The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

“What else did you say?” Casteel asked.
I lifted my shoulders. “Nothing, really. Just that if she
had any interest in you, I would…”
Casteel dipped his head closer to mine. “What?”
My lips pursed. “I might’ve said something like I’d tear
her apart limb by limb and feed her to barrats.”
He stared at me.
I sighed. “It wasn’t one of my finer moments, I admit.”
“Damn.” Casteel broke the silence, his gaze the shade
of heated honey. “I wish we weren’t about to have this
meeting because I really want to fuck you on this table right
now.”
My eyes widened.
“Gods,” Kieran muttered, sitting back as he dragged a
hand over his face.
“Is everything fine?” Casteel’s mother asked as she
strode into the room, his father beside her.
My face heated as Casteel dragged his gaze from mine.
“Everything is delightfully perfect,” he told them, sitting
back in his chair.
I turned to Kieran and whispered, “Thanks for that.”
A closed-lip smile appeared. “You’re welcome.”
Resisting the urge to punch him, I looked over as Hisa
closed the doors. Lord Sven and Lady Cambria had joined
us, along with Emil, Delano, and Vonetta. Lyra, in her mortal
form, had also come in, along with Naill. In the last several
days, I’d learned that both Sven and Cambria assisted with
the security of the kingdom and held positions within the
Atlantian armies. No other Elder was present.
It was Kieran who spoke once Hisa had taken her seat
on his other side. “We’re all set to leave for Oak Ambler
tomorrow,” he announced. “A small group will travel with
the King and Queen. It will just be Delano and me.”
Valyn inhaled deeply as he sat back in his chair. “That is
not nearly enough.”