Page 17 of Marked

He left me standing there, mouth gaped open with thoughts and memories swirling around in my head. Heat spread through my body. It wasn’t as though I avoided casual relationships. I avoided relationships, altogether. Which meant I went for prolonged periods of time without any physical or emotional companionship. But I’d found myself getting more and more lonely.

Why shouldn’t I pursue something physical with Orion? He made me feel safe. He was a great person. And he certainly knew how to take care of my needs.

I shook my head and grabbed a book from the nearby bookshelf. I didn’t have to decide anything right now and I wanted to rest with Nala before I contacted the queen. Eventually, I needed to report what had happened at the forest’s edge, but I had an hour to settle my thoughts and relax my mind and body before I dealt with that stress.

I curled up on the couch beside Nala and opened my book. I’d left the story where the main character just met the love interest, but she didn’t know he’s a prince in disguise, and currently thought he was an ass.

I sunk into the couch a little more, my lips curling up, and read the banter between the characters while I gave Nala some pets with my free hand. She might be sleeping, but I liked to believe somewhere in her subconscious she still knew I was right beside her.

The door to my cabin burst open, a cold gust of air blowing in from the outside.

I jerked upright so fast the book flew from my hands and fell to the floor with a clatter.

Nala snapped awake and lurched up, only to tense, and yelp in pain.

I turned toward the door in time to watch my brother stroll into my cabin with one of his friends as though he owned the place.

I scowled at my brother. I didn’t recognize his friend. He’d turned away as soon as he’d walked through the door to study the wall with bookshelves and framed drawings.

“Have you ever heard of knocking?” I kissed Nala’s head and inhaled her nutty scent before reaching down to retrieve my book. Several of the pages had bent in the fall and I’d lost my place.

If he wasn’t my brother, I would’ve killed him.

Phaan, I might kill him anyway.

“Come on, Emi. Is that any way to greet your favourite brother?” He held his arms wide, and a grin spreading across his face.

“You’re my only brother.” I unbent the damaged pages of my book before closing the cover and setting it down on the cushion beside me. With a deep breath and a silent prayer for patience, I pulled myself off the couch to face my twin.

So much for relaxing.

Paul had a smile that got him in and out of trouble. His tall frame took up most of the entranceway and his personality could fill the whole cabin on its own. With the same brown hair, hazel eyes, fair skin, and straight nose, most people figured out we were siblings, but not everyone guessed we were twins.

Though we didn’t know who got here first, Paul had arrived in this messed up world on the same day as me and got all the charisma. He thrived in the spotlight and always knew how to say the right thing to put people at ease. Looking at him was like looking at pure sunshine. If you stared too long or got too close, you’d burn yourself, but that didn’t stop everyone from wanting to enter his orbit.

If Paul was the sun, then I was his shadow, existing in the dark, operating in stealth. My only redeeming qualities were Nala and my ability to protect the forest animals.

That was why I was a guardian of the forest. The only guardian of the forest. And my brother worked for the queen at the castle in Wast as a politician of sorts. He represented Perga and negotiated trade deals.

“I am your only brother.” Paul’s smile grew. “Which is all the more reason for you to indulge me.”

“I’m not going to indulge your complete lack of manners. You can’t just barge in here with your random friends.” I waved at the other guy, who still hadn’t said a thing. He hadn’t even bothered to look my way, his back still turned to me as he studied my bookshelves. He was probably some city snob, and his manners were more appalling than my brother’s, which said a lot.

“What if I was naked? What if I had someone over?”

Paul snorted. “We both know you’re too much of a harpy to entertain anyone, and this is?—”

“I don’t give a phaan who he is. Get out.”

Maybe I should get Orion to come back so I could properly scandalize my brother, and then he’d think twice about barging in.

“You really should,” Paul said.

I shut my mouth and frowned. I really should what?

I glanced at the back of the tall stranger. In slow motion, he turned around to face me. He was attractive in that dark, brooding, “I have issues” way. Olive skin tone, straight nose with a slight upturn at the end, full lips pulled up at the corners as if he found this amusing. A wave of dread crashed through my body as the man’s gaze lifted to meet mine. There was no mistaking that devastating face, nor the familiar hatred flashing in his dark gaze.

“Hello, Mouse.”