Chapter 23
Twenty-Three
Ipull the blankets around my shoulders to shield me from the early morning air and snuggle to Kyron’s side.
Campfire and pine linger on his smooth, warm skin, reminding me of the new home we plan to make together.
A place where every night can be like last night.
We can lose ourselves in each other for hours, bathe together, laugh until our sides hurt, and fall asleep in the middle of a conversation about our future.
It was perfect, and I’m not ready to let it go and face today.
Warm fingers brush the hair away from my cheek, and Kyron says, “Keeping your eyes closed won’t stop what we have to do today.”
I squeeze my eyelids tighter. “Sure it will.”
His chuckle joins the whisper of a pencil on paper.
Curious, I gaze up to find him with his back resting against the pile of pillows.
The sheets rest at his waist and have fallen away from his bent leg.
Resting on his thigh is a sketchbook. His fingers are black from the charcoal pencil in his hand.
Smudges of coal adorn his forehead from where he’s brushed his hair back.
“Are you drawing more of my dismembered body parts?” I tease.
He smiles and his cheeks turn pink, but he doesn’t look away from what he’s working on.
“I found it difficult to draw all of you. It was like if I saw you as a whole, I would be reminded of what I didn’t have but wanted so much.
So, I kept you in pieces on sheets and sheets of paper.
And when I finished a book, I could look at it and know I didn’t forget anything about you.
Every part of you was in it.” He flashes me a slide-long glance. “I know, it’s a little morbid.”
“Maybe, but it’s also romantic. Can I see what you’re drawing now?”
He swallows and nods, turning the book in my direction.
It’s me. All of me. I’m wrapped in his blankets and fast asleep. Each stroke is perfect, the bow of my lips, the hair draping over the side of my face, even the freckles that sprinkle across my nose. I enjoy seeing myself the way he does.
Kyron closes the book, sets it on the nightstand, and pulls me in his arms. He kisses my forehead, my cheek, the corner of my mouth. “I’ll have to draw you again with your pretty brown eyes open.”
It’s my turn to blush. “I’d like that, but right now, I just want to stay in bed with you.”
“I don’t think that’s an option.”
“You should let me pull rank this one time and use my power as queen for something that benefits us both.”
“Should I?” he whispers.
His hand slides down my stomach, leaving a dark trail of coal.
My legs fall open for him, and my breath hitches when he caresses me, his fingers rubbing small circles against my clit.
He kisses my neck and moves his mouth to the swells of my breasts.
I arch into him, silently begging for more.
He pulls my nipple between his lips and sucks. Statera, his mouth is wicked.
“You aren’t giving me much reason to leave this bed, my prince,” I breathlessly say.
“We need to plan negotiation tactics. And you may want to consider announcing some of the changes you’ve made without your council.”
“I know, but…” I cradle his head in my hands and press him to my other breast.
He smiles against my skin. “I’ll make you a deal. If I make you come before you count to a hundred, we face the day together. If I don’t, you can have today in bed, and we will try again tomorrow. Are you up for the challenge?”
“You think I’m that easy to break… oh.”
He slides his two middle fingers inside me, and his thumb resumes making circles. Every nerve ending within me is lit on fire.
“This isn’t fair,” I moan.
“You’re losing time. You better start counting.”
The numbers flow from my mouth until he captures my nipple again. I stumble, my breathing turning into pants. Numbers spill from my lips on moans, and I’m pretty sure I skip a couple. When I reach eighty-two, he curls his fingers inside me in the most delicious way. Everything rapidly unravels.
My mouth is on his and my hips grinding against his hand. “Be a good girl and come for me,” he says, his lips brushing mine.
“Kyron,” I whine, squeezing his hand between my thighs.
“You like that, don’t you? You want to be good for me, to let me feel you come all over my fingers. Do it, Raelle.”
Like he has complete control over my body, it obeys. I shudder around his fingers. He doesn’t relent, working through my release until I have nothing left to give. I sink into the mattress and wait for my brain to begin functioning again.
He rolls away laughing, clearly overjoyed by the effect he has on me. Pulling the blankets away from me, he gives my ass a playful smack. “Up, Your Majesty,” he commands, getting to his feet.
I prop up on my elbows and watch his naked form stroll to the washroom. He looks back at me and licks his fingers one by one. His voice is low and full of promise when he says, “If you hurry, I’ll fuck you in the shower.”
My heart races, a new bout of energy zinging through me. I hop out of bed and race after him.
An hour later, we have made a quick stop at my room for a change of clothes and are heading for the dining room.
Kyron looks me up and down, taking in the light-blue and pearl beaded calf-length jacket with matching form-fitting pants. I pulled my hair back at my nape and placed a delicate iron crown woven into leaves and adorned with pearls on my head.
He laces his fingers with mine and says, “It’s nice not to see you in a dreary color.”
“Says the man who always wears black.” I bump him with my shoulder and straighten the simple gold crown on his head. “I just thought there’s a lot to celebrate today. I’m still mourning for Micah. I think I always will.”
“I can honestly say I understand the feeling.”
I look up at him and catch a glimpse of anguish. “Your father?”
“Yeah.”
We reach the dining-room door, and I place my hand on Kyron’s arm. “You and I will make sure that what happened to you and your father never happens to another family. We will change everything. Starting today, our kingdom begins anew.”
He kisses my forehead. “I look forward to it, but first…”
The Stigian warriors at the doors open them and the room beyond them falls silent. I slide my hand back into Kyron’s and together we walk inside.
My family, friends, and several high-ranking guards and soldiers sit at the table, eating breakfast. To keep tensions at bay, I felt it was best to separate mealtimes.
Conversations tend to veer toward politics, and I wanted to avoid any unnecessary fights while we are guests.
My stress is already elevated under the circumstance, I didn’t need to add to it.
Everyone in the dining room stands and bows while formally greeting me as I pass. The sign of respect reserved for the sovereign and those in their line has never sat well with me. I always felt unworthy of it. Now, it thrills me to know they will soon give Kyron the same honor.
We take our seats. Kyron lowers int the chair at the head of the table and me to his right.
Salone brushes a red strand of hair behind her ear and leans in from her place beside me. “I’m guessing Kyron is the reason why you were not in your room this morning.”
I smirk and shrug. No confirmation is needed.
Everyone who knows me the most can take one look at me and see that something has shifted.
The weight I carried before has lessened.
I now share my burdens with another. In the matter of minutes, everyone will understand the future Kyron and I plan for them… for Pliris.
She rubs her palms together and giggles. “Scandalous, Your Majesty.”
I look past my sister to my brother. Rowan glares at Kyron and bites into a biscuit like he is imagining it’s the prince’s head.
He will take a little more convincing than the others, but I’m certain he’ll come around.
Further down the table my mother and father look at us with curiosity.
It’s better than Rowan’s death glare. Ansley stares at Kyron with big doe-eyes.
She is smitten with the prince, and of course, I don’t blame her.
I lock eyes with Borin, who gives me a quick nod.
No doubt, my lead advisor has a hunch about what is coming.
He was one of the first to notice my attraction to Kyron and was there for Micah’s final words to us.
He understands how important it is for me to unite our kingdoms. Leif and Wel wear massive grins, unabashed in the way they flirt with one another.
Lastly, Greer and Terro catch my attention, and my heart aches. It’s been a month since Ulric was taken, and I’ll never get used to seeing them without him. Everything seems off without his jubilant attitude in their mix. He is part of my driving force to do what I must today.
I may not want to face the Allaji, to act civil toward them or listen to their demands, but I will do it for Ulric. Whatever it takes, I will get him, Zek, and even Esmeray back. But first, I must put other plans into motion.
With a deep breath, I stand and raise my voice over the chatter. “May I have everyone’s attention please?”
The room falls silent, and all eyes turn to me. It’s scary to hold their undivided attention, to know they will cling and dissect my every word. Some will hate what’s to come, and others will embrace it like the new dawn it’s meant to be.