Chapter Twenty-Nine
S played out across our nest of blankets, I bask in the glow of warmth the fire before us projects as Thaddeus trails his fingertips across my bare belly, as if he’s playing a light, playful tune. His fingers move quickly and deftly, something I’ve been privileged in experiencing many ways as of late.
“What’s she like?” I ask, as he absent-mindedly traces circles across my bare back.
He looks up, a question on his lips, but then he sees the answer in my eyes. “Ombretta?” At my hum of assurance, he continues. “She’s strong. Like really solid. In her resolve, in her beliefs, and in her strength, too. Like no one I know, and that’s saying a lot because I’ve been around for a while. And loyal. I don’t know a soul more loyal. She’s been by my side for a long time.” He smiles and his canines flash.
I wonder what he means by loyal, if they have more of a history than he’s letting on, but her strength is also fascinating.
“But if she’s as strong as you say, why hasn’t she figured out a way to escape?” A silly question to ask, but I wonder nonetheless.
“It’s complicated.” His gentle caresses along my back suddenly shift, and I’m on my back underneath him. “And I don’t need complicated right now. I need you.”
Our stolen moments are few and far between as of late. Between training with Baylor and working with Thaliya, my windows of free time have shrunk. But in the past days, we’ve made time for each other. The fire behind us just caught again on a fresh log, sparking to life and bathing us in hues of reds and oranges.
We’ve made this small, forgotten space ours for now, and frequent it as much as we can. “You are my muse. I must have you in every way possible before we leave this place.”
His fingertips are refreshing, painting a cooling path over my love-warmed stomach. “I’d not object to more right now, but I fear we will be missed.”
“But until then, you are mine.” He rises over me. His erection growing, readying for another round. His body presses against mine, all his hard parts fitting perfectly against all of my soft parts.
“He’s here! The king has arrived!” The hushed voices travel from down the hall to where Thaddeus and I steal a moment together.
I still underneath him, afraid of what this could mean. For me—for us—for this time we’ve carved away for ourselves. This will be the end of it, for certain. He groans and rolls off me, our love-making forgotten for now. I rise, gathering blankets around me even though I know no one will find us here, those voices are too close for comfort and they’ve broken my small measure of peace.
I stride to the window so I can see what all the commotion is about, my warm palms steaming the cold glass beneath. There’s much movement below where the gardens meet the formal entrance to the castle, but I still as a figure dismounts his horse. The stiff figure, mostly just a dark riding cloak from this distance, lands to the ground as if in slow motion. As I get my first glimpse of my betrothed, Thaddeus’ big hands come around my hips, warding off any threat as he joins me to watch the King of Etos arrive. Although his modesty is a clear afterthought as he stands beside me in all his glory, his full erection saluting the Etos king from high above.
The figure far below turns as if he feels eyes on him. He finds us immediately, and his dark stare bores into me, traveling from my sex-mussed hair down to my bare toes in the ceiling-to-floor windows. With his gaze locked on mine, even from this distance, I’m certain he knows me at first glance as his betrothed, and does not appreciate what he finds.
I try to remain still, holding my chin high, and relying on Thaddeus to keep me upright. Leaning on him for strength, I hold Sturdenvat’s gaze for one more moment, and then turn away back to the warmth of the fireplace.
But the fire, that blazed hot and full a moment ago, has drafted once again into small embers, and our nest of blankets no longer looks as inviting.