Chapter Twenty-Five
Theodor
The Announcement
“Lords, please. It is past time to get you prepared for your guests. They are set to arrive within the hour.” There was a long, pissed-off sigh before Adresin tapped on the bedroom chamber doors again, as if they hadn’t heard him the first three times.
“It would be rude and seen as an insult for their hosts to keep them waiting.”
Theodor chuckled at Adresin’s obvious irritation, rolling on top of Boraleashe and putting a finger over his lips, though he knew he wouldn’t laugh. In their defense, they didn’t realize it’d been two days because they’d been lost in each other, blocking out the rest of the world.
Freezing wind blew through the open windows of Boraleashe’s chamber, driving Theodor crazy. They’d wrestled about the temperature until Boraleashe confessed that the colder he was on the outside, the hotter he’d be inside.
Without hesitation, Theodor threw all the windows open and buried them beneath a mound of covers.
Theodor’s dick was hard, but it’d been in that constant state since they’d climbed into a warm tub together two days ago. Boraleashe spread his legs wide, languidly thrusting his long, pale cock under his balls, his inhibitions now nonexistent.
Theodor had let his curious titan explore him everywhere, sexed him in the most unique ways until he knew what he liked and what he didn’t. Theodor moaned, smoothing his palms over satiny skin, wondering if they had time for one more round.
“We probably should get up,” Boraleashe rumbled, not moving, his morning voice sexy as fuck. “It takes me some time to tame this mess,” he said, pulling at his tousled white hair.
Stunned, Theodor stopped his lazy grind. “You do your own hair? What… why?”
Boraleashe shrugged, pulling the covers from over their heads. “I stopped allowing my aides to serve me not long after I was cursed. When I was home from wars and so forth, I stayed isolated, and I didn’t socialize much, even with my own daughters… so I guess I just learned to do it over time.”
“Wow.”
Theodor sat up and gazed down at what he considered to be one of the greatest beauties in the world. He couldn’t imagine any of what Boraleashe had confessed. He should’ve pursued him longer and harder. Perhaps he wouldn’t have suffered alone for so many years.
“Don’t think that way, Theo.” Boraleashe sat up and pressed his chest to Theodors’. His core wide open, Theodor hummed at the harmonious rhythm of their synched heartbeats. “My choices were my own, and I had to live with the consequences. But now, I am whole.”
Theodor stared at the cold, almost rigid expression on that gorgeous face and searched deeper into his warrior, where his truest feelings resided, still guarded… but not to him.
Theodor moaned when his own core touched Boraleashe’s. Boraleashe’s love was just how he’d described it would be. So real and strong it was almost painful, almost too much to embrace.
They stayed suspended in that intense moment until more bickering started outside the bedchamber doors.
“If they don’t fucking come out, then I’m going in!”
“Uggh,” Theodor groaned at Mozraath’s annoying voice.
“You will not enter my lord’s chambers without first being granted permission and then announced.”
“That’s my master in there too, Beanpole. Now, step aside.” Mozraath’s demon voice rose to the forefront. “You have no right to keep me from him. I am his man.”
Boraleashe’s mouth tightened in a straight line.
Theodor shook his head in frustration.
“I may be small in stature,” Adresin retaliated, his tone low and stern, “but my pure elven blood makes me far superior to you, demon.”
Boraleashe’s eyes widened. Theodor placed a hand on his chest to stop him from getting up. Instead, he leapt off the bed and hurried toward the doors. He flung them open to see both their men squaring off against each other.
Mozraath was seething, his sharp teeth bared, the dark side of his body preparing to fight and demolish.
Adresin may be elven royalty, his kind more respected and superior in reputation, not fighters, but Mozraath’s demon lineage had trained him to be a fierce and evil contender. That part of him knew no weakness… or mercy.
“Enough!” Theodor barked, glaring between them. “Boraleashe and I will be wed before the sun sets on morrow’s eve. You both better be getting along by then.” Theodor lowered his voice to threatening. “And not for my sake… but for your own.”
Theodor gripped Mozraath’s arm and yanked him forward. “Move.”
Boraleashe stood just beyond the door, his naked body wrapped beneath an ivory fur robe. He took a couple of steps forward with a lifetime of love and lust blazing in his crystal-blue eyes. “I will see you soon, my lord.”
“Indeed, you will.” Theodor winked.
“Moz, how much fuckin’ longer? I’ve been sitting here for hours,” Theodor grumbled, bouncing his leg in anticipation of getting back to Boraleashe.
“Shut up. It’s been forty damn minutes. I’m almost done—stop bouncing. Your hair isn’t the length of the Winter Lord’s, but it’s still long as fuck, okay? If you stop moving, I’ll finish faster.”
Theodor wanted to bolt out of the seat, but instead of delaying himself more, he pressed his palms to his thighs to still them. He could damn near feel Boraleashe’s yearning in his own chest from the other side of the Keep.
“Okay, finished, you impatient, lovesick jackass,” Mozraath bitched, slamming the hairbrush on the vanity. Theodor took the opportunity to sprint toward the door, but of course—
“Wait!”
“What now!”
“Your goddamn robe.”
“I guarantee Adresin speaks to Boraleashe with far more respect,” Theodor rumbled, pausing at the double doors.
“That stiff prick probably drops to both knees and kisses the Winter Lord’s ass at each moment he gets.”
Theodor glared in warning. One of Mozraath’s aides rushed over with his laundered robe and draped it over his back, clasping the heavy bronze leaf medallions over each shoulder.
Gold Reaper was the last accessory added before the house lords opened the doors to his suite, and Mozraath stepped ahead to announce him.
“Lord Theodor Cavalerie, Titan of the South Wind and King of Tir an Fhomhair.”
The esteemed guests gathered at the bottom of the grand foyer’s curved stairs gave him a respectful but brief applause.
Theodor took a deep breath so he didn’t race ahead of his court toward Boraleashe’s rooms. He cleared the threshold to his quarters at the same time Adresin turned the corner, with Boraleashe following close behind.
“People of Tir an Amárach!” Adresin proclaimed with a bold, elevated voice.
Mozraath rolled his eyes.
“Your Lord of the North Wind, Boraleashe Cavalerie, Titan of the Arctic World, ruler of the Realm of Winter, and creator of the first frost.”
The applause and cheers were deafening.
“Your announcement needs work,” Theodor muttered out of the corner of his mouth, smirking when Mozraath’s eyes flashed with fire.
Boraleashe came into view in all his pristine white regalia and glory, and Theodor’s heart tried to beat out of his chest. His betrothed was stunning. His long white hair flowed down his back past his firm buttocks, as shiny and soft as the new fallen snow.
Their courts were led down each set of stairs. Mozraath preceded his men in their brown and gold tunics. Adresin led his men in white down the other side.
He and Boraleashe stood alone at the top of the stairs overlooking the delighted crowd. It was more than evident that the people of Amárach felt the wholeness of their lord, felt his contented winds weaving their way through the air.
Theodor’s father was there applauding and beaming up at him with pride while Dustin waved and whooped at his side.
Theodor locked eyes on his love, unable to look away.
Boraleashe gave him a sexy quarter bow in respect of his title.
Theodor lifted one of Boraleashe’s wrists with care, rubbing his thumb over his knuckles before he lowered his head and placed a lingering kiss on the back of his hand.
The crowd clapped and cheered even louder for their titan’s second chance at love.
Theodor would make fucking sure that they got it right this time.
Adresin was given the privilege of announcing their engagement and their miraculous combined winds before they were supposed to descend the stairs together. But after the clapping and cheers calmed, Boraleashe and Theodor didn’t move, making the crowd fall silent.
“You take my breath away, my lord,” Boraleashe whispered against Theodor’s ear. “I don’t want to be around all these people. I just want you… alone.”
Theodor hummed in agreement, tucking his nose in Boraleashe’s hair to inhale that special scent of winter pine, his skin fragranced with warm mahogany. “I will be all yours for the rest of our lives.”
“Now,” Boraleashe demanded, cutting his eyes toward the many people waiting to congratulate them. “Let’s just say thank you for coming and retire back to our chambers.”
Theodor chuckled. He understood Boraleashe was used to isolation and silence, but he was going to have to get used to the public again.
“That would be considered rude, and I don’t think Adresin would appreciate you doing that.
Not after his grand announcement that sounded like he’d rehearsed quite a few times. ”
“Promise me we’ll have a moment away from prying eyes before we have to separate for the evening?
” Boraleashe’s gaze was lustful and so full of craving Theodor was unable to say no, and he probably always would be.
“Which I don’t understand why we must be apart the night before the ceremony in the first place.
I am not a bride at risk of being deflowered before her vows. ”
Theodor smiled again. His consort was humorous and didn’t even know it. “Because it’s tradition.”
“Anytime now, son!” his father hollered, pulling Theodor’s attention away from Boraleashe’s face and drawing several laughs from the crowd. “I fear the food may be getting cold.”
Theodor linked their fingers together and walked them down the flight of stairs and through the crowd.
On the way to the dining hall, he said a silent prayer to the goddess Eleos for her compassion and mercy to help his betrothed through this night without him freezing everyone in the room into ice sculptures and casually walking away.