Crowns of Flame and Ice - Book One

(30) A Risky Game 🔥

"Help yourself to a drink, Eliana, consider it a welcome gift" Owen drawled, dealing a hand of cards to himself and Quilo. I lurched forward, shakey fingers latching onto the bottle of whisky and pouring myself a glass. I topped up Owens's glass, knowing that we needed to get him to drink as much as possible. "I hope you're not a sore loser" Quilo chuckled, picking up his cards. Quilo was bluffing, his cards were dreadful. What happened if he lost? "Oh I've never lost, I'm rather excited to see you grovel at my feet" he replied. Dread smoothed down my spine, this was not going well. What were the terms of this prize Quilo had organised? Owen was known for always taking something of great value to the loser, the only thing Quilo had on him right now was his life. I swallowed audibly. Quilo's hot breath tickled my ear as he whispered, "don't worry. I've never lost either and I have no intention of doing so now." Relaxing a little and taking a gulp from my glass of whisky I settled further back into Quilo's chest.

Quilo reached over to pick up his glass from the table, his arm against my neck as he sipped. I stilled, willing my breathing to calm and clamping my tongue between my teeth. My breath kept coming in fast pants because he was just fucking holding the drink in his hand with his arm against that fucking mark on my neck. The music shifted, swirling into something slower. Quilo set down a card, his arm moving slightly against my neck. Owen's face slipped into a mask of neutrality, either he was doing really well or really badly. My heart hammered as The Trove Master set down another card. "Quilo I swear to the gods if you don't beat him" I hissed into his ear. Quilo snorted, "You'll what?" A group of well-dressed men entered the room, all heading towards the stage in the centre. "I'll stab you" I seethed, running my hands across the table. He laughed, "kinky." My face turned pink as his words echoed through me, I stomped down hard on his foot. Quilo's knee-jerked up against the table causing the drinks to rattle, "sorry, she's a little handsy." Quilo emphasised his point by throwing a glare in my direction, I rolled my eyes.

Laughter boomed across from us again, followed by a chorus of cheers as a new dancer stepped up onto the stage. I'd been lost in the scene for a moment too long so I didn't sense as Quilo leaned forward to place his glass on the table. He leant back quickly and I didn't have enough time to muffle the moan that slipped past my lips. Owen chuckled, his stubby fingers drumming on the table. "What was that?" Quilo asked, his hand again resting on that spot. I flashed hot as I seethed, "If you don't take that hand off of my neck I swear I will kill you." Quilo stilled, then his smile grew into a wicked grin. "You mean here? This spot?", his fingers gently brushed the area around the bite mark and I gasped. He laughed, "so that's what had you so rattled and impatient." I was about to snap back at him for being so hypocritical but then his fingers swirled the area causing my breath to catch. "Oh you are so going to regret stomping on my foot, these are new shoes" Quilo taunted. The whole world ceased to exist as his fingers kept moving against my skin, I really fucking hated him.

His other hand moved to my leg and he began drawing slow, tantalising circles under the table. "It's nothing. It... it doesn't feel like anything" I lied, digging my fingers into the wood of the table. He chuckled into my ear, "oh I know that's a lie. I can hear it Eliana. You want to know how I can hear it?" His breath tickled my skin as he again spoke, "because your breath keeps catching every time I touch the area around it. I wonder what would happen if I actually paid closer attention to that little spot." I stilled, damp heat flooded to my lower stomach as he kept moving his fingers at my neck, up my legs. Gods those fucking fingers. "You know what? Every time he puts down one wrong move I'm going to punish you for that mouth of yours" Quilo promised, this was so not going to end well. Owen placed down a card and my breath caught, the first wrong move.

the fingers at my leg moved higher, "you're rather warm Eliana. Are you feeling okay?" The prick was grinning, I really really fucking hated him. Those fingers didn't venture any higher as Quilo set down his own card, they just continued making lazy circles. A wave of applause sounded from in front of the stage as the dancer exited, the music again shifting.  Owen placed down another card, I swore. "what did I say about that mouth?", Quilo's fingers pressed firmly into the bite mark. I threw my head back and moaned, black creeping into the corners of my vision. Our words were almost lost under the roar of the crowd as they bet and rallied, danced and played. Owen took a large gulp from his glass, looking up at me as he noted it was empty. I leant forward, lifting myself out of Quilo's lap. I undid the lid on the bottle and refilled Owens's glass, sliding it across the table to him when he nodded.