Chapter 31
Maddox
“I am in love with Nia Quill.”
— Maddox Finch, A Realization
I, Maddox Finch, am the luckiest male to have ever lived.
Not only is there a female wrapped in my arms wearing nothing but the scrap of lace between her thighs, but I know the taste of her mouth and her skin.
Me. Maddox Finch.
I should have dragged Nia Quill to the bottom of the canyon the moment I first laid eyes on her.
This thought makes me chuckle quietly. If I had done that, she would have scratched my eyes out, and then I would not be able to see the way the light plays on her features this morning.
Outside our haven, the rain no longer falls, and if the brightness in our cavern is any indication, the sun has finally found us.
I should go to the ledge and check if the water has receded, but this hard ground is my favorite place to be.
Especially when Nia is using my body as her mattress and my arms as her quilt.
She stirs awake with a quiet mewl of satisfaction, her lashes fluttering open and a smile overtaking her parted lips. “Good morning.”
This morning is not just good. “It is a wonderful morning.”
Her laughter is a rush of warm air against my throat. “You’re stuck in a cave on the side of a cliff. I’d hardly say that’s ideal.”
“But I am stuck with you.”
She curls deeper into my embrace. “I wouldn’t want to be down here with anyone else.”
Nia wants to be with me. Me. Maddox Finch!
This day, I do not hesitate to run my hand down her hair and kiss her forehead while she leans into me with a happy little hum. I have never wished for more rain than I do in this moment. Any reason to be trapped longer.
She rolls to her feet and starts for the entrance. I study the sway of her hips. The roundness of her backside. The way her white curls swish down her back.
“The water has gone down.”
I adjust myself before joining her at the entrance.
Sure enough, the water has fallen back within its banks.
We will still need to wade along the cliff wall, but that should not be a problem.
What is a problem, however, is the lack of stones to climb down.
Yesterday there was a staircase of sorts; now there is a large gap which will be tricky to navigate.
As much as I would enjoy remaining here for another day, we need food and somewhere to relieve ourselves.
Quietly, we don our damp clothes, and when we reemerge, the sun has slipped behind a heavy curtain of clouds once more.
I take Nia’s hand in mine, giving her cold fingers a squeeze. “Are you ready?”
She grimaces as she peers over the edge, her normally tanned face pale. “No.”
“I will not let anything happen to you.”
“I know. But I’m still frightened.”
“Think of Gia Gill.”
Her brow furrows.
“The poor female will have to deal with a very inexperienced male if you stay in this cavern. Put aside your fear for her.”
“For Gia Gill,” she laughs, some of the color returning to her cheeks.
We pick our way carefully down the stone ledge, me testing each step’s sturdiness, and Nia following, her knuckles white as her hair where she clings to the stones.
“Look at you, as agile as my Biscuits.”
She shakes her head, her pale lips tilting into a half-smile as she stretches her slippered foot toward the next stone. “Biscuits lives in a flat garden.”
True, but: “In his heart, he is a goat of the mountains.”
“I’m not sure how I feel about you referring to me as a mountain goat.”
“The most beautiful mountain goat?”
“Oh, thank you. That is much better.”
I knew that would make her smile.
We finally reach the gap where the stones were stolen by the flood. I steady myself, take a deep breath, and then leap down to land safely on a boulder. When I turn around, Nia’s face has gone pale once more. “Look at me.”
Her eyes lock with mine.
“On the count of three, I want you to jump.”
“I can’t—”
“You can and you will. I will be right here to catch you.” I plant my feet and stretch my arms toward her. “One. Two. Th—”
Her scream echoes through the canyon as she flies toward me. She lands, but her feet skid on some loose stones. Thankfully, I have already wrapped her safely in my embrace and she does not fall.
Nia’s honey-colored eyes find mine, her pupils wide, dark moons. “I did it. I can’t believe I actually did it!”
“Well done, my little mountain goat.”
Huffing a laugh, she rolls those beautiful eyes. “Don’t call me that.”
“My little trout?”
“That might be worse.”
“What should I call you, then?”
“Call me Nia.”
This, I can do. “Well done, Nia.”
She beams up at me, her smile as bright as the Seelie sun.
I would love nothing more than to remain in this moment, but our stomachs are empty and our bladders are full, so we have no choice but to continue.
The rest of the climb is not as difficult.
The stones in the river are very loose, so we must move slowly to keep from turning our ankles.
When the canyon widens and we are once more on muddy ground, we take a few minutes to handle our private business.
There are thorny nettles here, but now that I know they are evil, I avoid them.
When we reconvene, I find Nia with her face tilted toward the sun, her skin glistening.
She is the most stunning of all fae, making my heart quicken and cock come alive. “Nia Qui—” Her eyes narrow. “Nia.” Just Nia. My Nia? Maybe someday.
“Yes, Maddox?”
“I think I need to kiss you.”
“You think or you know?”
“I know.” I have known since my eyes first met her fair form.
Her smile fills my chest with so much joy, I feel as if I am about to burst. “You can kiss me whenever you want.”
If that is the case . . .
I catch her waist, pull her close, and find her lips with mine. She sighs against my mouth, as if she is as pleased by this kiss as I am. “Even in Rosehill?”
“Yes, Maddox.”
I kiss her again. This wonderful day continues to improve. I will kiss Nia all over the Seelie city.
Another thought pops into my mind, and I draw back. “What about in front of your mother?”
“I don’t mind who sees us.”
If she does not mind, then neither do I. Except, I do not want her mother to collapse and strike her head. Perhaps we should not kiss in front of her just yet.
Even so, hearing that she does not seem to have any reservations is a song to my ears.
Reluctantly, I pull away once more. I will never tire of seeing her lips swollen from the press of mine but if I do not find my focus, we will never escape this canyon.
It is difficult to tell how far we have traveled since the day we fell, but I have a feeling we must be getting close to the wolves’ trail. After the rain, they will be on the hunt for food.
I do not wish to be a wolf’s dinner.
Around the next bend, we finally find what we have been searching for.
The trail looks as if it’s been carved into the side of the canyon wall, zigzagging up and up, all the way to where the fog gathers above us.
“Is that the path?” she whispers, her face almost as green as mine.
For good reason. The path appears long and treacherous.
It would be best to spend one more night in the canyon and leave at dawn.
“We are in no rush.” Now that we have reached this goal, we can take some time to breathe and plan. We will need food, fuel for a fire . . .
The thick mud slurps at Nia’s slippers as we make our way toward the start of the path at the base of the cliff. I remain alert, scouring the stones and short bushes for signs of wolves.
Bones. Scat. Tracks.
We are nearly to the cliff when I come across something so unexpected, I freeze mid-step.
“What is it?” she whispers, squinting toward the stretch of ground in front of us. “Did you find more wolf tracks?”
“Not wolves.” My eyes must be deceiving me. “Fae.”