The Claimed: Rashika's Resistance

Chapter 20: First Kiss

Izra choked and coughed through most of her first mug of prak but relaxed into the second. Whatever had haunted her eyes when she first entered the room disappeared under a glassy sheen. As I sipped from my third mug, I tried to keep my eyes off of the adorable pink flushing her cheeks.

I wondered if anything else would make her cheeks flush like that.

Plu crossed one leg over the other and propped her elbow on her thigh and chin on her fist. "I have a confession to make."

"Hmm." Izra leaned back and draped an arm over the top rail of her chair. "Is it about Navi?"

Plu's elbow slipped off of her leg as she straightened. "Navi? What do you mean?"

Ru snorted. "Told you it's obvious, Plu."

Plu swirled her third mug of prak with a sigh. "If it's so obvious, Navi must notice, right? So he is clearly just not interested."

I ran a finger along the rim of my mug. "Maybe he needs some confirmation. Maybe he's hoping you'll make the first move."

"Me? Make the first move? But I..." Plu tipped the mug to her lips and told the prak her next words. "I've never even kissed anyone before."

"This kissing part is easy," said Izra, "As long as no feelings go with it."

A pang of guilt jabbed my ribs, but when I shot Izra a wary sideways glance, an easy smile curved her pink lips. Her arm still rested on the back of her chair, hand dangling relaxed six inches from me.

"Izra, maybe you can help," said Ru. "You've got half of the women in Rakim pining after you. What was your first kiss like?"

Izra's smile faded. "I don't remember, Ru. That was a long time ago."

Plu groaned. "Come on, Izra! Everyone remembers that."

Izra slipped her arm off the back of the chair and folded her hands in her lap. "Not me."

Her voice remained even, but behind the glassy surface of her eyes, a cavern gaped wide. Possibilities wormed through my mind and filled my stomach with bile. I hated imagining someone so strong and free had once been trapped or coerced.

And I hated it even more knowing I had also tricked her.

Ru tsked loudly. "I'm sure you'd remember if you really —"

"Leave it," I said. When all three women shot startled glances my way, I added, "But I can tell you about mine, if you want."

Plu and Ru both leaned in closer, and a flicker of interest replaced the hollowness in Izra's eyes.

"Why, yes," said Plu. "Please do!"

I hesitated, not actually sure how to tell the story. I never told anyone stories, especially not private ones. But I had certainly heard plenty. Channeling Pim, I straightened and drew in a breath.

"Alright, so a Royal Advisor brought his family to dine at the palace six years ago. He hoped to arrange a marriage between Makandi and his daughter."

Plu clucked her tongue. "Princess Paranila!"

I shook my head. "No, this was before Paranila. This one didn't work out because, uh... because she didn't even look at Makandi. Throughout dinner, she just kept looking at me." Heat rose to my cheeks, and I continued quickly before I lost my nerve. "She requested I show her to the restroom, and then she pulled me in with her and asked for a kiss. And for some idiotic reason, I did it."

A breath passed around the room. After a moment, I forced myself to look at Plu, Ru, and then Izra. Plu and Ru were both grinning, but it was Izra's reluctant smile half-hidden by a hand that made my heart miss a beat and stirred fire in my core.