicked amusement through the open sliver in my shield. If you