Empire of Flame and Thorns (Flame and Thorns #1)

Chapter 24

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

I ’m lying in a luxurious sunken bath, submerged in warm water and enveloped by the pleasant smell of scented soap. I should feel relaxed. Calm. At ease. But instead, all I can feel is an overwhelming sense of stress. It’s so intense that I can practically feel my soul vibrating with it.

Every second that passes is another second that brings me closer to my doom. Yet another day has passed without me being able to escape. I only have tomorrow left now. The day after that, the third trial is supposed to start.

I have tried everything I can think of, but I can’t find the key. Or another way to get out. I even used my magic to try to manipulate Draven’s sympathy so that he would release me. But he noticed the moment that I tried to channel my magic and threatened to handcuff me again. So my best bet is still the key. Which I still haven’t found. But tonight, I’m going to make another attempt.

Draven must be keeping the key somewhere on his person while he sleeps, so all I need to do is to wait for him to fall asleep, and then I can search him for it. Which is why I have spent almost two hours in his bathroom.

I glance towards the closed door. He must have fallen asleep by now. I went into the bathroom right when he announced that he was going to bed. And it can’t possibly take him longer than two hours to fall asleep.

Water sloshes down my body as I stand up and make my way out of the sunken bath. There are several fluffy white towels waiting in neat piles in one of the cabinets. So I pull one out and wrap it around myself. I kept my hair up in a bun, so I only need to dry off my body.

My mind churns with different strategies as I drift towards the door. I just need to check if he’s sleeping. If he is, I can quickly put my clothes on and get to work. But if he isn’t, I need to take my time getting dressed.

Still only wearing the towel, I push the door open a tiny bit and peer out. Only one faelight has been left on, leaving the room mostly in darkness. I open the door a little wider and squint towards the bed.

Surprise flits through my chest when I find it empty.

Standing there with my hand still on the handle, I stare at the empty bed. Did he leave?

I open the door wider and sneak out while glancing around the room.

The bathroom door is shoved shut behind me with a thud.

It startles me enough that I nearly jump out of my skin. Whirling around, I come face to face with Draven. He is standing by the wall, in a spot where he was hidden behind the door when I opened it. Just like last night, he’s only wearing a pair of black underwear and his black bracers. The rest of his perfect body is on full display as he stands there, leaning one shoulder against the wall with his arms crossed and one ankle crossed over the other.

A knowing smirk plays over his lips as he watches me. “Did I startle you, little rebel?”

“What? No. It’s just…” I ramble, my mind scrambling to compose itself again. “I imagined you in bed.”

That sly amusement on his face grows deeper. “Oh?”

“I mean I thought about you in bed.”

He raises his eyebrows, his eyes practically gleaming with satisfaction now.

I shake my head frantically. “No, I mean I thought you were in bed. Sleeping. That’s it. Not… I didn’t think about you in bed. I wasn’t even in a bed. I was in the bath and…”

Goddess above, I really need to stop talking.

Draven pushes off from the wall. My heart stutters as he starts towards me. His eyes glint in the faint light as he backs me towards the wall. I draw in an unsteady breath, trying desperately to find my wits again. Goddess damn it, I’m supposed to be smart. And yet the things that have come out of my mouth this past minute could have made the village idiot envious.

My back hits the wall with a soft thud. I grab the top of my towel, trying to keep it in place, while Draven closes the final distance between us. My heart slams against my ribs.

Draven braces one hand on the wall next to me, and then cocks his head. “Tell me, Selena, were you really thinking about me while you were sitting there naked in the bath?”

“Yes.” I shake my head hard. “No. I mean, yes, but not like that.”

“Oh really? Then what were you doing in there for two hours ?”

“Planning your demise.”

A laugh escapes his chest before he manages to smother it. But the amusement lingers in his eyes like golden sparkles as he holds my gaze. “Is that so?”

“Yes.”

At that, a villainous expression, dripping with challenge, descends on his handsome features. Moving his free hand, he brushes his fingertips over my thigh, right above the knee. A jolt zaps down my spine at the touch.

“So if I were to slide my hand up your thigh and brush my knuckles against your cunt right now, I wouldn’t find it soaking wet?”

My breath catches in my lungs. I know that I should try to deny it, but all I can do is to stare at him while my heart pounds in my chest.

Draven slides his hand higher up my thigh.

A shiver of pleasure courses through me.

He stops, waiting for me to protest. To shove him away. To tell him to stop.

I don’t.

His fingers make lightning dance over my skin as he traces them up along the inside of my thigh. My breathing grows heavier. I drag in shuddering breaths as his hand reaches my pussy.

He keeps his eyes locked on me. Studying me. Searching my face. Waiting for any indication that this is not what I want.

I try to convince myself that I don’t want this. Try to convince myself that I’m repulsed by the thought of Draven’s hands on my body. But I can’t. Because when he’s standing there, looking like that, looking at me like that, I want nothing more than to feel his hands worship my body. It doesn’t matter that we’re enemies. Because right now, he’s looking at me as if he sees me, the real me, in a way no one ever does.

His knuckles brush against my throbbing clit.

A moan rips from deep within my chest.

Snapping my mouth shut, I throw my head back and rest it against the smooth wooden wall behind me.

Draven keeps his eyes on mine as he twists his hand and instead draws his fingers over my pussy. Another bolt of pleasure shoots through my spine. Curling my hand into a fist, I draw in a deep breath through my nose and try to suppress another moan.

He traces teasing circles around my clit until a whimper slips from my lips. Then he begins rubbing my throbbing clit with his thumb.

Pleasure spikes through me, and light flickers before my eyes.

I drag in shuddering breaths as he expertly plays with my clit.

Tension builds inside me.

Pressing the back of my head harder against the smooth wood, I squirm against the wall as Draven drives me closer and closer to an orgasm.

My heart pounds against my ribcage.

My clit throbs and my pussy aches with need.

I feel like my very nerves are on fire.

Short shallow breaths escape my heaving chest.

He increases the pressure of his fingers and picks up the pace slightly.

Something between a moan and a whimper rips from my lungs. My legs tremble, and I writhe against the wall as the pleasure reaches unbearable levels.

Draven watches me, completely enraptured. He’s staring at me as if he has never seen anything like it before. As if every moan that escapes my mouth is the most fascinating thing he has ever experienced. As if I’m the most astonishing thing he has ever known.

The sight of him looking at me like that makes me feel lightheaded.

He rolls my clit with his thumb while he slides his index and middle finger down my pussy.

I gasp as his fingers brush against my entrance while his thumb continues moving in a way that sends bursts of pleasure streaking up my spine.

My whole soul thrums as I tumble headfirst towards an orgasm.

Draven’s intense gaze sears into me.

Just one more second. One more stroke. One more?—

Shock and alarm suddenly pulse across Draven’s face. He shoots a wide-eyed stare down at his hand, as if he can’t believe what he’s doing.

And then he yanks his hand back.

My knees give out.

I crash down on the floor. Throwing my hands out, I brace myself on the smooth wooden floorboards and bow forward over my knees as I drag in desperate breaths.

My entire body is vibrating with pent-up tension. My whole fucking soul is twisting in on itself, waiting for the release that was just one damn breath away. The release that never came.

A strong hand grips my jaw, forcing me to crane my neck and look up from the floor. And when I do, my eyes meet Draven’s golden ones.

That enraptured look of absolute fascination has now been wiped completely off his features. Instead, only a smug look full of mocking victory is visible on his stupidly attractive face.

“Just as I thought,” he says with a wicked smirk on his mouth. “Soaking wet.”

I want to scream.

I think I do scream. In frustration and sheer utter desperation. My body still vibrates with need and pent-up release that never came.

Glaring up at him, I clench my jaw.

I’m going to get him back for this.

Fucking bastard.

I’m going to get him back for this if it’s the last thing I do.