He stepped out into the corridor, closing the door behind him. A cold, calculating smile spread across his face despite the agonizing ache in his stomach.
'She thinks she's teasing me,' he thought, walking back to his suite.
'But she just proved she can't stay away from me. Her obsession is growing much faster than I expected. She's already addicted to the chase. Tomorrow, I'll win her stupid trial, and then I'll break her entire kingdom apart from the inside.'
Walking back to his room felt much shorter this time. He knew Yena was probably waiting somewhere in the shadows, ready to scold him for playing with fire.
'Let her scold me,' Kai thought, pushing his bedroom door open.
'The trap is fully set. Now I just need to wait for the queen to step right into it.'
*****
Morning light spilled across the marble terraces, offering a false sense of peace. Kai wandered the eastern wing of the palace without a guard breathing down his neck.
