He shrugged. “Official business.”
“Meaning you won’t tell me. Just like you didn’t tell me about the trolls.”
“They’re harmless.”
“They were chasing me! One of them threw a spear at me.”
“They’re excellent hunters. If he’d wanted to hit you, he would have.”
She huffed. “And that makes it all right? I was terrified!”
“It wouldn’t have happened if you’d stayed here!”
“I wouldn’t have left if I knew the trolls were out there! You should have told me.”
“You were already terrified of them. I didn’t want to scare you even more by saying they were real.”
She pointed a finger at him. “That’s not your decision to make. From now on, I want honesty from you, whether it frightens me or not. Don’t you dare keep things from me again!”
“You want honesty?” He stepped closer. “You think you can handle it?”
“Yes!”
“Then here’s some for you. I wish I had kissed you yesterday. I wish I hadn’t been so damned honorable about it, because ever since then, it’s been driving me berserk.”
Her mouth dropped open, then snapped shut when his gaze lowered to her lips.
“You want more honesty?” He took another step closer. “You scared the crap out of me today.”
“I was afraid, too.” She glanced at his eyes and for a second, before he blinked, they looked gold. Like Puff’s. How? Why did she keep getting this odd feeling? Her mind raced. Golden eyes, similar voices, an extra-large heart. The tattoo of a dragon on Silas’s shoulder. There had even been times when Puff and Silas had used the exact same words.
She stepped back, bumping into a chair. No, it was too bizarre. It couldn’t be possible.
“Do you want more?” he asked.
She clutched the pillow tightly with her fists, suddenly afraid she couldn’t handle more truth. “We … we should stop now.”
“Stop what? Pretending I don’t want you? That you don’t want me?”
“I never said that!”
“You were thinking it. Ever since you met me.”
“No!”
He scoffed. “How about some honesty from you?” He ripped the pillow out of her hands and pulled her into his arms. As she slammed against his chest, he gripped the back of her head and planted his lips on hers.
Chapter Seventeen
When she stiffened with a jolt and pushed at his chest, Silas broke the kiss and looked at her. Gwen’s lavender-blue eyes were so wide, and her lips so pink and beautiful, it took all his control not to pounce on her again. But then he noticed she was searching his face as if she was trying to detect something.
Was something wrong? “Gwen?” He almost wished he hadn’t taught her how to erect a shield, for he had no idea what she was thinking.
Her gaze fell to his chest, where her hands still rested against his breastplate. She touched the brass stars, her fingertips lingering on the tarnished one. The sleeves of her shift had fallen back to reveal the pale skin of her forearms.
“I heard you were poisoned.” He grasped her wrists and held up her arms till he could see the pale-pink area on the underside of her left arm.
“Damn,” he whispered as he examined the inflamed area. “Is it hurting you? Are you in pain?”
“I’m all right now, but earlier I had a headache and some problems with dizziness.”
So she hadn’t been thinking clearly when she’d gone off by herself. And he’d yelled at her. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault Romak tried to poison us. Are you going to arrest him?”
“Yes.” Silas stroked his fingers over the delicate pink skin. “I can’t bear the thought of you being hurt.” He leaned over to kiss the inflamed area.
“No!” She stepped back, yanking her arm from his grip. “You mustn’t risk getting any poison on your mouth.”
“Then where is it safe to kiss you?” He took hold of her shoulders and moved close enough to brush his lips across her brow. “Is that all right? Or maybe here?” He kissed her temple.
When she placed her hands back on his chest, he took that as a yes.
“How about this?” He skimmed his mouth across her damp hair, then kissed the tip of her ear.
With a small gasp, she shivered.
So her pretty ears were sensitive. He ran his tongue along the contour and was rewarded with a soft moan that was so sweet, his groin tightened. “Gwen.” He pulled her back into his arms and nuzzled her neck.
She wrapped her arms around him, her hands delving into his hair. “Silas…”
“Yes.” He kissed a path toward her mouth.
“I’m not sure if this is safe,” she whispered.
He hesitated, his mouth close to hers. What did she mean? Was she afraid of losing her heart? Or was the unthinkable happening, and she was figuring out the truth? He blinked, making sure his sight was normal. Sometimes, when his emotions grew too intense, the power of the dragon flared hot and turned his eyes gold.
He leaned back to look at her. “If you’re worried about getting hurt, all I can say is we’re in this together. My heart is just as much at risk as yours.”
She placed a hand on his cheek, then ran her fingers over the whiskers along his jaw. “I must be letting my imagination get the better of me. I didn’t think trolls were real, but they are. So now, I’m—” She shook her head. “I must be mistaken.”
His nerves tensed. “About what?”
“It’s nothing. I’m just being paranoid. For over two years now, I’ve hidden in the shadows, afraid to be myself and suspicious of everyone around me. But I don’t want to be that person anymore. I want to be brave. And bold.”
“You’re the bravest woman I’ve ever met.” He smiled as he smoothed a hand down her silky hair. “But I’d like to see how bold you can be.”
A pretty blush crept into her cheeks and colored the tips of her ears. “All right.” She slipped her hand around his neck and gave him a shy smile. “I’m ready for you to kiss me, if you
