Chapter 21
Leon stands, stretches, and tugs me in for a long, slow kiss before we make our way into the bathing room with its heated pool. He steps in, dunking himself, and drains away the blood-tinted water before refilling it.
With hungry eyes he stares at me as I stand bare at the top of the bathing pool stairs. Some of my hair has fallen in front of my breast and rounded hips.
He rises and holds out his hand. “Come here, Izadella.” He guides me as I slowly enter the water with him.
The pool isn’t very deep, going up to my waist. Leon pulls me to him, and the hardness between his thighs pushes up against me.
Leon relaxes in one of the built-in seats, watching me. I brush his dripping hair out of his face and pour in floral-scented cleansing foaming oils. The hot water bubbles, hiding most of the tiles at the bottom of the pool and Leon’s stiffening cock.
This feels so right, him and me, our bodies pressed together. Whatever ties us together, that pull towards him practically glows in my chest, its warmth burning away all of my fears.
He takes my face in his hands and kisses me, adding more and more passion to it. I wrap my arms around him, clinging to him. I need him closer.
Our time together may be cut bitterly short but at least I will have known true love.
We will have truly known each other’s souls.
I will make enough memories with him to sustain me for the years I will spend missing him, craving him, mourning him.
To soothe the ache of a forever without him.
I chose him.
'Til my mortal side takes me from Ellova and we will be together again in death.
We can get married, in a mortal ceremony.
Be husband and wife.
I can see it so clearly. A small ceremony in one of the Gem Court gardens.
Walking down the aisle in lace like the mortals wear.
No crown atop my head, just a sheer veil.
Leon standing there, waiting for me with glassy eyes that match my own.
Golden rings I made just for us. Tear-filled vows that surpass death.
Sweet cakes and sparkling wine, dancing under the stars with our friends.
It’s not a Zemra soulbond, but it will be enough.
He is enough.
“Leon, I need us to be together. Whatever time we have left, it’s yours. Let me be your wife. I don’t know what we are going to do about the mad—”
“Izadella, you are worth any madness.”
My lips collide with his; it is not a gentle kiss as he did before.
This time it is wild and raw. One of his hands spans my waist, and the other plunges under the water, trailing down my body ’til he reaches my throbbing core.
Two fingers pump inside me as I moan into his mouth.
His tongue slips in on my cries, and his thumb goes to my clit, pressing in slow circles sending me bucking against him.
He takes advantage of my arching back and sucks desperately on my breast as his thumb goes faster and faster.
His touch builds fire within me, the pleasure rising, my hips bouncing at his attention.
My orgasm snaps like a bowstring. “I love you.” It slips out of me as I gasp but I’ve never spoken truer words.
I love him.
He cups my face, something like awe on his. “I love you endlessly, Izadella. I have since the moment we met.”
Our hands are frantic over each other’s bodies, lips parting, tongues tasting. I reach between us and wrap my hand around his hard cock, slowly moving up and down. He lets out a small gasp at the contact.
Leon looks delicious like this, his broad chest glittering from the water, eyes blown wide with obsession.
My lips trace his jaw. “Let's get married.”
“Izadella,” he whispers, “marriage would never be enough for me. I need to have you anchored to me, body and soul, our magic and minds intertwined, interwoven ’til death.”
Drunk on such sweet words, I shift to kiss him, but he pulls back.
“My queen, I need to tell you something.”
“Later. I need you inside me.” I am hollow and aching between my thighs as I pump him under the water.
He breaks us apart and takes a step back from me, his face turning from pleasure to pain. “I haven't been honest with you, in the way you have with me, and I’m so sorry for that but I need you to trust me.”
Dread starts low in my gut, twisting the lust out of me. “What are you talking about?”
Our magic?
“You love me, but do you trust me?”
Something is wrong. I can see it in that pleading expression he wears but I answer honestly, “Yes. I trust you.”
He holds up his right hand, the gold band glinting. “You were in Adreania, using a fake identity to help its citizens, and so was I.”
My stomach drops.
Leon pulls the ring off his finger. There is a popping noise, and he shifts in front of me, his once-mortal form growing taller, bigger, his chest expanding. Soft rounded ears lengthen, coming to points at the end.
Fae ears.
Our magic and minds intertwined.
His hair has the same silver streaks, but it is longer now. I’ve taken so many steps away from him in the water I hit the edge of the pool. He doesn’t reach for me or make any movements, just watches me with sorrow.
“When Alvina made the crown for Inara, she also made her a ring. The glamour ring. I know this is a lot to process but I love you. This changes nothing about us. I just need to be honest now. I was in Adreania attempting to steal the crown back from Jedrick. It’s rightfully mine, but I don’t care about it anymore.
You don’t need to worry about any madness or a mortal lifespan.
We can be together for centuries. We can go to the Zemra temple and be soulbonded.
Maybe we can get the crown off with our magic combined.
” He gives me a smile that holds both guilt and hope. Pleading eyes beg me.
He’s fae.
He let me believe he was mortal.
I broke a law to bring him here, showed him Ellova’s existence. Risked the safety of all who live here.
Told him my secrets, Ellova’s secrets.
Let him sleep in the royal wing, so close to its heir.
He let me agonize about loving him and I have no idea who he even is.
Convinced me he was mortal.
All to take the crown?
Liar.
Liar.
I scream and I do not stop.
When we were children, Nueena and I would play a game where we would see how fast we could get the honeyguards to come running. We would hide under tables or behind thick curtains and let out a bloodcurdling scream. Well, Nueena would; I would be hiding with her, giggling.
Nyvenah thought it was good practice for them and allowed our reign of terror to torment the poor honeyguards for years. Lillian wasn’t commander then, just a honeyguard at that point.
Now my door is broken open with a brutal kick from Lillian’s heel. The jeweled lock rolls away on the floor.
Just like when we were little, honeyguards storm in, swords drawn and ready to defend.
It is Lillian’s arms I feel around my waist, lifting me out of the shallow pool and away from the stranger who stands before me, my screams echoing around us. She drapes her shoulder cape around my naked, shaking body and pushes me behind her.
Leon’s devastated eyes bore into me, or at least some twisted version of him.
His pointed ears mock me. How could I not have known?
This fae male in the pool looks like Leon, same black hair with streaks of gray.
The same face, but like all fae features they are more sharp, more beautiful.
He has grown almost a foot, shoulders wider, muscles that weren’t there before, a bigger frame, a dominating force.
He doesn’t look like a lean healer anymore; he looks like a warrior.
His expression is one of distress and shock.
We must wear the same pain.
My chest aches from all the hope I had in him being ripped out of me at his deception, his lies. Whoever he is, he is not Leon. His face crumples when my tears mark my face with my own misery.
“Strawberries, please…please let me explain.”
Cavernous agony splits open my chest, so raw and real I claw at skin. Pink slashes rake under my nails.
Leon takes a few steps forward.
Lillian’s weapon points at his tortured expression. “Don’t. Move.” Her low voice was menacing.
“I can explain.” He holds his hands up, trying to portray he is not going to attack.
“I never want to see you again.” I rip off my necklace, slamming it to the floor.
His eyes go wide, and he stumbles in the water, anguish blooms on his face. “No, you need to let me explain! IZADELLA!” he shouts after me, his voice cracking, but I’ve already started to run, the broken sound of my name chasing me out of the room.
Tormented agony emanates from deep within me, fracturing, breaking.
I sprint out of my room, grabbing a dress I’d left draped over a chair on my way, past the living space and into the hall, where I collide with Viella. Kaylena is close behind her.
“Oh, Della!” Viella takes in my tear-streaked appearance, naked except for Lillian’s wet cape.
“I didn’t know!” It's the only thing I can think to say, the only thing screaming in my head. Viella puts her hands on my shoulders to steady me as I shake.
“It's okay. Come on.” Viella turns to demand, “Kaylena, head back to your guards right now. Do you understand me?”
Kaylena looks between us. “But I want to stay with Delly.” She gazes up at me with bright eyes. “Why are you crying?”
“You need to go right now. Go back to your rooms!” Viella’s tone is not to be argued with, and Kaylena runs back down the hall.
I clutch at my chest, swaying at the pain.
After Kaylena turns down to where her rooms are, Viella pulls me along, holding my hand down a few gilded halls over to the wing she shares with Lillian. I plant myself and pull back on her arm. “I need to speak with Nueena. Immediately! This can’t wait. Where is she?”
Viella has an iron grip on my hand and continues to drag me with her, my chest burning. “You are as naked as a newborn dewling. Hold on a moment.” She hurries us into her chambers and holds the dress I was carrying so I can slide my arms into it.
“Put this on.” She shoves my dress over my head, but she freezes when I let the cape fall away, pulling my dress down over my hips.
“Oh, Ellova’s grave, Della, your chest.” Her eyes are wide with horror and filled with tears.
Dread pools like lava in my gut, a torment under my skin; my own magic has ruptured in my chest. I know what I will see, and I can’t bear it. I shake my head uncontrollably.
Leon didn’t just break my heart.
He killed me.
An enervation death.