CHAPTER TWENTY #2
I took the treasure map, stolen from Rogam’s prison cell, and placed it on my dresser to look at some time in the future.
I flopped onto my makeshift bed, made of blankets and pillows.
Too tired to properly undress, I lay down and shut my eyes, my moonstone necklace a comforting weight against my chest, even if I probably should have taken it off before bed as well.
“Sleep well, Corvin,” I murmured. I hoisted myself up onto my elbows after getting no response.
He was already asleep, out almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.
I watched him a moment longer, affectionately, before laying back down, ready to let sleep claim me too.
The grass was cool and spongy beneath my bare feet.
I breathed deeply, inhaling fresh air—while I took in the night sky overhead.
Why was I out here again? Oh, right, to look at the full moon.
The meadow was calm, the perfect place to take in her rounded face, to bathe in her gentle glow.
She was resting on the farthest hill, close enough I could touch her surface if I wanted.
That was nice. That she had drifted down from the sky to be closer to me.
Picking at a thread on my olive-green cotton nightgown, I took off across the meadow, strolling toward the moon, toward the silvery, ephemeral moonlight pouring off her in all directions.
As I got closer, it swirled around my ankles like a thick fog.
Only it wasn’t fog; it was liquid moonlight, filling the meadow.
A softy whinny diverted my attention. There was a horse flying into the meadow—a rider astride its back.
I changed course, tracking its descent. It landed amidst a herd of winged horses, roaming and grazing in an adjoining meadow.
It tucked its white wings tight against its dappled gray flank while the rider gracefully dismounted.
He summoned his own midnight-black wings when his feet touched the ground.
I knew those wings. Corvin. I grinned, running through the meadow toward him, my hair flying freely behind me.
As soon as he turned toward me, I launched myself into his arms. His eyes went wide, trying to catch me, but I’d taken him by surprise, and while he tried to shift his balance, my momentum sent us both tumbling into the grass.
We rolled together, coming to rest with his body on top of mine.
He propped himself up on his elbows, looking down at me with an amused smile.
“Hello, Moonflower.” I smiled up at him with barely restrained happiness. “Kiss me,” I breathed.
He needed no further encouragement. He was still on top of me when we broke the kiss.
I ran a hand up and down his arm. “I had a good day with you.”
He blinked down at me. “Me too.”
I reflected on the festival. “It’s a shame we don’t live in Kothia; screaming was oddly cathartic.
” Corvin tensed, his voice low and rough, eyes never leaving mine, as he said, “If you ever get the urge to scream again, Elvira, I would be happy to assist.” Heat coiled restlessly through my core.
Somehow, I didn’t think he meant by scaring me.
Corvin lifted himself off me, taking up a casual position, leaning against the winged horse, ankles crossed. I stood up too, brushing off my black silk nightgown. I fingered the silk, confused. Had I been wearing it earlier? Corvin watched me, gaze hot. “You’re gorgeous, Elvira.”
Looking at him, I was overcome with a sense of yearning so potent it was almost painful.
I suddenly felt like I was on a precipice, in danger of falling, falling, falling into him.
Would he catch me? Or…? “Who are you, Corvin?” I asked him, a question that was becoming a common refrain between us.
But this time, there was real need fueling the words. His answer was not what I expected.
“Catch me.” A devilish grin crossed his face.
“What?” I echoed, bewildered.
“Catch me, and I’ll tell you who I am.” He stepped away from the horse, unfurling his wings, before taking to the sky.
“Now that’s just unfair,” I called after him.
His eyes danced with laughter. “You’re resourceful; you’ll think of something,” he called back down, his wings beating as he hovered above me.
Such a cheat, but I was grinning just as wickedly as he was, a mental image playing on repeat—me knocking him out of the sky, and holding him to his word.
Corvin began to fly away. I leapt up onto the back of the winged horse; I intended to give chase.
Gripping the horse’s mane, I directed him to fly closer to Corvin.
Laughing wildly, Corvin swooped through the air, dodging my every attempt to grab at him, circling the horse again and again, teasing me, maneuvering just out of reach as soon as I got too close. I was going to need a different plan.
His wings were giving him the advantage.
Wings. Hadn’t Corvin said something about a previous Midnight Sovereign summoning wings of moonlight?
One of the first things he’d said to me, actually.
About my powers. Wings and prophecy, that was what I remembered.
Unfortunately, I had no idea how to predict where he would hover next.
But moonlight, she was becoming an old friend.
I waited until Corvin swooped close, arrogantly close—
Silvery wings materialized at my back. Unlike Corvin’s thick wings, mine were delicate, fragile.
Almost translucent. Their shape was different too.
Like the wings of a butterfly, with a stained-glass appearance, thin white lines sectioning their upper sides.
I fluttered them back and forth. And jumped off the horse’s back.
Tackling Corvin straight out of the air.
When we tumbled into the grass this time, I made sure I was the one who ended up on top.
Corvin did not look particularly displeased by the turn of events.
Rather, he smiled at me. Slow and sensual.
“You win. I’ll tell you who I am now. I’m the prince of the sky—”
I cut him off, indignant. “Excuse me! I caught you—if anyone owns the sky right now, it’s me.
” Something pressed upon my head. I reached one hand up, detangling a dainty silver tiara from my hair.
It was a beautiful piece of craftsmanship, adorned on either side with a set of wings, forged from silver metal, detailed enough to look almost real.
A large diamond dazzled in the center of the crown.
“See!” I told Corvin. “I’m the princess here.
” He reached up, placing the tiara back on my head.
“Yes, you are.” Then, resting his hands above his head, he said, “You’re on top of me.
” A rough chuckle escaped his lips. “Are you planning to restrain me again?”
I settled more firmly on Corvin, straddling his lower body.
Placing my hands upon his naked chest, I traced the hard planes of muscle I found there.
Had he been wearing a shirt before? His eyes tracked my every movement, waiting for me to answer.
What was I planning to do? Restrain him?
No, no, I wanted to feel his hands on my body.
I didn’t want to restrain him. I wanted to find out what happened when he was let loose, untethered. Now to tell him that…
“No,” I repeated aloud, breathlessly. “No, I’m not going to restrain you.
You said it yourself.” Very slowly, I began to drop the leftmost strap of my nightgown, letting it fall off my shoulder.
Then, the other one. Until I was straddling him, both my breasts exposed.
“Third time’s a charm.” Corvin’s expression turned ravenous.
He pulled me down, my breasts pressing against his warm skin.
Demanding lips found mine in a crushing kiss that caused my whole body to shudder, a jolt of pleasure coursing through me as he squeezed my backside.
Sliding down, I rolled my hips. Corvin stifled a moan, kissing me deeper. But I didn’t want him to gasp his pleasure into my mouth. I wanted him to scream it to the world. I rocked my hips even faster, now grinding against the hard length of him. I stifled a moan of my own.
In one fluid motion, Corvin rolled our bodies sideways, his hands now free to explore…
other places. Like the smooth planes of my stomach or the apex of my thighs.
I gasped as his hand trailed lower. Placing my hand over his, I directed him to the exact place I wanted—no needed—him to touch me.
He happily obliged. At his touch, I arched my back into him, grinding against his hand.
Faster. Harder. And if I’d forgotten to extract the truth of his identity from him, he had at least made good on his offer of assistance. Because I was going to scream again—