Summary: Before Kenna makes her announcement about who will command the Nevrakis troops, she talks to Diavolos first. This assumes that Kenna and Diavolos had their heart-to-heart on the airship in Chapter 8, but she didn’t kiss him there.
As much as Kenna dislikes and doesn’t trust Zenobia, she has to admit that appointing Diavolos commander of the Nevrakis troops is the most logical choice. The troops are fanatically loyal to Luther, and no matter the alliance between them, she doesn’t trust Luther. Kenna would prefer to be in complete command of all of the troops, but Zenobia’s right about that too: Kenna has killed many of their comrades, and she worries they’d go rogue on her.
She has a little while until her speech, so she goes in search of Diavolos, finding him in the bedchambers he’s been using. He’s still buttoning up his shirt when she knocks and he lets her in, a smug grin crossing his face when he catches her staring at his bare chest. Kenna hastily glances away.
“How has the room been?” she asks.
“Much more comfortable than that tiny airship bed,” he answers, fastening his sword belt on.
Kenna has to agree with that. The airship beds aren’t particularly comfortable, especially, she imagines, for someone as tall as Diavolos. He glances at her as he starts lacing up his boots.
“You didn’t come here to discuss the accommodations. What is it?”
Kenna sighs, sitting on the edge of his desk.
“I just talked to Zenobia,” she begins slowly.
“And neither of you is mortally wounded?” Diavolos asks with a smirk.
Kenna smiles wryly. “No, surprisingly. She suggested…I put you in charge of the Nevrakis troops. And I’m inclined to agree with that idea.”
Diavolos’ head whips up, his hands stilling on his bootlaces. “What?”
She doesn’t know if he’s more surprised that Zenobia suggested the plan, or that she’s agreeing with it.
“It makes sense,” Kenna says.
Diavolos hurriedly finishes tying his laces and stands upright, making his way over to the desk.
“You’ve been commanding the troops for longer than I’ve been queen of Stormholt,” she points out. “And they’ll never follow my command.”
His brow furrows as he leans on the desk next to her. “I’m surprised you trust me not to just do what my father says.”
Kenna sucks in a breath. “It crossed my mind,” she admits. “But like Zenobia said…you’re loyal to your people, above all else.”
She slips her hand over his when he looks at her. “I trust you to do the right thing.”
Diavolos stares at her for a long minute, taking her by surprise when he reaches his other hand up to cup her cheek. “You sure?” he asks.
“I’m sure,” she reassures him, leaning into his touch without even really thinking about it, his thumb brushing over her cheekbone.
His fingers are warm and slightly rough against her skin, and her mind flashes back to the night on the airship. He’d been close enough to kiss then, and she’d wanted to, more than she can remember wanting to kiss anyone before. But she’d chalked the feeling up to nerves and adrenaline about their mission and had simply told him goodnight.
“You look worried,” she murmurs, shifting closer to him.
Diavolos shrugs. “Not about commanding the troops,” he says confidently. “But winning this battle?”
He shakes his head, dropping his hand from her face. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about that.”
“So am I,” Kenna admits, and they lapse into a comfortable silence for a few moments.
She realizes after a minute that her hand is still resting on his and smiles at how easy it feels, being here with him, before squeezing his hand and pushing away from the desk.
“I should get ready for this speech,” she says.
Diavolos walks with her to the door, taking her hand in his and brushing his lips over her knuckles. “I’ll see you in a few minutes, Your Majesty.”
Kenna glances up, realizing just how close he is, as close as he’d been on the airship, but this time, she doesn’t stop herself, slipping her hands up his chest and gripping his collar. He leans down when she tugs on the fabric and presses her lips to his. She feels Diavolos smile, then respond hungrily as her kiss grows more insistent. His hands grip her hips before sliding around her back, his tongue tracing over her lips and demanding entrance to her mouth. Kenna groans, opening up to him without hesitation, pressing herself closer.
She slides her hands up into his hair, sucking in a breath when Diavolos lifts her easily, pressing her into the wall next to the door. Her legs wrap around his back and her head tilts to the side as he starts kissing down her neck.
“I’ve wanted to do this from the moment I saw you,” he all but growls in her ear, biting gently at her throat.
“Me too,” is all she can manage to gasp, her eyes closing at the feel of his hands under her thighs, his lips against her skin.
She nearly groans in disappointment when a door slams down the hall, interrupting them, and Diavolos stops, a frustrated laugh coming out of his mouth as he rests his forehead on the wall next to her. He lowers her legs down to the floor after a minute, watching with a faint smirk as Kenna straightens out her shirt.
“I shouldn’t have done that,” she says, running a hand through her hair.
Diavolos raises an eyebrow, his smirk changing to a slight frown. “Oh? I happen to think you should have done that.”
He steps closer, his fingers trailing over her hips. “Do I need to be more persuasive on why that was a good idea?” he breathes in her ear, making her shiver.
Kenna huffs out a quiet laugh. “It’s not that,” she says, whimpering slightly when he yanks her closer and brushes his lips over her neck.
“But I have a speech to give and now I’m going to be distracted.”
He rumbles something against her but doesn’t stop, and as good as his hands and his mouth feel against her, and as much as she’d love to just latch the door and stay in here with him, she knows they can’t. At least, not now, she tells herself, before pushing against his chest. That cocky smirk is back on his face when he steps away, tilting his head down to kiss her quickly.
“Diavolos,” Kenna says, meaning it to be scolding but unable to hide her smile.
“Yes, Kenna?”
He kisses her again, slowly, teasing her lower lip between his teeth.
“I have to go,” she insists, laughing.
Diavolos grins at her again when he finally lets go, taking in how flushed she is. Kenna has a feeling he’s used to getting the last word in. Or rather, the last kiss, in this case. So she smiles at him sweetly, sneaking in another quick kiss and murmurs, “Remind me to show you the secret passageway to my private quarters after this speech” before she slips out his door.
The way his eyes darken and the throaty noise that comes out of his mouth make almost being late well worth it as she hurries out to the courtyard, greeting the Nevrakis family as they walk out together. She can’t help but smirk as Diavolos shakes his head at her as he bows.
“Queen Kenna,” he says.
“Prince Diavolos,” she replies cordially.
Before he walks away, he mutters, “Remember the secret passageway,” shooting her a grin as she narrows her eyes at him.
Yes, she decides. He’s definitely used to always getting the last word in.