Chapter 55
Aurora
Having fae friends certainly has its perks.
By the time I return to the great hall, the dirt and rubble are gone.
The room is spotless, as if nothing happened less than an hour before.
There is still a hole in the wall, but that will be fixed in time.
It’s strangely a pleasant reminder of what we accomplished.
Camryn and I decide to have everyone sit down for one last dinner before we all part ways to begin our lives in this new era of Silverveil.
For a lot of residents, things won’t change.
But now, they’re free to live without fear of King Caledor’s rule and whatever malicious plans he would have unleashed onto them because I damn sure didn’t believe he would have just left this place in peace.
I don’t know what to expect as a queen. I chuckle at the absurdity of it all.Thorn and Numara say that after things settle down, we will meet with the council and prepare for an official coronation and presentation to the realm.
I swallow down my rising anxiety of being thrust into the spotlight.
I’m happy Camryn will be by my side. She’s always enjoyed the warm beam of attention.
The people of Silverveil will need to meet their new ruling ladies and my anxiety further gnaws on me how they will feel having half-blood descendants from another time and place overseeing their wellbeing.
But maybe that’s why we were ‘chosen.’ Sometimes an outsider’s perspective is exactly what you need.
And Soren and Clara assure me I will be more than warmly received.
While others prepare for the meal, Soren and I slip back to our room. My body and mind are at odds. Half of me is utterly exhausted while the other half is still riding an adrenaline high.
Soren slips off his boots inside the door as I flop backward onto the bed. He chuckles warmly before strolling to me. He leans over me, amused by my exasperated expression.
“It’s been quite the day, My Flame. What if we skip dinner and claim we were too tangled in our sheets to emerge?” He trails his fingers down my ribs, sending goosebumps across my skin beneath my clothing.
I roll my eyes to see his amber ones aflare.
“The dinner is partly my idea. Besides, it’s the last time we’re going to see everyone together for a while.
” I smile sadly, thinking of leaving my friend once again.
Caelum and Draven share the canyon house, and Caelum also oversees Ni’haan, so I’m not sure where they will land, but it likely won’t be in Riverholm with me and Soren.
Soren holds himself over me and presses his lips to mine. “But I want to ravish you endlessly.”
I giggle and press a palm to his chest. “I’m a mess. A dirty, filthy mess.”
He ignores the grime evident on my skin. “If you’re trying to dissuade me, you’re doing a very poor job.” He kisses me harder this time, his tongue slipping through the seam of my lips.
I groan. “Okay, if you insist on ravishing me, at least let me take a bath first.”
He narrows his eyes, considering my words. “Only if you allow me to wash you.”
I roll my eyes again, but my skin prickles at the thought of such an intimate act. I’ve come to learn that as much as I want to be strong and independent, I very much enjoy being taken care of. Being cherished.
And if my man wants to worship his queen, who am I to deny him of that?
“As you wish, Sir.”
Soren kisses me softly before retreating from the bed. He holds out his hand, helping me rise to my feet before he leads me to the bathing room.
The tub is already filled with steaming water, an intoxicating floral and citrus scent filling the air. There are definite advantages to living in a magical world.
Soren moves to my back, his lips pressing softly along the side of my neck, while his fingers drift to the hem of my shirt. I lean against him, allowing him to do all the work of undressing me.
My tunic drops to the floor, leaving my breasts exposed. The cool air hardens my nipples, and Soren’s hands are quick to curve around them, squeezing gently and eliciting a moan from my lips.
One hand remains on a breast while his other drifts to the ties of my leggings.
When his fingers dip beneath the top of the fabric, my hand wraps around the back of his neck.
I push my backside into his lap, feeling his hard length.
The angle gives him more access, and he wastes no time in slipping his fingers between my thighs, his teeth nipping against my neck as he feels my wetness.
“Soren,” I breathe, suddenly feeling incredibly needy. His thumb works magic on the bundle of nerves while two fingers slip into my core. I gasp at his touch.
I whimper, needing him. Needing to be naked and feel the contact of our skin.
He must feel the same because the hand on my breast slides down and pulls loose the ties holding my pants to my body. Once loosened, he slides the fabric down my thighs.
With urgency, I shimmy out of my leggings and stand completely bare for him. He shifts me slightly, and I gaze at the reflection of us in the mirror. My eyes darken as I watch him run his hands over my body, appreciating every curve.
His hungry amber eyes watch mine, and I tug at his shirt. Understanding what I want, he releases me. I keep my attention on the mirror as Soren strips naked, grinning when I see him hard and ready.
I don’t care about taking a bath anymore. I need him. Now.
I keep my eyes on his reflection and step to the counter. I place my forearms against the cool marble, my palms flat on the surface. A shiver runs through me. I’m bent slightly at the waist, and I spread my legs. He watches me wide eyed before a feral look crosses his face.
He steps forward, filling the space between my legs. He bends forward, pressing his lips to the back of my neck and kissing down my spine to the middle of my back. I moan at the sensualness of his touch.
His hands grip my hips, and in the next moment, he presses into my core. My mouth gapes in the mirror and my eyes flutter closed, delighting in the sensation. He starts slowly, pulling out almost completely before sliding back in.
My fingers curl around the edge of the countertop, and I plead. “Faster.”
He’s happy to oblige and increases his pace. I open my eyes again to see him move a hand to my bouncing breasts, tugging my nipple between his fingers. I moan at the shock of pain that radiates directly to my core.
He watches me, his eyes moving from my body to my face, expressing every feeling of pleasure as he moves inside me.
My climax grows, his hand slides down to the apex of my thighs, pulling me closer to him.
With the depth he reaches at this angle, and his fingers rubbing circles on the bundle of nerves, it doesn’t take me long to explode with ecstasy.
I gasp as I suck in air, holding on to the waves of pleasure tearing through me.
Soren’s deep voice roars behind me. “Look at me.”
My eyes flash to his reflection, watching me with a darkened look of desire as he slams into me. Our eyes stay locked as he watches what he does to me, how I unravel from the pleasure. And then his jaw clenches as he finds his own release.
Once fully spent, he stills, panting. After a moment, he slides out of me, holding me as I straighten to my full height. My legs are numb and my back aches slightly in the best kind of way. Soren holds me tightly against him, turning me to face him. “How about that bath now?”
I chuckle, delirious. “That sounds lovely.”
Without hesitation, he scoops me into his arms and strides to the tub. He lowers me gently to the water, and when I sink into the tub, I moan. Soren grins before disappearing into the bedroom.
When he returns, he has two thick towels that were warming by the fire. He lowers himself behind me. His long legs skirt along my hips and his hands wrap around my waist, pulling me to him.
I lean back against his chest, letting the water lap around my shoulders. I could stay here forever.
He intertwines his fingers in mine. I close my eyes, relishing the comfortable silence that has always hung between us.
I’ve never been overly talkative, and Soren is even less so.
We’re happy just to be within one another’s presence.
I’ve never felt forced to speak, to fill any awkward silence. And I love that about us.
Which is why it surprises me when Soren’s voice echoes in the humid bathing room.
“My Flame, I am so proud of you. What you did today. What you’ve done every day since you arrived here.
I know it’s hard for you sometimes to see just how powerful and strong you are.
But I see it. I see you, every day. And I can say with all the certainty in my bones that I am the luckiest male in this world and any other, because I have the pleasure of being yours. And I am yours, wholly.”
His deep voice melts into my ears, dribbles down my throat, and fills my heart full enough to burst through my chest.
I tilt my head so he can kiss me. “I love you,” I whisper. What do I say to that? “You know you mean everything to me, too.” My gaze drops to the water, and I feel a flush of embarrassment at my loss for words. I’m not very good at expressing my emotions like that. “I feel the same for you,” I add.
He chuckles lively against my back. “I feel your love every day. Don’t worry, My Flame.”
He lifts our hands from the water, and I look at my left hand wrapped in his.
“And I’ve been thinking,” he says. “I can’t wait to spend the rest of my days growing old with you, however long that takes.
Standing at your side while you do incredible things for this land and the people you care about.
Because I want to be there, Aurora. Through it all.
Through the difficult and the wondrous.”