Chapter 19
KORMAC
Holding onto the Tuatha king, the bitter wind in my hair, I enjoyed the spectacle of riding on a dragon’s back.
We’d slept for a couple of hours before Valance said we had to go. He conjured us new clothes, kissed me some more, told me so many times how happy he was to have me back.
I told him the same. And I meant it.
My skin still tingled from his touch, ready for more. As thrilling and unbelievable, as this dragon-riding experience was, it didn’t compare to being in bed with Valance.
Seven days had passed since our reunion. We were now on our final day of his tour of Winter. Every night, when his rousing of the Winter folk was done, we’d fuck. He liked me to give him my cock, to submit to me in any position I desired.
Gods, this fae was instantiable, and I loved it.
How far I’d come from hate to this. My lusts might be up, but so was the confusion.
What did this mean?
I shuffled forward, pushing my crotch into his lower back. He angled his head in response, hitting me with a smoldering glance over his shoulder.
I smirked back at him.
Let this be sex. I was happy to stay in this place for now, not having to think about the constant rising feelings drowning our past, exposing a future of new possibilities.
The hurt he’d caused me still plucked at me like strings on a harp, but I’d hurt him.
We’d both acted as we saw fit. Both did the ‘right’ thing for our respective causes.
Both flawed. Both right. Both wrong.
Where is this going?
Let it be sex, but not too much distraction. There was a hellpissing war coming, a reality we had to face. We’d have to talk about it back at Winter Keep tonight. There were important details to go through.
The dragon took us down in a terrifying rush. I bellowed. I laughed. I held on tight. She cut across snow fields, curling back upward, diving toward a distant village where bodies ran and screams were heard.
This was all part of Valance’s plan for his tour. Visit these villages, some of them returned from the dead, and talk to the dark fae, the humans, everyone who lived there. Get them on his side, ask them to march with him.
From village to village, he gave great speeches of courage, of the new dawn to come. I stood by his side, some calling me the King’s consort. I hated that title at first, but I took it.
Why not be a consort to such an amazing king?
Amazing?
“Are you with me?” he would cry in each village, at each cave or forest where dark fae gathered.
And they were with him, for the most part. There were still the rebels wandering the lands, but support for King Valance grew by the hour, swallowing up any dissenting views. The march of the giants helped, too, the word spreading like wildfire.
Brilliant. Terrifying.
I was… I was proud. He’d found his destiny, took it by the balls, and wrangled it into shape.
I wrapped my arms around him after the dragon landed at the final village in the east of Winter. Rested my head against his shoulder, holding him close.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“Just give me a few moments.”
“Anything you want.”
Closing my eyes, I enjoyed his solidness, the heat of the dragon, and the beautiful Winter sunshine. Lost in a world of him and me, nothing else mattering.
I…
I…
I’m so happy to be here with you again.
The village chief, a tall purple-skinned fae with radiant white hair, hugged the king rather than bow or kneel to him. And he embraced her, smiling as he patted her back. What a kind gesture to not scold her for doing things differently.
I stood close by, giving them their space. Around me, the village hummed with activity. Arms were taken up, many loud voices baying for war and love for the king, spouting hatred for Florent and Lasair.
Were they on the Faerie Throne yet, married and wearing heavy crowns?
Fucking Lasair. The Fomorian fae had been my leader, a woman I looked up to more than anyone in my life.
I believed in her cause, took every single word from her mouth as truth.
She’d sent me and Ren off to Summer, both of us determined to make her proud.
But she ended up being my enemy, hunting me across Faerie.
Yes, I’d had to run with Valance because of the soul bond, but she…
She was now Lord Florent’s puppet. Sold her soul to him for power.
The Lasair I knew would never lower herself to marry a spoiled brat such as him.
Maybe I never truly knew her, then. Maybe this was her goal all along.
I shuddered at the thought of her giving him a child, and at the thought of him and Valance together. After all, if things were different, Valance would have married him in accordance with his father’s deal with Spring and the Gentry fae.
What a nightmare to even consider Lord Florent touching that luminous skin, kissing those lips. Gods, he was the most unworthy creature on Faerie to take Valance Rosestar to bed.
Just listen to yourself!
I was certainly Valance-drunk, and still full of memories of Titus. My escape from Fatumstellae flashed behind my eyes.
Hellpiss!
Those memories held no power, even if they didn’t fade. Would I ever forget the realm beyond the stars?
I rubbed my forehead, thinking too much about our enemies, my past, my lusts. Gods, I needed a tankard of cold ale.
“Thank you for everything, Your Majesty,” the chief said, holding Valance’s hands.
I stopped thinking and listened to them talk.
This village had starved to death ten years ago.
No food would grow. No meat could be found within fifty miles.
The woods were dead and empty of life. Some left to try and escape to the coast for fish.
Some even tried to cross into Summer or Autumn.
Most stayed here, loyal to their chief, who was determined to turn things around.
Valance brought her and the other snow-buried bodies back to life.
And he would do it again and again, his army constantly undying.
They were impossible to kill, impossible to defeat.
This war would be over quickly. Then what?
Valance the king of the world, me by his side?
What exactly did our future hold? Royal engagements? Fancy balls? Sex?
More…
Done with the chief, Valance turned and walked over to me. “We’re done.” He took my hands now. “Are you ready to go?”
I nodded, doing something that took me by surprise. I lifted his right hand to my lips. Planted a kiss on his cool knuckles.
He smiled, cocking his head to the side. “What’s this?”
I struggled to speak for a moment. “I… I don’t know.” I gave him his hand back. “I really don’t know.” Heat bloomed in my cheeks.
He chuckled lightly. “I enjoyed it.”
Our eyes connected, my chest tightening. “I…” What was I about to say? “I’m ready when you are.”
I was sure that wasn’t it…
His smile dropped. “Then let’s go,” he said.