CHAPTER XIX #3
I frown and look out to the Willow around us, considering his request.
“What of your father? He vowed for my actions.”
“He did,” Keane nods, “which is why I ask for it to remain a secret. Both the term and the oak.”
My eyes dart over to Millie grazing with Ash and to the traveling bag I keep with me hooked over her saddle. The oak wood is resting inside, as is Golem’s jar and two magical books.
“Everything magical I have is in my traveling bag,” I jut my chin towards Millie, “so if anyone, for whatever reason, decided to look within my bag, there would be no keeping the secret. What would happen then? Would I be tried? Brought before the Four Kingdoms?”
Keane follows my gaze and grips my thigh in a reassuring hold. “There are ways to keep things hidden that will require nothing from you. I will have Desmond stealth the bag.”
“Lord Tadeo has seen me with a book from an Old World library,” I whisper, seeking his reassurance again, “as have a number of people from Fumagalli and Gaumond…”
“Your possession of magical books is sanctioned by the King and the Four Kingdoms as a result of their Council. You do not need to hide them, nor would you need to hide that from anyone in Fumagalli.”
“But I would in Gaumond?” I look up at him.
“No,” Keane shakes his head, “your possession of the books is sanctioned by the full Council no matter where you travel. Gaumond is no different. But there will always be curious eyes, Alexis, people who will see what you are reading and inquire into more. If you do not want that then I advise you keep the books hidden in Gaumond. Even my brother sends men from his Court into ours.”
I grimace at the thought, at the sheer sadness of the odds the brothers must be at to send people to spy on each other. It’s completely disheartening, especially when I know that Keane and Desmond do the same to Troy.
A sudden piercing gaze from Marybeth’s Tavern flashes through my mind. There’s only one person in Keane’s capitol who has treated me coldly from the moment I arrived, one person who has acted like how I’ve come to believe all of the Discerni of Woodlands do…
“Is the recruit Heizman one of Troy’s men?”
Keane’s brows dart up in surprise.
“Curious and perceptive,” he grins slyly, “Desmond isn’t kidding when he tells me he wants to recruit you.”
I roll my eyes and swat away his hand that is inching between my legs.
“He’s the only one in Gaumond who treated me as I found normal at
the time,” I shrug.
“Wait…” I frown, remembering who was at Heizman’s side that
night, “Barnett isn’t, right?”
“No,” Keane grins, hand landing on my abdomen, “not Barnett. Though he is aware of Heizman, as is Alanna. They have been keeping an eye on him for a while now.”
What does he mean, keeping an eye on him?
Especially when it comes to Alanna. Is he suggesting that she’s only been engaging with the Woodlands Discerni to keep tabs on him?
What of her open touches and flirtation and the night she went home with him?
Was it just to get closer? Did Keane and Desmond ask that of her?
Keane’s grin falters when he sees the hard look in my eyes.
“Please tell me you did not ask what I am thinking of Alanna…” my voice is a near whisper.
“No,” he shakes his head slowly, “never. We hadn’t even given her a thought. Alanna was the one who approached us about Heizman and openly volunteered. We would never ask that of our women.”
My face must still be hard because Keane’s hand around my shoulder grips me tight, “Alanna has a deep resentment for Woodlands, Alexis, so it’s not surprising that she volunteered of her own desire.
She knew exactly what her offer meant. Though I am curious to see how that will change with Cal in her sights. ”
“She will not keep relations with Heizman,” I state, eyes narrowed on Keane, “I will strike that down if it means protecting Cal. You and Desmond will need to find someone else.”
Keane nods, looking like he’s holding back a chuckle.
“What?”
“Nothing,” he shifts behind me, hand pressing into my abdomen.
“You’re amused…”
“Yes,” he grins.
Keane reaches down from my shoulder and grips my thigh, his other hand inching towards my waistband as I sigh in frustration.
“Sometimes I think you forget I’m a Prince, Alexis,” he smirks.
“Not likely,” I roll my eyes.
“No?” he chuckles, “you just like giving commands to the heir of Disce?”
“When have I…”
I bite my words.
“Mhmm,” he laughs, nuzzling my hair.
I shake my head with a smile and look up at Stormfall, feeling Keane’s fingers skim between my legs.
“Court will be interesting tonight.”
“It will,” I nod, thinking of Isham finally getting to see Stormfall tonight, “how long are the Leviathans here for?”
“A few more days,” Keane glances down to me, “then Lord Daniel and Barnes will escort them back. My father will provide a few Knowledge summoners and soldiers to join their travel as well.”
“Do I have to play nice tonight?” I ask genuinely, completely out of my depth when it comes to politics and their conversations, “if we indeed have to make the travel to Livyatan sometime in the future, then it would make sense for me to remain on Prince Isham’s good side, right?”
Keane smirks at my question and nips down on my neck.
“I’m asking seriously, Keane,” I pull away, “this isn’t something I know much about.”
The Prince narrows his playful brown eyes and brings a hand up to cup my breast. He gives it a rough squeeze through my shirt and pushes his other hand down my pants more fully, smirking at the moan that tries to escape my lips.
“Keane.”
He chuckles and gives my nipple a soft tug.
“There is no point in openly antagonizing the Prince,” he replies with a grin, fingers sliding down farther as I hold my breath, “but no, Alexis, you do not need to play nice. I also do not like dealing in the grey. There should be no false pretenses when it comes to the Leviathans tonight. We do not care for them.”
I inhale and swiftly close my legs to him, my gaze darting to the quiet Willow and emptiness around us. Millie and Ash are still grazing from afar, but there are no other signs of anyone else, no families or casual walkers who usually take the trip here.
“Tell me what you saw,” Keane demands as he gently pulls my legs apart, “tell me what you saw last night at court.”
“You know,” I bite my lip.
“I want to hear the words from your mouth.”
My hips tilt up for his hand, wanting to feel his strong possession on me before we head back to Bardot and into the staring eyes of the castle. Keane presses a grin into my neck and sucks just under my ear, the small movement causing me to jolt in anticipation as his fingers slide down my clit.
“It was a beautiful night,” I breathe out, closing my eyes, “but it also wasn’t.”
Keane nods against my neck and gives me another small nip.
“And…” he prompts, moving his fingers back up to my clit.
“And I saw a court with such clear distinction set between Discerni and humans,” I bring a hand up to the back of his head and run my fingers through his hair, “there was no animosity, but there was no open comradery. It was no longer normal, Keane.”
Keane groans into my neck, liking the new realization in me.
I fist his hair and press his lips more forcefully into my skin, demanding that he understand just how deep my understanding goes.
My body heats just thinking of him and his home, and I know now, after last night, that I will never truly appreciate the Court of Knowledge as I once did.
“You want it,” he rumbles in my ear.
“I do,” I reply breathlessly, “I want Warrior for the full of our Kingdom. We deserve it. Disce deserves it.”
Keane groans and swiftly drops two fingers to my entry, plunging inside without warning.
“We’re equals,” I moan, hips grinding into his hand, “humans and Discerni.”
“We are,” he replies.
His voice is hoarse and dripping with desire, his fingers pulling back out and then pumping back in. He drops his hand from my breast and begins working my clit, his heated lips searing on my neck as they leave a bruise for all of Bardot to see.
A crack in the branches above has me opening my eyes on another moan, my glance looking around the Willow as Keane starts an aggressive rhythm.
His fingers relentlessly thrust in and out as he groans praises of my realization, his movements possessive and rewarding my body in only the way he can.
He smirks when my moans grow louder, his lips nipping down my neck and forcing my head to look above.
I watch as Stormfall spreads his wings on a branch from afar, his yellow eyes catching my hooded gaze before his eyes flash a molten gold.
“Fuck!”
I cry out with Keane’s next thrust and reach behind me, my fingers fumbling on his waistband in absolute need.
Keane curls his fingers and reaches for that sweet spot he knows all too well, my own hand reaching down to pull him away even though it’s the last thing I want.
My eyes stay locked on Hiro’s as Keane doesn’t heed my call, instead taking his time to pull out and then pump back in.
The moan that falls from my lips is full of sensual need, and I know that if I don’t stop this now, there will be no Shadow Oak.
“Keane,” I cry his name softly just as his thumb presses against my clit. My hand finds his cock and begins stroking to his rhythm, both of our bodies melding into the other as Hirovale continues to look on.
Ancients, I need this man.
His words have been everything I needed to hear and then some. His touch is everything I needed to feel, and then some. But if we continue with this embrace then I know damn well I won’t stop. I’ll take every single piece of him into the night, and we won’t leave this willow until the sun comes up.
I swiftly pull on his hand between my legs again, my strength taking us both by surprise. Keane lets me pull him away this time, though not before he gives a confident chuckle at my back.
He knows.
He knows where this is going.