Chapter 9 #2
“Oh? Oh!”
“You understand now, I take it?”
Aurora nodded. Her smile was dazzling. Another surge of warmth spread throughout his body. He wanted to kiss her.
But this was hardly the place—an unremarkable bit of the Queen’s Road with a whole encumbered line of allies, clerics, and enemies plodding along under the cloudless skies.
No, if he were to give her the kiss he wanted to, he knew his shy little fairy wouldn’t want to be put on display.
He could take her into the thicket of trees lining the road, but he was a king—and he didn’t do anything by halves.
Theron held up his hand.
“We’re breaking for midday.”
“Already?” Aurora raised her brow.
“Yes. It’s your fault, I’ll have you know.” He winked.
“And how do you figure that?” she asked, a smile threatening as he urged their loper under the shade of the nearest tree.
Already his people were laying out a blanket, cushions, and poles for his tent while others grabbed food and drink from the baggage cart. Theron leaned down to whisper in Aurora’s ear.
“Because your lips were begging for a kiss.”
“And you think you deserve to give me one?” she asked coyly.
“Have I not already dispensed with your lesson for the day?”
“I would hardly call that a lesson.” She rolled her eyes.
“The quality of the lesson is for the teacher to decide, is it not?” he pressed, dismounting from their loper.
“One would think the quality of the lesson is determined by the student’s outcome.” She bit back a grin as he plucked her off the loper and held her in his arms.
“One would be mistaken. Think of all those hard-working teachers with naughty, unmotivated pupils. Are they to blame because their students refused to learn?” He smiled as she wrapped her arm around his neck.
“And in this scenario, you paint me as the naughty pupil?”
“Would you like me to?”
She blushed, her hold on his tunic tightening.
“Maybe,” she whispered.
“Then consider this a surprise assessment. Today I’m testing your skill with your tongue. If I find your technique lacking in any way, you’ll be forced to practise an hour each day until I’m satisfied,” he said.
He carried her to their tent where a small midday meal waited for them and dismissed the attendants with a nod.
Still in his arms, she snickered.
“Perish the thought.”
He squeezed her bottom. She gasped.
“I don’t tolerate brats in my classroom,” he said, grinning.
“And what does my illustrious teacher tolerate in his classroom?” She batted her lashes at him.
“Eager students.”
“I see…” She pressed her lips to his.
He savoured the feel of her soft lips nipping his top and then bottom lip.
Then the side of his mouth. Constant, teasing kisses until he could take no more and captured her lips with his.
Her hot little tongue swept against his and then retreated, forcing him to seek her out again.
Then she sucked on his tongue, forcing a groan from him.
Sneaky little brat.
He smacked her bottom. Aurora moaned into his mouth.
From that moment on, he had the upper hand, dominating their play of lips and tongues, tasting her sweet sighs and sweeter moans.
Theron took her to the floor, laying her down on the pillows there before caging her in and continuing their game.
Only when she was grasping at his tunic and pulling his head closer did he break away.
Rosy-cheeked, panting, her lips reddened and her eyes darkened from desire, she was more beautiful than any painting.
“A perfect score,” he purred, “except I was forced to deduct points due to your rebellious attitude. Would you prefer to take your remedial lesson now, or later?”
Her answer to that was to run her calf along his inner thigh, up and up until she grazed his hard shaft.
Then she rubbed along the length of him, her eyes full of challenge.
Her little tongue darted out, licking her bottom lip, and all he could think about was how much he wanted that tongue licking his cock.
I will not spend. I will not humiliate myself.
“I suppose that depends.”
“On what, pray tell?” He kept his voice as even as he could while she tormented him.
“On whether or not my teacher thinks he can handle having me in his lap all day without shaming himself,” she said, fluttering her lashes at him.
Oh, she was going to pay for that.
He leaned in, grabbing her wrists and holding them above her head as he whispered in her ear.
“Do you remember those silk ties, my darling wife?” he asked, nipping her earlobe.
“Yes,” she whispered, shivering as he nipped her earlobe again.
“Tonight, I’m going to tie you to the post and torment you until your knees buckle and your honey coats your inner thighs. Then I’m going to see how long it takes to make you beg for release in a way that satisfies me. Perhaps that would teach my pupil some manners.”
He pulled back with a grin, revelling in the lust he’d stoked in her. Then her needy lips curled into a mischievous smile.
“Will that be before or after my remedial kissing lesson?”
Do not smile. Do not encourage her.
“My pupil has a sharp tongue. Perhaps she needs a different kind of lesson.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, a taste of the torment to come,” he said, sliding his hand up her leg.
As he neared her loincloth, he was gratified to find her damp already. She had a smart mouth, but she was hardly unaffected.
“I’m going to keep you on the edge of release until you’re wet enough to soak my saddle. And then I’m going to make you wait until I’m ready to start tormenting you in earnest tonight.”
“I’d like to see you try.”
It was all the invitation he needed as he pressed his lips to hers. Theron pushed a knee between her legs and began with feather-light strokes. They’d barely begun when one of his soldiers interrupted with an announcement from the other side of the tent.
“Your Majesty, Lord Leukos is here to speak with Princess Aurora.”
“Tell him to fuck off. It can wait until later,” Theron growled before he recaptured Aurora’s lips.
“It is a matter of some urgency, Your Majesty,” Leukos said.
Theron’s sigh was half a snarl. Where did this bastard get the nerve to interrupt the King of Aureum while he was wooing his wife? And after he’d been told he was unwelcome.
“My dearest wife, please give me permission to behead that man,” he said as he kissed the column of her throat.
She was already shaking with suppressed laughter. Aurora bit her lip, trying not to smile.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
“He has no respect for my orders.”
“Are you going to punish him with a remedial lesson too?”
He snorted. It seemed their alone time was at an end.
Duty called. Though if that duty didn’t start showing some thrice-damned respect for a king’s very clear orders, it would find itself cut to ribbons and left for the wild dogs to eat.
Hopefully, Leukos made himself obnoxious enough that Theron was forced to dispense with the wretch sooner rather than later.
After all, the Viridians wouldn’t be half so organised as they were without him.
Theron sighed as he got to his feet and helped Aurora do the same. It was just as well. He had things he needed to discuss with Myrina.
“I’ll allow your dog to bark at you for a short time while I speak with my aunt. See that he minds his manners.”
“Like you mind yours?” Aurora asked with a sassy grin.
Theron smiled and leaned down to whisper in her ear.
“I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but I look forward to fucking it out of you. Eat up. You’ll need your strength.”
He pinched her shapely rear and exited his tent in as good a cheer as any man who has been driven from a woman’s warm embrace could be. He spared a glare for Leukos.
“Be quick about it. If I find out you’ve upset my wife, you’ll pay for it in blood.”
“Of course, Your Majesty,” Leukos replied deferentially.
As Leukos entered the tent, Theron turned to his soldier at the entrance.
“If he upsets her, I want to know about it.”
“As you command, Your Majesty.”
With that, he strode over to where Passion’s tent had just been erected. Paladins parted the entrance for him. Inside, Myrina sat with a letter in one hand and another toying with a fig. His heart sank. She looked up at his entrance and smiled.
“My little lion, to what do I owe this visit? All is well with your wife, I hope. The two of you have looked rather cosy lately.”
If his aunt had received letters, then why hadn’t he? No, he shouldn’t panic yet.
“My wife is well. What news?” he asked, nodding to the letter.
She looked back at her letter, and her brow pinched in concern.
“Monstrosities. Outbreaks all over Trisia. I’m ordering more paladins to be trained and to begin blessing the arms and armour of all city and town guards.”
“Your priestesses would be welcome to bless every sickle and broom in the whole of Aureum.”
Myrina paled.
“Is it going to get that bad? Has Aurora seen some—”
“No, she hasn’t seen anything. But if Drakon comes here to Trisia, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to bless anything that could be used as a weapon.”
“I wasn’t there when she showed the court her memory of the beast, but I’ve heard that it was terrifying,” she said, urging him to sit.
Theron sat at her side and accepted a cup of tea.
“That would be an understatement. It could level Altanus with ease.”
“All the better that Batea is putting an end to her serpents then. She will be mourning their loss when we arrive, so please be gentle with her.”
That sense of dread overwhelmed him.
“I sent off a command she do so. And that she bring their heads to the Colonnades.”
“But…?” Myrina’s grip tightening on her teacup.
“I have not heard back from her. Nor from any of my courtiers. Not since we started our journey out of Boreas.”
“That is…concerning.”
Theron pinched his brow and released a shaky breath.