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wrong with her. She still knew next to nothing about Kai,
    but the more time they spent together, the more drawn to him she felt.
    Even being near him gave her a sense of…rightness, like two pieces of a
    puzzle that just fit together.
    “I can take care of myself,” she murmured, though she didn’t pull
    away from him. “I don’t need a guard.”
    “You do.”
    “Kai—”
    “This is not up for debate,” he interrupted, his tone gentle but firm.
    “I am yours to command, dove, but in this, I won’t be swayed.”
    “Yours to command? Yeah, okay, let me stop you right there.”
    Finally, she lifted her head and stepped away from him. She didn’t
    want to have a fight in the street, but the way he spoke, as if he’d lay
    down his life for her, freaked her the fuck out on so many levels. Fate
    and magic, soulmates and royalty—she didn’t know how to even begin
    processing the information.
    “First off, no one is commanding anyone. We’re a team, partners.”
    She hadn’t intended to say that, to imply that they could have a future
    together, but stars help her, she meant it. Nothing about their situation
    was the way it should be, nothing made sense to her, but she knew what
    she felt. She didn’t understand it, but trusting her instincts had saved her
    ass more than once. In mere days, Kai had made her feel more wanted,
    valued, and cherished than anyone in the whole of her thirty-two years.

    As much as she hated to admit it, as much as it went against
    everything she’d ever believed or known to be fact, she couldn’t shake
    that meant-to-be feeling. That didn’t, however, mean she was willing to
    give up everything she’d worked so hard for to be his queen.
    “Secondly?” He questioned, his lips twisted into an indulgent grin as
    if he found her amusing.
    “I don’t need a guard.”
    “Ivy, please.” He rubbed his temples with the tips of his fingers and
    breathed deeply through his nose. “You are the chosen of the Vasiliof
    Xenthian.” Lowering his hands, he looked her in the eyes and sighed. “I
    do not doubt your courage, my lady, but you will not win this battle.
    Your safety is more important to me than anything.”
    He only wanted to protect her, and if she continued to argue, she just
    sounded like an ungrateful bitch. Men. “Fine,” she answered with as
    much dignity as she could muster, “but I want to see them. No more of
    this invisible crap, and I don’t need an entire army. Two is more than
    enough. It’s called compromise,” she added when he glared at her.
    “Very well.” He didn’t look pleased about it, though. “You may even
    choose your own sentries, if you wish.”
    “I can pick who I want to shadow me?” Okay, maybe this wouldn’t
    be such a headache after all. “Done. I want Tariq and Sion.” Which
    brought her to another question. “Where is Sion anyway?” Come to
    think of it, she hadn’t seen the shifter all day.

    “The Helios is running the forests at the edges of the Valley under
    careful watch. Being idle was making him… twitchy. ”
    Ivy pressed her lips together and clenched her teeth until her jaw
    ached to keep from laughing at his expression. “It means he was feeling
    restless. Don’t worry. A good run will even him out.”
    “Noted.” Placing a hand in the center of her back, he guided her along
    the cobblestone path back toward the citadel. “Sion would make an
    excellent sentry. I would prefer you choose someone other than Tariq.”
    “Because you don’t like him,” Ivy surmised, still trying not to laugh.
    “He really didn’t upset me, you know.”
    “No matter.” The muscles in his jaw ticked, and his nostrils flared.
    “Choose another.” Then his lips twitched as he glanced at her from the
    corner of his eye.
    She had a feeling she knew what was coming next, and sure enough,
    Kai didn’t disappoint.
    “It’s called compromise.”

CHAPTER SEVEN
    “It’s been three days!” Ivy stomped back and forth across the