55. Rosalina
55
Rosalina
W hy would Caspian send the woman he fucked to our alcove?
I stand, ready to tell her to get out. But she pushes into our willow grove, completely ignoring me and oblivious of the giant man with a sword. She throws herself on top of Kel, grabbing his shirt, and blinking up at him with big doe eyes.
“Keldarion?” Her voice is a low rasp. “I’m here for you.”
I take a single breath, watching in horror as her bare breasts push against Kel’s chest, hands stroking his face.
A fiery beast bursts forth from inside my chest, and I snarl, “Get off of him.”
Thorns break through the ground and wrap around her arms, tugging her back. She clatters over the table, glasses falling to the side, shattering and spilling.
What… What did I just do? The thorns release. Thankfully, it doesn’t appear like any pierced her skin.
The fae woman sits up, unbothered, and doesn’t even glance at me as she searches the room, finally landing on Kel again. “Keldarion, I belong to you.”
Kel’s face remains impassive, but my anger flares.
“He doesn’t belong to you ,” I snarl. Spending so much time with these fae princes has rubbed off on me. “Take your eyes off him or I’ll claw them out.”
She behaves as if she doesn’t hear me and clambers toward him.
“You are not wanted here,” Keldarion growls.
The woman pauses, then sits up, blinking. A confused expression crosses her face as she looks around. “So, are you guys round two?” She tilts her head, pouting. “I thought he’d at least let me finish.”
“Get out of here.” My vines sprout from the ground, their razor-sharp tips glinting in the gray light. “Touch my mate again, and I’ll use these thorns to shred you to ribbons.” The briars coil around my arms, awaiting my command.
“Who the fuck are you?” the fae woman stammers, scrambling up.
“Someone you don’t want to anger.” Ezryn gives the woman a gentle nudge out of our alcove.
I drop my hold on the thorns as soon as she leaves, feeling something relax in my chest. I’m swept up in strong arms, the scent of pine and winter. Keldarion pushes me against the willow tree’s jeweled trunk, and my legs instinctively wrap around his waist.
He grips my chin. A strange satisfaction simmers in my heart at chasing that woman away from my mate.
“Did you want her?” I ask, knowing the answer.
Kel’s gaze drifts up and down my body. “Never.”
“Did I frighten you?” I’m less sure of this answer. Briars now lace around our willow. It reminds me of Castletree.
Kel’s pupils are dilated, breath sweet from the drinks. “You are ferocious and beautiful, my Rose. You deserve to claim what is yours after that display.”
“Claim what is mine,” I echo. You’re mine, Kel. I’m yours.
His hands roam over my body as I melt in his arms, letting go of all the worries and pent-up energy. “I have never wanted anyone the way I want you right now.” His mouth dips to my neck, teeth skittering along the sensitive skin. “I have never longed so desperately to show you.”
“Show me what?”
His lips are a hair away from mine. “My devotion to you.”
I sigh, becoming limp in his arms. My hips rock, feeling his steel length through the thin ribbons of my skirt. His hand snakes around to grip my waist, pulling me against him.
Spitefully, I think, Feel this, asshole. This is what it’s supposed to be like.
A beat passes, and Caspian’s familiar purr caresses my mind. And isn’t it delicious?
I press my lips to the exposed skin along Kel’s collar bone. A purely male rumble emits from his chest. I twist my head to give him better access to my neck and see Ezryn near the entrance of our enclosure.
He’s watching us.
A strange smile skitters across my lips as I continue to taste Kel’s skin while looking at Ezryn. It doesn’t feel strange that he’s here during this intimate moment. In fact, I can’t help but remember the time in the forest when he wound my hair around his hand as Kel laced up my bodice.
A deep moan escapes my lips, and I lick my way up Kel’s throat. A thrum of satisfaction crawls through my body at the sounds he makes with each press of my mouth. I look up at him through my lashes. How many times can I ask him to kiss me? So, I don’t ask. I rise up, lips parting, eyes closing.
He slaps a hand over my mouth as he growls, “I need to leave, or I am going to take you against this tree.”
He drops me, then stumbles, reaching out to a branch to steady himself. Ezryn darts forward, holding him up. “Don’t go out there right now, Kel.”
Kel grips Ezryn’s shoulders, his face a pained grimace. “I can’t be in here with her like this. Just look at her.”
Ezryn tilts his metal helm and regards me. “I’ll take her for a walk.”
“She—”
“I will not let harm come to her,” Ezryn says. “Trust me.”
Kel grits his teeth before he nods.
I tap Ezryn hard on his gauntleted arm. “Hey, do I not get a say in this?”
“No.”
“Did I mention how annoying it is when you two gang up on me?”
Ezryn leads me into the fray of the party, and I don’t look back. Stupid icy prick. Kel gets to storm around when he’s angry, but the moment my mating bond takes over a little bit, I get banished like a child?
“I’ll find us a quiet place away from the crowd—”
I break out of Ezryn’s grip. Rage bubbles in each of my steps. I know exactly where I’m going.
I march toward the thorn staircase.
Ezryn leaps in step with me “What are you doing?”
“I’m going to talk to the Prince of Thorns.”
“I can’t let you go up there.”
I spin and fix Ezryn with a glare. “I won’t let Caspian keep tormenting my mate. Trust me, Ezryn. Let me do this.”
“I do trust you. It’s Caspian I don’t trust.” A deep, reluctant sigh comes from beneath his helm. “I’ll be right here watching.”
“Good.” It’s time to face the Prince of Thorns.