Chapter 23 #2
A wave of exhaustion barreled into Aliya, forcing her to brace her hand on the windowsill.
She no longer cared. She was adrift in a river, slamming from one boulder to the next as ice-cold water tried to force its way into her lungs.
No matter what she did or how she acted, the problems resting on her shoulders were too massive to overcome before the current washed her away.
Where had everything gone so wrong? What had set her on the path that ended here? Was it when she chose to come back to confront Malkov? When she’d run to Filathas? The day she decided she wanted to live, so she’d fled her wedding?
The aching throb between her temples made it impossible to focus. There was no way to know for certain.
After several tense minutes, Shadow spoke. “I’ll spy on the guards. I’ll figure out which ones are loyal to you, and who supports Malkov and Brooks.” She flexed her ears until they flattened against her skull. “Then, we’ll purge the traitors from our midst.”
The bloodthirsty side of Shadow was one Aliya hadn’t seen before.
She turned away, moving to stare out the window like Elessan had been, seeing nothing as the tears finally spilled down her cheeks.
“I’d like to be alone.”
She didn’t move as the light thud of cat paws hit the floor, followed by heavy footsteps as the closest two people in her life headed toward the door.
Aliya leaned her forehead against the cool glass, relishing the slight relief the chill brought to her headache.
Footfalls sounded behind her as a warm chest pressed into her back. Elessan wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on the top of her head. “I’m sorry,” he murmured.
Part of her flared in annoyance that he hadn’t left as she requested, but her traitorous body longed to do nothing more than collapse and let him hold her, comfort her.
With a sigh, she leaned into him, still keeping her focus outside. “Do you think they’ll stay? The elves?”
Elessan shrugged. “It’s hard to say. If the guards on the other side of your door report to Roland you have no intention of marrying him, he’ll leave and take all his people and support with him.” He huffed. “Your aunt is right about that, at least.”
He rubbed one hand up and down her arm, the gesture soothing.
“I don’t know what to do,” she whispered. “I can’t see any way out of this that doesn’t see me married to some bastard I hate and the kingdom in an even worse position.” Unless Brooks had his way and she ended up dead.
“One problem at a time,” Elessan said. His deep voice sent vibrations through her torso as he stared out the window with her.
“Tomorrow morning, we’ll find out if Roland intends to stay or not.
And perhaps the day will also bring answers as to Lord Macherall’s murder and the location of the errant Whisperers. ”
Aliya chewed on her lower lip. She hoped so. He sounded so confident. “I’d feel a lot less helpless if we had that information and a plan to move forward on at least some of the problems we’re facing.”
“Uh, huh,” he rumbled. “Me, too. But have faith. Things will sort themselves out.”
She snorted. Not if Brooks, Roland and her father had their way. The three men were bound and determined to make her life a living hell unless she bent to their wills. But she was just as stubborn as any of them.
“I wonder if Jalius and the others could come up with a way to magically locate the Whisperers?” she mused.
His jaw worked for a few heartbeats as he contemplated her words. “I suppose, if Brooks has the jewel in his forehead that lets him track magic users, that’s proof it’s possible.”
“Malkov had a tattoo around his wrist that did something similar,” Aliya said as the memory popped into her head.
“Then there’s a way to do it. The Whisperers are unique, which should help,” Elessan said. “Unfortunately, designing such a thing likely requires a niche skill set and I wouldn’t count on your current mages for the knowledge.”
She sighed. He was right. Before Malkov massacred the Mage College, their numbers were high enough there’d be a decent chance. Now… “I suppose the Master Artificer would’ve been our best bet.” And the man was on the run with Brooks, assuming he still lived.
“We can ask the junior artificers and the alchemists. I’m sure they’d love a challenge.”
She nodded, the throbbing in her head relenting as a tiny grin ghosted her lips. “See? I already feel a little bit better.”
He bent down and kissed the sensitive spot beneath her ear as one hand squeezed her hip. His voice dropped in pitch. Each word had her core burning. “Want to be even better?”
She burst out laughing as she smacked his bicep. “Really? That’s your line? It’s so corny.”
He nuzzled her. “But it made you smile, didn’t it?”
Well, she couldn’t argue there.
He turned her around, placing her back to the wall. Then their bodies were flush, his chest pressed against her breasts as his hungry lips met hers.
Heat flooded her, exploding until every nerve ending was on fire. She curled her fingers into his arms with a groan.
As he broke the kiss, they were both panting.
“El, we shouldn’t—”
“Shh.” He put his hand over her mouth. “Tonight, you’re not the queen, and the realm’s problems aren’t yours. Right now, I’m just Elessan and you’re you, and all that matters is us.”
His words had her knees melting.
He planted light kisses along her jaw and down her neck that sent bolts of lightning across her skin and straight to her core.
She moaned, arching her back. Then his fingers were there, untying her corset laces.
Blinking as the constant pressure around her ribs eased, she glanced out the window.
The window, where anyone in the courtyard below would be able to glance up and see them.
“El.” She shifted, one hand moving to hold her dress up before it dropped and gave the guards a show. “Stop. Everyone will see us.”
He growled deep in the back of his throat. “Let them see how lucky I am.”
Bracing one hand on the windowsill, she pushed herself away, out of view. “No, I’m the—”
“Don’t you dare say you’re the queen,” he said, catching both of her wrists in one of his hands, he held them above her head. But he did move them to the side, so she was out of sight. “Tonight, you’re just Aliya.”
Just Aliya.
How often in the last two weeks had she wished for exactly that?
Her corset and dress fell, pooling at her feet as his teeth grazed her collar bone. The resulting shiver chased all thoughts from her mind.
“Wrap your thighs around me, sweetheart.”
Not ‘My Queen.’ He’d taken to calling her that lately, but she preferred his original pet name, and the simpler times the endearment evoked.
Letting him take her weight, she secured both legs around his waist, only to find at some point he’d managed to shed his trousers. His erection pressed between her folds.
She groaned as he slipped inside her, and the delicious stretch and friction drove her into an ever-heightening spiral. This angle had him deeper than any position they’d tried before, if such a thing was possible.
“El.” She curled her wrists, desperate for him to release her so she could run her fingers over his silky skin.
He grazed his fangs over her earlobe. “Not yet. If I let you go now, this will be over too quickly. You can have them back after we make it to the bed. Now, brace yourself.” He pulled out and thrust into her again as stars exploded on the edges of her vision.
The world faded.
His free hand slid down to cup her breast, rolling her nipple with his thumb before his hand continued its downward trajectory.
She moaned. “El…”
He growled, a far-too-satisfied masculine sound that had goosebumps rising on the back of her neck.
“Do that again,” he said as his hand finally made its way between her thighs. He pinched the tense bundle of nerves as he plunged in again.
“Oh gods, El!” She rocked her hips, seeking more friction, more of him.
Every muscle in her body spasmed as she reached the precipice and hurtled over it.
Elessan groaned her name as he followed right behind her.