41. FORTY-ONE
FORTY-ONE
Darius
Sunrise is only a few hours away when we return to our room.
Hours of peeling flesh from the messenger yielded few results, but I’m satisfied his secrets are ours.
I made sure Mina heard each scream, then arranged for him to be sent back to Kalisham, knowing the news of a delivery would be enough for Zala’s other shadows to intercept the body.
The only thing Mina didn’t hear was his dying declaration. That message was for me alone: “You can’t keep her safe.”
I can’t even keep my own people from talking and putting her in danger. It’s inexcusable.
Mina’s standing at the window, arms wrapped tightly around her stomach in a quiet rage. The news that her home thinks she’s a traitor will take time to digest. I should give her space, but adrenaline from the interrogation fuels my frustration.
I cross the room, studying Mina’s reflection in the glass as I come up behind her. Her brows are furrowed, a storm in her far-off gaze.
“Who told you where to find me?” Some of the soldiers admire her, but not enough to betray my trust. Or so I thought.
“That doesn’t matter now,” she whispers. Mina is only a few inches away, but she feels as far away as the shores of her home.
I spin her to face me. “The hell it doesn’t. Not only did they disobey my commands, but they put you in danger.”
“Didn’t you hear? He doesn’t want me dead. He wants my fate to be worse.”
Her bitterness and lack of concern for the situation renews the fire in my veins. My jaw smashes together as I work not to scream at her foolishness.
“And if this had been a trap? Being able to handle yourself doesn’t make you invincible. You put yourself at risk tonight. Someone put you at risk tonight. I want a name, Mina.”
The wind whips against the glass in a fury that matches Mina’s glare.
“I am always at risk. My family is dead. My home lost. My people think I betrayed them. Zala, your advisers—” she seethes.
“Everyone is a threat. I will not sit on the sidelines like a coward.” Her voice trembles on the last word.
We both know I’m being an ass, but the idea that even the slightest misstep could cost me this radiant, frustratingly perfect woman fills me with cold dread. I take a deep breath and wrap my hands around her waist, pulling her closer. I work to soften my voice.
“Rushing in and dying like a fool won’t bring you vengeance. Leaving my mother’s killers alone for years was brutal. Patiently watching them destroy her memory and poison me at every turn, narrowly escaping from their accidents. Each day only fueled my rage, but I waited until the time was right.”
Mina’s talented, but she lacks the experience to see past her pain. Her impulsive nature is going to get her in trouble one day.
“Patience is a valuable weapon. That’s how you succeed,” I say.
Mina can’t argue with my logic. She chews on her bottom lip, focusing on the ghosts between us. “I don’t want to wait until the summer.”
I’ll allow her to deflect for now, but we’ll be revisiting the name of her informant eventually.
“The waters are calmest then. Your magic can’t cover an entire fleet.” We discussed this at length already.
Her brows pinch together as she studies me, calm jade eyes locking me in place. “Did you really intend to call for me? If I hadn’t shown up, would I have even known about the messenger?”
Yes…no. In truth, I planned on keeping that filth as far from Mina as possible, afraid his secrets might reveal my own. She just bounced back from Zala’s last message. I didn’t want to lose her to the darkness again.
If I’m honest with her now, I’ll lose her in a different way, so I choose my words carefully.
“Waiting was the most strategic choice at the time. You would’ve known eventually, but there’s a strong chance he’d be dead by then.”
She studies me for a few moments before releasing a heavy sigh.
“We might not have to wait until the calm summer seas.” Mina holds a manicured hand up to cut off my reply. “How quickly can you arrange for the naval fleet to meet us in Coryntha?”
The candles in our tent flicker, clinging to life as they run out of wax. I dig my knuckle into that sweet spot above my eye, driving a headache back. Each pulse of pain is well worth it though.
We’ve been awake nearly thirty-five hours, but we finally finished the builder’s print for a modified ship design. The hull shape makes the Draconos Pass passable in any season.
Mina was brilliant. She has no training in architecture or shipbuilding but knows the feel of the ships well enough to piece a design together. She only kept the designs a secret because she wasn’t confident they would even work.
In the end, she was right. We can’t outfit the old ships with the modifications.
But we can build new ships to lead the voyage. We’ll leave as soon as they’re finished. Zala won’t expect us to bypass the raging waters at winter’s end, but to cross only when the sea is at its calmest. Surprise is back on our side for now.
We depart for Kalisham in six short months, yet our task list needs at least a year. We have to build the ships, train Mina’s new soldiers, and amend our war strategy. Not to mention finish our tour of Veloria.
Cutting it short will only cast suspicion on our movements, so we agreed to carry on as scheduled until we reach Coryntha. We’ll spend about a month there to oversee the progress of the boats, then finish off the western half of Veloria with fewer stops.
“Satisfied?” I press my signet ring to the hot wax and hand Jaime a letter containing instructions for Matteo to start construction on the ships immediately.
Mina convinced me to bring her into the fold since we needed an extra pair of hands. Jaime never told a soul about the box incident, though it was obvious she knew we were hiding something important. The fact she never pushed us for answers speaks volumes about her loyalty.
When Mina revealed the truth about her family and our plans for Kalisham, Jaime broke down in tears, swearing to help Mina in any way possible. She’s been a good friend to her and a competent addition to our group.
Jaime disappears out the tent flap, leaving Mina and me to finally relax.
“I won’t be satisfied until my blade is at Zala’s throat,” she clarifies, sipping her tea. A hint of a smile peeks past the rim of her cup. “But for now, I suppose any progress is a small victory.”
“If by progress you mean completely reworking our strategy and moving up the timeline by four months, then a victory indeed.” I barely have the energy for sarcasm, but Mina’s soft laugh makes it worth it.
She was worried about Zala’s shadows discovering the new ships since the sheer number of resources and manpower will draw attention. I managed to ease her worries but couldn’t bring myself to tell her the truth just yet.
We haven’t had time to talk about Zala’s message, but I can tell the news is weighing on her. People think she hurt her family and betrayed Kalisham. The home she fought so hard for was poisoned against her.
Mina needs time to process that before I tell her Zala and I were in contact before his coup. That he already provided me with a partial ship design but failed to deliver the rest before he went silent.
Zala won’t notice a ship or two being built because he technically commissioned them first as a goodwill trade.
She deserves to know, just not now. An ill-timed truth is selfish, and easing my guilt isn’t worth Mina’s heartache.
“We still won’t be able to leave with an armada,” she says. “Not without the council asking too many questions.”
“No, but testing newly built ships with a few naval exercises isn’t out of the norm. We could have the fleet join us after we leave Noula.” We were going to visit the island after Coryntha, then sail northwest to the next stop to meet the caravan.
She mulls over the idea and nods. “That could work. Move Kailani’s home to the last stop instead.”
“We’ll have to double back once we return to the palace, but as long as we leave immediately it’s doable.”
I move to the bed and collapse with a groan. I feel like sleeping for a week, but the sun will be up in a few hours. Mina remains at the table, studying the flames with a distant look.
“Come to bed. If you want our new plan to work, I need you rested.”
She balances her chin on one knee and casts me a cursory glance. Her full lips pout. “I’m not tired.”
Bullshit. Neither of us has slept, and she’ll just sit with her worries all night again if something doesn’t change.
I rub my scruff begrudgingly and summon the will to sit up. I cross to where Mina’s sitting and throw her over my shoulder, then drop her on our bed. She huffs, pushing her long black locks from her face.
“I am not tired.”
“Then don’t sleep.” I collapse on the bed, trapping her against my side.
She pushes at my arms. “Let me go.”
I glance down at her burning glare. “Mina. Either you go to sleep willingly or I will put you to sleep.”
“Try to knock me out. See how that ends for you.” Her feral smile sends a wave of heat straight to my cock.
My low laugh shakes the bed. She’s so focused on loosening my iron grip around her waist that she doesn’t have time to react when I flip us over, pinning her hands to her sides. I swallow her protest with a kiss.
“Who said anything about knocking you out?”
The defiance in her glare turns molten as I settle between her thighs.
“Still want me to let go?” I ask with a smirk.
She answers by pressing her lips to mine. Mina hums against my tongue as I line up against her core and rock forward. The sound sears through my body, giving my hands a life of their own. I peel off her dress and explore each tawny curve.
I have no talent for art, but I memorize every detail, committing them to memory. Rosy brown nipples that harden to sweet buds as my tongue dances over them, lavishing each equally. The hollow of her neck that hides a tiny mole. The intricate swirls of ink along her spine.
I want to taste her everywhere, paint her with my tongue.
I pull back a few inches, putting some space between us to admire my canvas. Mina protests by rising to meet my lips. She tries to reach between us, but I recapture her wrists and secure them above her head.
My free hand travels between her thighs. I slide a finger into her wet folds, and her walls squeeze me as I tease her with lazy strokes. It takes all my patience not to fuck her with my tongue.
I curl my finger to hit the spot that makes her moan, then pull out slowly. “Darius,” she gasps.
“What?” I lick my finger clean, feigning innocence. “Did you want a taste?”
She shoots up, capturing my tongue in a hungry kiss before biting down on my lip hard enough for me to taste copper. I laugh, pulling away from her completely without releasing her hands. I run my thumb over the blood on my lip and bring it to hers.
She licks it off, jade eyes shining in challenge. “I won’t be able to sleep unless I forget, at least for a moment,” she whispers. “So, make me.”
“As you wish.” I shed my clothes and slide into her without warning. Any worry I might hurt her vanishes as she meets my thrusts hungrily, her command clear. She wants me to fuck the message from her thoughts, and I’ll happily oblige.
I sit up, lifting her hips without breaking contact. She gasps at the angle change and I slam into her again.
I cover her moans with my hand. Our tent is far enough from any others, but we still have guards stationed all around us. The thought of them hearing her shout my name is both alluring and makes me want to cut off each set of ears.
Mina lightly sinks her teeth into the meat of my palm and nods. I remove my hand and pound into her again. I set a punishing pace, my fingers biting into her hips as we join in a slick harmony.
Her eyes flutter closed as she slides a hand between us and teases her clit, timing the little circles with each thrust. I bite down on my cheek to keep from losing it. I fucking love that Mina has no shyness about claiming her pleasure.
“Eyes on me, Mina.”
She peers up through heavy lids, her mouth parting. I want to fuck her mouth so badly while her fingers continue to play. I want to flip her over and hold her against my chest as I drive into her over and over. I want Mina in every way at every moment for the rest of our lives.
Gratitude at the thought of Mina choosing this, us, only drives my desire deeper. I want her, body and soul. Politics be damned.
Whatever she sees in my gaze makes her shiver. She pulls herself up and wraps her arms around my neck, kissing me senseless. I bounce her up and down on my cock as her fingers weave into my hair for purchase. She tugs, and the sharp sting goes straight to my balls.
The scent of her arousal floods my senses. For a rare moment, I forget to care about our surroundings. The world doesn’t matter when she’s in my arms.
I moan and Mina covers my mouth. She flashes me a smile sweet as poison. That cocky tilt of her lips gets me every fucking time, the sight sending me over the edge.
Mina digs her nails into my shoulders as her sweet pussy spasms. Black spots fill my vision, but I fuck her through both our releases until we are a tangled mess of limbs.
I roll onto my side and pull her flush against me. She lets out a contented little hum as I run my fingers over the ink on her back, tracing each flower petal softly until her breathing evens out. Once Mina’s asleep, I pull the blanket over us both.
Contentment sweeps over me as I stare at her peaceful features. I chased her nightmares away for now. A temporary fix. One I’ll repeat as many times as Mina will let me.
Her soft breaths tickle my neck, a wave of protectiveness making my chest tight. Loss taught me not to get attached to anyone or anything, lest they become a weakness or weapon to be used against me. My resolve toward romance was absolute.
But as I kiss her raven hair, I know that I’m truly and utterly fucked.
I love Mina.
She slid under my armor without warning, and I can’t even pinpoint the moment it happened. Maybe when I witnessed her fight to protect her friends? Or her coy confidence while playing chess? Memories melt together. Even the moments I wanted to skin her alive summon a smile.
The moment those piercing green eyes landed on me at the ball, I was hers. I just didn’t know it yet.
I wanted revenge against Zala for thwarting my plans, but now I don’t care about his slight at all. I want him to suffer because of Mina. I’ll escort her back home and offer my full support as she drains the life out of that bastard.
I try not to let myself think about what happens after. The plan to separate never bothered me in the slightest until Mina captured my mind and heart. I can’t imagine my life without her wit and compassion now, and I’ll do everything in my power to make this work.