Chapter 61

• The moonlight poured through the tall windows of the royal bedchamber, painting the stone floor in silver. A gentle breeze blew through the open balcony doors, rustling the curtains and carrying the sweet scent of blooming night jasmine into the room.
• Chloe stood by the edge of the bed, brushing her fingers over the silken sheets. Her hair was down, flowing like a river over her shoulders, her nightgown clinging to her form in soft ivory lace. Her heart beat a little faster than usual—not from fear, not even from anticipation—but from the way Kael had been looking at her all day. She had to do something. To claim her man and mark her territory. She had to make sure Kael was hers and hers alone.
• He was seated in a low chair by her dressing table, his shirt unbuttoned, revealing the strong lines of his chest. Firelight danced across his skin, giving his usually composed features a softer, more vulnerable look. But there was tension in his shoulders—something heavy clinging to him like a shadow.