Chapter 10 Seranni
It felt like flying, kissing Kael.
His mouth was soft, generous, wild . He was impatient, and his eagerness made him clumsy. When I drew away from him, gasping for breath, he chased me as if he couldn’t bear to be apart from me, covering my face with several small kisses, his stubble tickling my skin as he sipped from my mouth in little caresses.
When I finally wrenched myself away, something clenched hard in my middle at the sight of Kael in the dying firelight: his shirt, opened by my questing fingers, his long black hair hanging in his eyes, gleaming with fire as he looked at me, his magnificent chest heaving for breath…
I slid off my shawl and moved to the buttons on my blouse, wanting to feel his bare skin on mine. He stepped closer as if drawn by wires, stumbling on his feet until our breaths mingled, his fingers caressing my skin as he tried to help me, as if he couldn’t help himself.
His fingers were warm; when my blouse finally fell open, he brushed his knuckles against the skin of my breasts, skimming delicately over my overheated skin. He smiled when I shivered, and I saw the tip of a fang peek out of the corner of his mouth.
The thought of that fang on my skin sent up a lick of flame inside me.
He must have caught something in my eyes, something in my scent, because Kael crowded up against me, pushing me until my back met the wall behind me. He leaned in close, bending at the knees to inhale my scent. My head tipped back, and I pressed my fingers into his hair to hold him there, unable to keep the moan from rising up my throat.
Spurred on by my reaction, Kael crowded closer, nudging my legs fall apart as he joined his hips to mine, making both of us moan at the contact. He ground himself against me, seemingly unable to help himself, and I panted, as my mind reeled higher and higher. More—I needed more—
Kael tore himself away with a groan, and I whimpered.
“Seranni?”
He looked into my eyes, and I nodded. Whatever he was asking me, the answer was yes . Yes.
Kael drew back, and with a quick, careful slash of his claws, my blouse and my underthings fell away from my chest. I gasped in surprise, and he grinned down at me, eyes full of mischief.
Then his hand moved to my breast, his eyes full of a ferocious hunger . A few delicious moments later, his mouth replaced his hand, and I arched upward, sliding my hands into his hair and tugging at the soft strands.
Kael nibbled and tasted my flesh, his mouth hot and wet, and I writhed against him, feeling him throb against my thigh. I needed friction, and Kael finally gave it to me, picking me up and drawing me down onto his knee, with a leg on either side of his muscled thigh. I leaned forward mindlessly, pressing down until I found relief, my hips wanting to move of their own accord, desperate for satisfaction.
“Kael, please—”
My keening gasp finally got through to him, and Kael reared back to look at me as my shaking feet slid to the floor, his eyes glowing and his fangs longer than they had been before. I shivered, feeling like I would combust unless I got what I wanted…
Kael reached under my skirt, and I sighed when his hand found me. His eyes went impossibly darker when his fingers dipped into my wetness, and I fell back, clawing against the wall as I arched against his hand.
“ Now , Kael,” I gasped, and he nodded, kissing my neck. Catching me up in his arms, he carefully swung me around until the back of my legs hit the kitchen table. I looked behind me, quickly pushing our notes, books, and quills aside. Kael blew out the candles and sent the candleholders clattering as he pushed them hastily aside, and then he was hoisting me up onto the kitchen table with my skirts hitched up to my waist. The cool air on my hot skin made me shiver.
Stepping away, he wrenched his breeches down, and then he leaned forward until he slid into position, his arms tight around my waist and his head nestled in the crook of my neck. Quickly, I slapped one hand against my abdomen and whispered a birth protection spell, nodding when I was done.
The first press of him against me made me gasp and arch. Kael’s head came up, fear in his eyes. But when I grabbed at his shoulders with both hands, feeling hard muscle under my fingers, he smiled and surged closer, rocking deep, pressing every inch of skin against me, driving into me as if he wanted to disappear inside me.
Kael kept his eyes open, his onyx gaze locked to mine. He drew back, and then drove in deeper, picking up the pace, and he gasped at the same moment that the fire bloomed in my center. I could feel the wave rising, the tension coiling in my middle—
“Beautiful,” Kael whispered. “You’re so beautiful, darling.”
He was all around me—in and above me, hot and male and hard, and my world came apart to his heated whispers in my ear. My fingers clutched his back, and I was sure my nails had left their marks in his skin, but he simply moved faster and faster, his low chuckle of triumph in my ear as I soared again, the wave of pleasure rippling through my world. I wrapped my legs around him and squeezed; not wanting to let him go.
A moment later, Kael buried his face in my neck, pressing close as if he wanted to melt into my skin. A pair of long fangs nipped at the skin of my neck, and I shuddered. His tongue soothed the gentle bite, and then shuddering hard, Kael let go with a hoarse cry.
A moment later, he collapsed in my arms, boneless with pleasure.
“Seranni…” he sighed against my skin, and I laughed tiredly.
A moment later, he drew away from me, only to come back with a bowl of water and washcloth. We cleaned each other off, and then tiredly flopped back onto the hard wood of the table.
“Next time, let’s wait until we go upstairs to the bedroom,” I said, and Kael chuckled. A moment later, he turned to me, and I read in his eyes his surprise and then wonder that there would be a next time.
Silly man. I would have to take my time convincing him that I wanted him, something I was happy to do.
But first…
“Let’s go upstairs,” I said, battling a yawn. “I’m ready to try that again on a softer surface.”
Kael smiled, but when I sat up, he picked me up in his arms and bounded upstairs, laughing like a schoolboy.
I woke up the next morning with Kael’s arm around my waist, just like the day before.
But today, his bare chest was to my back, and one of his legs was splayed possessively over mine.
The heat from his body was enough to keep me warm, even though the fire had burned low and was now just embers. Was it because of his dragon blood? It was something I would have to ask him about.
For now, the siren call of sleep was too strong, and I snuggled back into his embrace, enjoying the way his arms tightened around me.
When I woke again, it was to the late morning sunshine streaming in through my window.
When I woke again, the late morning sun was streaming through the window, gilding the stone walls with a soft golden light. The warmth of it pooled across my bed, but it wasn’t the sunshine that had woken me. It was the gentle sensation of Kael’s fingers running through my hair, his calloused hand moving in soothing, repetitive strokes.
I blinked sleepily, turning my head slightly to find him propped up on one elbow, his dark eyes trained on me with an intensity that made my stomach flutter. For a moment, the world outside the tower, with all its dangers and uncertainties, seemed far away. Here, wrapped in this small cocoon of warmth, I felt safe.
“You’re awake,” he murmured, his voice rough with sleep.
I smiled and stretched, my fingers brushing against the raised lines of a scar on his chest. The texture beneath my fingertips pulled me fully awake, curiosity blooming inside me.
“Did it hurt?” I asked softly, tracing the scar again.
Kael hummed in response, a noncommittal sound that didn’t satisfy me in the least. Frowning, I poked him in the side, and he let out a surprised laugh, catching my hand in his larger one.
“This scar?” he asked, his expression turning somber as he glanced down at my hand. “I don’t even remember it properly. It happened the first time I shifted.”
I tilted my head, watching him closely. “When you couldn’t control the magic?”
He nodded, his lips pressing into a thin line. “The dragon magic was too much for a human body to handle. It started tearing me apart from the inside.” His gaze grew distant as he continued, his voice quieter. “I clawed into myself, trying to stop the pain. It felt like my blood was boiling, my bones twisting, everything inside me...breaking.”
I traced my fingertip over the scar again, wishing I hadn’t asked. My breath hitched, and the image he painted—of unimaginable pain, of a man fighting a war within his own body—made my heart ache for him. If I had known how terrible the mage truly was, I might’ve reached through the fire that night when I first met him and wrung his neck. How could anyone do anything so cruel to another person?
And how dare he try to turn me against Kael?
Kael’s dark brows drew together, his lips quirking into something that wasn’t quite a smile. “Hey,” he said, his voice softer now. “It’s in the past.”
But the scars were still here, etched into his skin, a testament to the cruelty he’d endured. I couldn’t just let it go. My fingers drifted upward, brushing against the black pendant that hung around his neck. The gemstone in its center looked dull, lifeless.
“Who gave you this?” I asked, my curiosity eating me alive. “A family member? An ex-lover?”
He scoffed. “Hardly.”
I looked up at him, and noticed how his face had darkened. The air around us grew heavier as he sighed, his gaze dropping to the pendant.
“It was the mage,” he said finally, sighing heavily.
I blinked, startled. “The mage? Why would he—”
Kael reached up to touch the pendant, his fingers brushing against mine. “It’s an easy way to keep track of how many times each of us could transform into dragon form.”
My stomach churned as I peered into the depths of the black gem at the center of the pendant. It was dull, and lacking luster. Did that mean—?
“My magic is running out,” Kael said, his smile twisting strangely. “I have enough in me for one final transformation, and then my body will give out. The magic will destroy what’s left of me.” He sighed. “It’s why I was so desperate to find a way to reverse the spells the mage performed on me. It’s the only way I’ll survive.”
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. My hand tightened around the pendant, and I bit my lip, willing the tears in my eyes not to fall. I couldn’t be weak at a moment like this, when what he needed now was my strength.
“You will survive,” I said, clutching the pendant and wishing I could tear it away from his neck and fling the mage’s dark magic out of his body at the same time. “I’ll find a way to make sure your life is a long and healthy one!”
I lost the battle with my tears, and sniffled hard, shooting upright so I could shoot Kael a watery glare. I pushed back his shaggy black hair, which had fallen into his eyes. I met his gaze so he could be sure of my feelings, even as my stomach fluttered with nerves, my mind wanting to scare me off letting someone into my heart.
“You can’t leave me all alone now ,” I said, waiting to be sure he had really heard me. “You’re all I’ve got, Kael.”
His black eyes were wide with astonishment when he looked back at me, and he blinked once before his features softened, and he smiled back at me.
“You’re all I’ve got, too, Seranni. I would be glad if I could spend the remainer of my life with you, however long that may—”
“Which will be a very long time,” I interrupted him, “if I have anything to say about it. And I do.”
He smiled again, his dark eyes looking suspiciously shiny, and I couldn’t help myself, I leaned down to give him a closemouthed kiss.
When I pulled away, Kael chuckled softly. “You’re stubborn, you know that?”
I smiled, wiping at my damp cheeks. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Pushing back the covers, I stretched and swung my legs over the side of the bed. “Now,” I said brightly, “I need some breakfast. I’ll make the tea if you get the rest?”
Kael groaned in mock protest but followed suit, pulling on his tunic and boots as I made my way downstairs. A short while later, we were sitting before the kitchen fire, plates of bread, cheese, and dried fruits spread out between us, laughing and talking as we had our morning meal. The light coming in from the windows was grey, and the tower was dark and draughty, but it felt like we were sitting in a palace dappled by sunlight.
“Are you going to go back to Drakazov when the mage’s magic is reversed?” I asked, trying to sound casual as I sipped my tea.
Kael turned to look at me, blinking as if his mind had been far away. “To Drakazov?” he said, his voice sounding lazy and content. “You mean back home?”
I nodded, taking a sip of my honeyed tea to belay my nervousness.
“Hmm,” Kael leaned back in his chair, his gaze thoughtful as he took a sip of his own tea. “That was the plan. I don’t belong in Telluria, anyway.”
A lump formed in my throat, but I forced myself to smile. “Maybe I could visit you there sometime,” I said, shrugging as if it were no big deal. “I’ve been thinking of leaving Telluria anyway. I heard about a place called Strayhaven, on your country’s coast.”
Kael nodded. “They’re famous for taking in people who have nowhere else to go. It’s a good place for a fresh start.” He took another sip and paused before he spoke again. “But you’d have to learn Drakkan if you moved to Strayhaven. Don’t you think you would find it easier if you moved to a place where they knew how to speak Tellurian?”
I looked up. He couldn’t be saying what I think he was saying, could he?
He was looking at the table, tracing a finger tip into a puddle of tea that had dripped from his cup. “Why don’t you consider moving to one of the border towns? It doesn’t have to Kalinovo—of course, it would be easier if I was there to help you with everything, but that doesn’t mean you have to move to my hometown, you could move anywhere you wanted to, I’m sure—”
I stopped him with a hand on his, my heart so full that my eyes were misting. “Are you asking me to move to your hometown with you?”
Taking a deep breath, Kael nodded. He looked at me, his black eyes wide, but said nothing.
I tightened my grip on his hand, unable to do anything but nod. For a moment, we simply sat there, grinning at each other like fools, before the spell was broken by a sudden sneeze that overtook me.
Kael laughed. “Best wrap up more warmly,” he said, pulling my shawl tighter around my body. “I think a storm is coming tonight.”
I smiled back at him, snuggling into the woolen embrace. “I don’t know about you, but I feel lazy enough to go back to bed.”
Kael looked at me, but said nothing. He looked conflicted and I decided to take pity on him and make the decision for him.
“The firewood and the stew and the research and whatever else you have can wait, can’t it?” I said, drawing a fingertip down his hand in a gentle caress. “I could do with some company…”
I let the sentence hang in the air, and I was gratified when Kael scraped his chair back with a bang, as if he was in a tearing hurry. I pushed my own chair back, deciding to take my tea upstairs with me.
Kael, on the other hand, downed his steaming tea in one gulp, even as I stared.
“You’ll burn your tongue right out of your mouth,” I chided him.
“After the experiment, heat doesn’t bother me anymore, it’s one of the few benefits of sharing my body with a dragon,” he said, tipping up his cup to chase the last of the drops into his mouth.
“Well, that’s a good thing then,” I said. Then, unable to resist, I grinned and dropped him a wink. “Because I really like your tongue.”
His eyes went round, and I stifled my giggle.
“Is that so?” His gaze narrowed.
Hurriedly, I placed my tea on the table, where it sloshed with the movement. I took a quick step backward and then another, stepping out of his reach. Smiling, he began stalking toward me, even as I side stepped his reaching hand.
Kael took the hint and chased after me, following me up the stairs and into our bedroom, where he tackled me into the bed covers, making me giggle before he stole my breath with a deep, drugging kiss.
“I’ll show you just how talented this tongue of mine is,” he said with a smirk, kissing his way down my body. I laughed, feeling freer than I ever had before.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had such fun.
When I woke again, it was to an empty bed. Pulling on my clothes, I peeked out of the bedroom. The tower had that feeling that empty houses had, I knew that Kael had gone out. Now that I thought about it, I remembered him saying something about getting more firewood, but I had been half asleep and had only been able to mumble in reply. He’d taken a lot out of me, but it had been worth it, I thought with a grin.
Padding quietly down the cold stone stairs to the kitchen, I tugged my shawl tighter around my shoulders. The tower was drafty in the mornings, and though the fire in the hearth still smoldered from the night before, it did little to warm the chill that settled into the stones. My bare feet made soft taps on the wooden floor as I crossed to the kettle, setting it over the embers to heat some water.
While I waited, I leaned against the kitchen counter, staring into the fire as my thoughts churned.
The mage.
The thought of him sent a fresh wave of unease through me. My hand trembled slightly as I poured the hot water over a tea bag, steam curling up in the chilly air. Wrapping my hands around the warm mug, I took a slow sip and moved to sit by the fire. Its glow was soothing, but it couldn’t erase the weight in my chest.
My gaze fell on the book sitting on the side table. Its cracked leather cover gleamed faintly in the firelight, and my stomach churned. The book that had started it all. My smile faded as I stared at it, the reminder of the mage’s promise tightening my throat.
The next full moon was tomorrow.
A chill that had nothing to do with the temperature ran down my spine. I had promised the mage I would deliver his notes, but at the time, I didn’t know the full extent of what he’d done. Of who he truly was. Now I knew better.
I knew what he had done to Kael.
My hands clenched around the mug, the ceramic growing warmer against my palms. The thought of that monster—Rindais—daring to ask for his notes back—after all he’d done! It made bile rise in my throat. I wanted nothing to do with him. He had twisted lives, destroyed them. Kael’s scars were as much emotional as physical, and they all led back to that man. The idea of helping him in any way turned my stomach.
But I had promised.
And if I didn’t deliver the book, he would come back. Worse, he would send someone for the book. Kael didn’t know about my meeting with the mage. I had kept it a secret back when I thought I was doing something clever, securing a bargain. But now I realized how close I had come to betraying Kael in my ignorance.
He could never know. I would never let him find out how narrowly I’d escaped making a grave mistake. How close I had come to betraying him. He had saved me from Voren, from despair, from the loneliness that had gripped me my entire life.
It was up to me to save him from that damned mage.
I drained the last of my tea, though it had gone cold, and stood. My mind was made up. There was only one way to ensure that Rindais stayed out of our lives for good. I had to give him his book.
Crossing to the hearth, I grabbed a burning log with the iron tongs and carried it carefully up the stairs. My heart raced as I ascended, the weight of what I was about to do pressing heavily on me. The bedroom I shared with Kael was cozy and welcoming, but the other bedroom—the one I now knew must have belonged to the mage—felt oppressive, its air heavy with lingering traces of old magic.
I pushed open the door, the hinges creaking softly. The room was stark compared to the rest of the tower. The mage had left little behind save for the furniture and that damned fireplace. The gem embedded in its back glinted faintly in the dim light, mocking me.
Now that I knew what to look for, I could see that this room was bigger and fancier than the other. The magical fireplace must have been how the mage made regular reports to the King without leaving the safety of the tower. Kael must have avoided the bedroom on instinct, preferring to take the other one.
Swallowing down my nerves, I stuffed the burning log into the fireplace. The dry wood within caught quickly, flames licking upward. But the fire wasn’t enough on its own. With a deep breath, I let my magic flow into the hearth, urging the flames higher. The crackling warmth spread through the room, and the gem began to glow faintly, responding to the presence of both fire and magic.
A moment later, a single eye appeared in the small fire, startling me despite my preparation. It was as if Rindais was peering through a keyhole, his gaze sharp and invasive. I crouched down to hiss into the flames.
“Send your man. I have your book.”
Rindais’s voice came through, smooth and unbothered. “Excellent.” He paused. “And Kael?”
“He left in the middle of the night,” My voice was steady, but inside, my heart thundered as I lied. “I don’t know where.”
I didn’t stay to hear more. The sight of his disembodied eye made my skin crawl, and I had no desire to hear whatever vile thing he might say next. Grabbing the iron poker, I stabbed it into the fire, breaking apart the burning logs and scattering the flames. The fire sputtered and died, the gem’s glow fading with it.
I fled the room, feeling dirty and wrong. My heart pounded as I descended the stairs back to the kitchen, the cool air biting against my overheated skin. There, I sat heavily at the table, the book still in its place on the side table, as if mocking me for my cowardice.
Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to pick up my cold tea and sip it. The taste was bitter and metallic, but I needed something to calm my frayed nerves. My hands shook slightly as I cradled the mug, my thoughts a whirlwind of worry and doubt.
What if Kael found out? What if Rindais sent someone who wasn’t as easy to deal with? What if this didn’t end things like I hoped?
Almost on cue, the door opened, and Kael stepped inside. His arms were full of firewood, and the cold clung to him, his dark hair dusted with snowflakes. He kicked the door shut behind him, his movements smooth and sure, and when his eyes landed on me, they lit up with warmth.
“Seranni,” he said, his voice full of affection. That single word, spoken in his deep, steady tone, made my heart ache.
I smiled weakly, unable to muster my usual cheer. His happiness was a balm, but it also sharpened my resolve. I had to protect him, no matter what. Even if it meant dealing with the mage, even if it meant keeping this dark secret to myself.
Kael set the firewood down near the hearth, brushing the snow from his shoulders. His movements were easy, natural, as if he hadn’t just gone outdoors in the freezing cold.
“Did you sleep well?” he asked, coming over to press a kiss to my temple.
I nodded, though my throat felt tight. “Did you?”
He shrugged, flashing me a lopsided grin. “As well as I could.”
The sight of his smile made my heart squeeze. Whatever doubts or fears I had, this moment reminded me why I was doing this. Kael had already sacrificed so much. He deserved a chance at peace, at happiness. And I would do everything in my power to ensure he got it.
No matter what it cost me.