Home > Kingdom of the Cursed (Kingdom of the Wicked #2)(30)

Kingdom of the Cursed (Kingdom of the Wicked #2)(30)
Author: Kerri Maniscalco

“No, actually. It’s one of the few places in the Seven Circles not touched by ice. It sits above a lava field, so the water is warmer than bathwater, regardless of the air temperature.”

“Do we have to fight a three-headed dog to get there?”

“No.”

“Is traveling there like going through the Sin Corridor?” Wrath shook his head but didn’t elaborate. I stepped closer, eyes narrowing. He was being more tight-lipped than normal. Which meant he was definitely concealing something. “Where is it?”

“Forget I mentioned it.” He refilled his glass and took a strong pull of wine, refusing to meet my inquisitive stare. “It’s late.”

“Blood and bones. It’s here, isn’t it? Have you been hiding a hot spring from me?”

“Not hiding. There are rules that must be followed before entering the water. I doubt you’d like them. And even if you did, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“I see.” Wrath straightened at my tone and slowly glanced in my direction. When his full attention settled on me, I continued. “Instead of asking my opinion, you decided for me. Since I am to marry the devil, that makes me your future queen, doesn’t it?” He didn’t answer. “I would like you to take me there. Now, please.”

“Nothing made may enter the water.”

“Nothing… you mean clothing?”

“Yes. You’ll need to fully disrobe before entering the water, my future queen.” His smile was pure wickedness. “I didn’t think you’d want to bathe with me naked.”

“Is that all?” I highly doubted it. He’d seen me without clothing on more than one occasion over the last few months. That would not be a deterrent. This was about self-preservation. For him. “I imagine there’s something about the water you’d like to avoid.”

He looked me over slowly. It was impossible to tell what he felt. “On occasion it seeks the heart of those who enter. And reflects their truth.”

I held his gaze. Maybe it was the wine, or this world and its proclivity toward sin, or the way his eyes glittered with triumph, but I refused to cede this battle.

I recalled what Anir said about challenging him. If I had to give up some of my truth to gain some knowledge of him, it was a small price to pay.

I jerked my chin at the bottle and glasses. “Take those and let’s visit this magical lagoon. I could use a warm, relaxing bath after tonight.”

Wrath’s grin vanished. “You’re certain that’s what you want?”

“Yes.”

It was a terribly dangerous answer, made apparent by the thick layer of tension that swiftly fell between us again, but it was the truth. I did not want to go back to my chamber alone, nor did I want to part ways with this prince just yet. A night adventure to a magical hot spring sounded like the perfect distraction. I wanted a pleasant memory to cling to before bed. I did not want to replay the staked tongue incident over and over until sleep claimed me. And if I went back to my chamber alone now, that’s exactly what would happen.

Instead of walking me there, Wrath took my hand in his and magicked us away. The familiar sensation of burning was replaced by a slight, warm tingle across my skin. It was far from unpleasant. I gasped as solid ground formed beneath us a moment later.

Wrath let go once he was sure I wasn’t about to tumble over. “Transvenio magic isn’t as jarring when we’re traveling in this circle.”

I wanted to ask him more about the magic but found all logical thought had been stolen as I took in our new location. We stood on the dark, glittering shore of a lagoon. It was shaped like an enormous crescent moon, and the water was a milky, glacier blue.

Fog drifted lazily above its surface. I managed to tear my gaze away from the sparkling pool long enough to glance at the obsidian walls that surrounded us. This lake was subterranean.

“Where are we, exactly?”

“Below House Wrath.” He strolled down the shore a little way, then pointed out a stone arch. “The Lake of Fire feeds into these shallows from over there.”

I looked up, expecting to see more stone, and sucked in a quiet breath. Stone did indeed cover us, but someone had painted the phases of the moon across it, along with a smattering of stars. Breathtaking was hardly the most accurate description. Ethereal, maybe, did it more justice.

I went to stick my toes in the water when the demon prince carefully hauled me back. “No cloth of any kind can taint the water. You need to remove your gown or hold the skirt up.”

“Why?”

Wrath lifted a shoulder. “See those?”

I followed his gaze as it landed on a mammoth piece of driftwood. I leaned closer and squinted. “Is that… are those bones?”

I dragged my attention away from what remained of the unfortunate creature and focused on the prince at my side. The glint of amusement in his face was almost as sinful as he was. “Still want to go for a dip?”

“What happens if you bring the wine and glasses in?”

“I wouldn’t. Come,” he offered his hand. “I’ll take you back to your room. You can keep the wine. It will relax you just as well as the lagoon would have. You’ve got a large private bath of your own. That will have to suffice.”

Either he was worried about the lagoon revealing a truth he wanted to keep hidden, or he was convinced I’d change my mind and go back to bed. I gave him my own taunting smile as I deftly undid the enclosures on my gown. He watched as I slipped out of the silky red material, his throat bobbing a little as my lacy undergarments hit the ground next.

I took his ring off and set it on a smooth, flat rock. Then I straightened and held his gaze.

I stood bare before him, feeling anything but shy. I raised a brow. “Are you going to get undressed so we can swim, or are you planning on watching me all night?”

 

 

ELEVEN


Wrath’s clothes vanished, leaving him standing naked and proud.

Any hint of smugness I’d felt disappeared when his clothing did. Devil curse me, I tried and failed miserably to not feed his ego by openly admiring him.

Great artists might try to capture his likeness but would undoubtedly fail. There was a certain mastery about him that defied his true form from ever being cast in something as mundane as bronze or carved in marble.

My gaze drifted across his broad shoulders, down his sculpted chest, then slowly inched lower, over each ridge of his abdomen, across his hips and lower until I finally took in his…

I jerked my attention back to his face. He was very obviously attracted to me. Clearly the sinful magic that thrummed below the surface of this world affected him more than I’d imagined. Though given his comments at dinner and the way our kiss had turned hungry and full of primal need earlier, maybe it wasn’t so simple. For either of us.

My traitorous attention dropped again. I tried not to stare too long, but his left thigh had an interesting design inked onto it. Pointing downward, a dagger spanned from his hip to his knee. The blade looked like it had a close-up of roses on its surface, while geometric patterns were etched onto its hilt. Unlike his other metallic tattoos, this one had been done in grayscale.

I pulled my focus back to his eyes and waited, heart pounding, for him to drag his attention over every inch of my exposed skin. My nerves hummed with anticipation; it was the first time I’d disrobed in front of him without it being the result of something clinical needed to revive me from near-death. Wrath’s gaze remained fixed on mine as he offered me his hand, palm up. Something inside me deflated a bit.

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