The Veiled Kingdom (The Veiled Kingdom, #1)

by Holly Renee

can be grateful and still think he’s an unbearable asshole, right?” “Oh. For sure.” She laughed again as she turned to face me,

“He’s your brother?” “The one and only.” “I’m so sorry.” She grinned so hard, matching dimples appeared on her cheeks. “For calling him an asshole?” “No.” I shook my head. “He is an asshole, but I shouldn’t have said it to you.” Wren burst out laughing and moved to my side before sliding her arm around mine. “I think you and I are going to get along just fine, Nyra. At least I’ll have someone on my side who doesn’t worship the ground Dacre walks on.” “Trust me, that will never happen.” She tightened her hold on me as she turned us down a long hallway. “I’ll hold you to that.”

“Thank you.” I swallowed hard because I had given her no reason to be so kind to me.

Despite the fact that Dacre was an ass, it was impossible not to notice how infuriatingly handsome he was.

She finally turned back to me, her gaze softening slightly. “Not today. Today, I’m with you.”

“You were supposed to block me.” Wren’s warm laughter was like a balm that soothed my embarrassment.

“Don’t be an ass, Dacre.” Wren crossed her arms and stood between us.

I could feel my heart racing as I looked at him, his eyes locked on mine. He was beautiful, his sharp jawline and piercing eyes seeming to cut through me like a knife.

“I don’t want to train with you.” I chanced a glance in Wren’s direction, but she was still watching her brother. “That’s not really an option for you.”

His lips curled into a smirk, and he moved toward me again, his eyes glinting in the low light.

“There’s that backbone,” he said with a smile as he launched himself at me.

“Tomorrow, you train with me.” He stood to his full height, and I scoffed as I watched Wren take a step forward. “Lay off, Dacre.”

“I promise he’s not always like that.”

Wren’s lips curved into a gentle smile,

Kit.

there’s a kit and a kai🥹

“I don’t think Dacre hates you.” A loud laughter bubbled out of my throat,

Dacre peeled off his shirt, revealing a lean torso sculpted by hours and hours of training. His biceps bulged as he tossed the fabric carelessly to the ground. I couldn’t help but stare, my eyes tracing the lines of his defined muscles with fascination.

Wren was grinning at me from across the spring, and I shook my head at her so she would quit giving me a knowing look.

Kai took a seat to my left, right between Wren and me, and winked at me.

“I called you an ass. It’s the truth.” The corner of his mouth curved into a half smile. “And I called you weak. It looks like we’re both just telling the truth today.”

His gaze dropped away from my eyes, and I could have sworn he was staring at my mouth.

I sat back up, coming out of the water until the tops of my shoulders were exposed, and as soon as I opened my eyes, all I could see were Dacre’s eyes still on me.

“I’ll see you in the morning for training. Don’t be late,” Dacre said gruffly. I turned toward him and saluted him with the hand holding my trousers. “I’ll be the weak one. You can’t miss me.”

Those stolen glances were like magnets, pulling me toward him and away from my concentration.

He moved around me, his fingertips lightly brushing against my right thigh before giving it a soft tap until I shifted it out of the way. His breath was warm on the back of my neck as he passed.

He pressed his lips together and the corner of my mouth curved up in a smirk.

I could feel his powerful grip searing my skin, as if branding me. “You know the only time I’ve ever been attacked in my life was by you.” Dacre’s eyes gleamed dangerously as he slowly and firmly moved my hands to where he wanted them.

He jerked my foot forward until my body slammed into his. His body was warm against mine, and my cheeks grew hot as I desperately tried to turn away from his gaze.

But he didn’t let me go. He gripped the back of my neck, his touch firm and steady, as he forced me to look up at him, and he ran his hand slowly up my

leg until his fingers rested gently on the back of my knee. His dark eyes looked into min...

Dacre’s eyes widened as he fell backward onto the ground, and I landed on top of him with a groan as my knees collided with the hard dirt floor. Our bodies were pressed together, his hand now gripping my thigh, and I could feel every inch of him through our leathers. For a moment, neither of us moved, our bodies so close that I could feel his exhales roll through me like a warm breeze.

all I could focus on was the way Dacre moved, the movement of the muscles in his back as he looked for his friend. He was…distracting.

“Okay.” I nodded as I stood. “Don’t you fucking dare, Nyra. You’re training with me,” Kai grunted as the man landed a hit. “I’m sitting here watching you lose.”

Eiran laughed and rubbed his hand along his jaw. “Maybe if I train you well enough, you can knock Dacre on his own ass for a change.”

I could have used a long session in the springs, but now when I thought about them, all I could think of was Nyra. And that pissed me off. She pissed me off.

I pictured her sharing secrets with him that I was dying to know, and I couldn’t stop the frustrated growl that escaped from deep within me.

Their heads bent close together as they chatted and laughed, completely unaware of my presence. A sickening sensation churned in my stomach, and I gritted my teeth until they ached.

Wren looked up at me and grinned, her smirk irritating as she saw through me. “Hello, brother.”

Nyra straightened, her eyes meeting mine. I took a breath as I tried not to fall into their depths, annoyed with my desire to be on the other end of her smile.

The possessiveness that rushed through me surprised me, even as I struggled to keep it in check.

I felt a burning need to show them all that nothing Eiran could give her would ever be better than me.

She raised an eyebrow and cocked her head to the side, mirroring the way I had assessed her earlier.

I tightened my own arms around her middle, holding her tightly against me, and she shoved against my shoulders, trying to get away. “I see your time with Eiran has taught you a lot.” I tugged her harder against me, feeling her body perfectly lined up against mine.

You’re mine to train.” “I’m not yours to do anything with.”

They were so blue in that moment that I felt like I was lost at sea.

Just tell me one of your truths.

“All you had to say was that you needed my help.” I openly smiled at her, and she narrowed her eyes. “I didn’t say I needed your help.” She crossed her arms. “Can’t you use your magic to call for Wren or Eiran?”

“But if you keep pushing me, I’ll be rougher with you.” Nyra’s eyes widened, and I could feel the heat grow in my stomach.

She let out a soft “hmm,” and I had a sudden desperation to know what was going through her mind.

But memories of his hands hot on my skin as we moved through the routines made me lose my concentration.