Chapter 28 #2
“She was speaking so fast, I didn’t understand,” I begin to explain. Uneasiness has washed over Cedric, who keeps a stable distance. The man waves a magazine over her face, shaking her slightly. Rietta’s eyes slowly peel open, adjusting to the light and people around.
“What are you…?” I ask, staring at Rietta on the ground. Her eyes flick from me to Cedric before coming back to me.
“I’m a cess.” Her brow furrows, a bead of sweat trickling down her temple. I dab it with a piece of fabric from the counter.
“Cess don’t foretell like that,” Cedric replies.
The man curses under his breath, helping Rietta sit up more fully. He wipes his forehead on his sleeve and looks up to us. “Forgive my sister, she’s from the Rhydians. Her studies just finished. It’s true, she can foretell.” He tightens his lips as he looks at her.
“What does that mean?” I turn to Cedric who looks pale white.
Rietta swats at the air. “Nothing, nothing at all. Most of it is gibberish. My teachers begged me to stay, but that isn’t the life for me. I’m so sorry, Your Highness,” she sobs.
“She’s a Seer?” Cedric looks to her brother.
I stoop down and squeeze her arm. “Do not apologize.”
“No, she isn’t,” the brother replies defensively. “We apologize.” He bows properly.
With the gown in my arms, we slowly exit the store, flipping the closed sign around so that they may have privacy.
“What is foretelling?” I ask. My mind is still running a million miles an hour. Nothing she said made sense.
“It’s an Other gift. Very, very rare in fact. I’m surprised to see it here. She may be a Seer and a valuable one at that.”
“Do you think it meant anything?” I bite my lip, thinking about Rietta’s words.
“No, I don’t. But we should tell Avonde about this. Seers are rare. Our sect at Demis will want to know about this to keep an eye on it.”
We both put our hoods up so that we can avoid the publicity of our being in Veda. We wind through the streets and over the small bridges built over the various canals. Cedric leads the way back to the carriage. Our guards eventually trail behind, the event in the shop unbeknownst to them.
“What about your business here?” I step in line with him. The golden carriage waits near a toll booth. A crowd is still formed and I squeeze my dress and slippers closer to my body.
“Another time.” He opens the door for me. Once inside, he thuds the wall and the carriage departs. “I leave for the war camp tomorrow at Krue. Duresden has yet to make a move but with my presence…”
“You are their strength, I understand. How long will you be gone this time?”
“A week or two, it is hard to tell. We are waiting to have a definitive answer if this mobilization is truly mobile or more of a message. But when I return, I hope to have more time for you,” he says, closing with a kiss. “And I hope that you can use this time to work more closely with the cess.”
He leans his head back against the cushion but I reach for his hand. “What if… What if I don’t get better?”
“But you are getting better,” he says plainly.
“I know, I know.” I look out of the window and see the people waving as we depart. “But I’m worried it will take too long. Would you accept me like this?” I’m speaking in hushed tones but the pang of terror in my throat feels like a jagged rock.
He cracks his eyes open and brings my hand to his mouth, kissing it. “You worry too much. Have I given you just cause to believe I want something other than this?” His tongue licks my wrist.
“Giles is going to hear us,” I say, arching into him. Cedric pulls me to his chest and flips me onto my back, pinning me to the bench in this tight space. The carriage bumps beneath us.
“Oh?” he questions, kissing my neck. “What would he hear, my lady?”
“Things,” I whisper, eyes fluttering closed.
He mumbles something against my collarbone as he plants more soft kisses. “Then we better be very, very quiet.”
The king wastes no time and pulls my dress off my shoulders, trailing his mouth down between my breasts.
My breath hitches and he presses himself more firmly between my legs.
I try to buck up as his lips graze one breast, then the other, but he holds me in place.
I run my hands all over his back, aching to be closer as if it could be possible.
“Needy little thing today,” Cedric says and removes his vest and shirt. I admire the way his muscles shift in the daylight from the windows. His normally hard angles are softened in this light.
I reach up and kiss him fervently, hands holding his face and neck.
“Kiss me,” I order. He smiles and does as I command.
“Again,” I say, wrapping my legs tightly around his waist. Cedric’s hardness elicits a tasteful moan from my lips and he obeys, kissing through my whimper as his member grinds against my core.
“More,” I mumble between kisses. Cedric must have not heard me correctly because his hand grabs my breast, playing with my nipple.
So, I reach my hands between us, shocked at how hard he is.
In a rather smooth movement, I rotate us around so that I am atop and slide myself onto him, thankful for the pleasuring stretch as I take him in.
Cedric moans, arching his neck. “Thank Gods you did that,” he says between strokes. His hands travel to my rear and begin to help. In one quick move, I’m placed on my back again.
“Just like that,” he grits into my ear as I take him fully. “You’ve always known how to let me know you like it, Liv.”
Through my breaths and the ministrations his hands are working on my sensitive nub, I manage to breathe his name.
Just once.
Gently.
A shudder rolls through him and he pauses, finding my gaze. “Do that again.”
I try to but my moans of pleasure take over and I can’t stop for breath, for wanting. He picks up his speed and growls. A shadow flicks out and runs across my wrists.
Did I just strike a chord?
I moan louder and the wisp feathers across my throat, adding onto the sensation.
The king plunges firmly into me. Once, twice. My moans hitch and I dig my nails into his shoulders. His breathe deepens as he murmurs sweet nothings all over the top half of my body. His hips angle in the most direct way, hitting the spot within me that ensures I won’t last much longer.
“When you come, I want to hear it on those pretty little lips of yours,” Cedric commands.
I manage a nod between moans because holy Gods, I like this side of him.
We explore each other’s mouths, making small noises muffled by the slide of tongues. Cedric flips me around once more, as awkward as it is in here, having enough with that position.
My elbows dig into the hard surface and he slides himself in halfway before pausing.
I turn back and notice he’s waiting for my approval.
My words lose themselves because I feel myself wet even more, so I nod aggressively.
A carnal look grazes his face as he sinks himself deeper into me, hitting that sensitive spot directly.
The bench creaks from this motion and I let a very loud moan escape.
I clasp my hand over my mouth immediately, embarrassed.
“Don’t,” he breathes, “do not cover your mouth. Let me hear you.”
My core heats and I can tell Cedric is close as well.
His motions have become more crazed, and the challenge is in keeping my face out of the cushions.
He wants to hear me, so I let him. In his final plunge, everything lights up and tingles float all over my body.
I bite the fabric, thankful for something to hold onto because this is intense.
The pleasure pulls me into moans over and over as Cedric finds his release as well, powerfully pounding into me over and over again.
The king collapses and we both roll onto the seat into a comfortable position, my head resting on his chest. While our breath comes back to us, I think of how different this time felt.
So much of my time in Lux was filled with tension and confusion.
Our times together always meant something, but this time was unique.
I’m not sure what changed, but I feel at peace with us.
“Thank you,” Cedric muffles as he kisses my head.
“Did you just thank me?”
“Yes. It was a blessing and you are a true goddess. So, thank you.”
I smack his chest and laugh as he tries to pull my dress back up to my chest but fails.
“I’m sorry, I think you’re going to have to stay utterly indecent.”
“Then I think I’d truly be fitting in, no?” I wiggle my chest.
Cedric’s breath comes out hot, his smile wicked. “Gods, I’m going to miss you,” he says before recapturing my mouth, as well as other things, as we make our way back to Demis.