The candlelight trembled as Kyra found her voice. "Why are you here?" She meant it to sound stern, but it emerged as barely more than a whisper. The thin cotton of her chemise suddenly felt inadequate protection against his intense gaze.
Jaegar's smile held no warmth, only a predatory edge that reminded her of how he fought in her battle. He didn't answer immediately, letting the silence stretch between them like a drawn bow.
"You shouldn't be here," Kyra continued, her fingers gripping the edge of the vanity.
"What we did... what happened between us... It's all in the past. I'm to marry Lorcan. I can't—" Her voice caught. "I can't afford to lose everything now."
The moonlight streaming through the windows cast half of Jaegar's face in shadow. "Lose everything?" His voice was soft, almost gentle, but carried an undercurrent of steel. "Or lose what you've been positioned to gain?"
