The Shadows Between Us

by Tricia Levenseller

Oh, he is a delightful mystery that I can’t wait to solve.

“Accept my invitation and you will find out.”

I’m glad to know the king is thinking of me even when I am not around.

“You are going to cause all kinds of trouble in my court.”

I have to try to stand out.” “Not anymore,” he says. “You are being courted by the king. That fact alone makes you the most popular girl in the world.”

handled Hektor as I have handled everything else in my life: alone and with the utmost thoroughness.

“They make me weak.”

He swallows the bite in his mouth. “Alessandra Stathos, that’s positively despicable.” He says the words like they’re the highest compliment he can give me. “You are an absolute gem, do you know that?”

The poets can say whatever they damned like. A woman’s worth is not decided by what’s between her legs but by what is in her mind.

“It is good to see you, Alessandra. I feel like it’s been ages.” “That’s because it has.”

Kallias is in the room.

He raises a hand up to my face, and I hold perfectly still. A single gloved finger reaches forward and briefly brushes the skin beneath my eye. The leather is smooth and cold.

But I had a marvelous time until then.”

“I’m not a doll that you can dress up and leave alone until you’re ready to play with me, Kallias. I’m a person. And if you can’t respect that, I’ll pack my things and leave tomorrow.”

Kallias angers me in a way no person ever has.

But at the ghost of a gloved hand.

We’re doing it because we’re friends, and you deserve some real fun.”

But I’ve found that during all our conversations, I haven’t had to pretend. When I say things, it’s because I truly feel and think that way. I may be trying to win the heart of a king, but … I’m still being myself. That’s never happened before with a mark.

And, Kaiser? See that all the men who accompanied us on our outing are hanged.”

but for some reason, I start to see red at the corners of my vision.

“I lied. You’re the most stunning thing to ever set foot in my palace.”

“The king is a fifteen. Perhaps not for everyone. But he is a fifteen for me.”

And I have never feared so much for your safety. You’ll be sleeping right next to me now.”

“You will be, but it’s fine if you’re not.”

Do you trust me?”

“I do,”

An excuse to show off my best assets to Kallias?

“I don’t want to separate.”

But you’re not stupid, and you’re not dying on me.

“I have no intention of losing my best friend.”

“You and I are playing a very dangerous game.”

No one but me is allowed to decide when Kallias Maheras, king of six realms and counting, is going to die.

I am shocked by the sudden realization that I would rather have this life. This life of Kallias’s trust and friendship, of helping him to rule a kingdom without having any real power, just a king’s ear—I would rather have all of that than another fling with a man who will just give me jewels because he likes the things I do to him in bed.

And either that is answer enough, or Leandros sees the truth of it on his own, because he bows low, gentlemanly.

But if not, I can’t decide if it’s a good or bad thing for Kallias to have heard all of that.

In the end, I decide I want to see him, and that is enough to put up with all the rest.

“You’re not allowed to do that until you’re sober,” I tell him. “Nonsense. Give that back!”

“I didn’t tell Leandros no because of some deal I have with you. I told him no because it would take me away from you.”

“I told you, you’re my equal. You’ve assisted me in more ways than one. You’ve been my constant companion these last couple of months, and I don’t ever

want you to leave, Alessandra. I want to show you how I respect and appreciate you.”

I wouldn’t have to kill him. He’ll give me everything I want, and I won’t have to get rid of him. My friend and companion.

He’s just not offering me himself with it.

Did I break the king?

And somehow, I know that I’m not in trouble. How can I be if he’s this jovial over the fact?

“I’ve an inclination to kill again,” I say, glaring at him.

“My little hellion. Quite the force to be reckoned with, aren’t you? Oh, say you’ll marry me, Alessandra!”

“The man did you wrong, Alessandra. Honestly, you’ve saved me the trouble of tracking him down and killing him myself.”

Anything for my friend.” I don’t know that I’ve ever hated that word more than when it comes out of Kallias’s mouth.

“But I would be … most saddened if you left.”

“I need you, Alessandra. Say you’ll be mine and I’ll be yours.”