Chapter 28 My Braid to Yours
My Braid to Yours
“It’s alive!” I just had to say that out loud, even though I was by myself. I saw it the instant I entered Karim’s garden. No inspection from up close was necessary: the edelweiss was alive. With leaves and petals perked up, it looked like a happy little fellow.
“Someone has put down roots,” I told the miracle flower. I sat on the grassy ground next to it, leg extended to give my ankle some rest after the walk here. “Decided to stay in this new home, hm? Karim will be so happy to hear this.”
I hoped his meeting with the Queen about the newly formed alliance wouldn’t take long. He’d left immediately after accompanying me to his home. I couldn’t wait to see his face at the news.
“He will smile for you, gorgeous, worry not.” I chortled at the use of Karim’s favorite expression.
When it came to favorite things, being in a garden and talking to the flowers was so me.
The old me, at least. The me who enjoyed working extra hours at the Botanic Garden and conversing with the plants after everyone else had left.
The only thing missing from the picture now was some Florence and the Machine playing in the background.
The plants under my care enjoyed Florence.
“I’m going to tell you a secret, little one,” I went on, appreciative of the peace and quiet after tonight’s tensions.
“I haven’t been this happy in a long while.
I know I shouldn’t get ahead of myself, given that my future here is unclear.
But I like to think that if my friend Sue has found her place among the creatures who took her, why can’t I?
“In short, things are looking up for me, gorgeous. And with this new alliance, things should look up for all humans in the Kingdom.”
I would ask Karim to take me to them so I could relate what Sue had told me of the gargoyles’ world.
I was sure the information would make many agree to move to the clouds.
As for those who chose not to, they had to know leaving was an option.
I now understood this was the Queen’s doing, keeping us here with threats of execution to serve as her workforce no matter what.
But in the long run, she would achieve so much more by offering humans sanctuary with no fear tactics and guards in exchange for earning their keep.
What Karim’s idea had been from the very start, until his half-sister had amended it so she, too, could have her way. Her anti-human way.
Hopefully, the beneficial trade deal with the gargoyles would make her willing to consider human rights.
A zone in the cave system where we could move freely after the end of normally long work shifts and just be.
And maybe in time, as they mingled with us, elves would realize that peaceful coexistence with all humans was possible.
I sighed and shook my head. “Enough daydreaming. One step at a time, right, little one?” I gave the edelweiss a tender brush along one fuzzy leaf. “Starting with some watering. You’re a perky fellow, but some of your neighbors need a refreshment.”
Karim would probably water them later tonight, but I couldn’t sit around when there were droopy plants in need of attention.
My ankle protested when I made it work again, but the discomfort had diminished significantly from earlier tonight, so I easily ignored it and immersed myself in the familiar activity, singing as I moved with the jar from flower to flower.
I was at my very last client when I ran out of water. “Typical.” Now I’d have to go refill the jar only to water a single–
“What are you doing?”
The jar slipped from my fingers to fall in the soft soil. I hadn’t heard Karim enter the garden, let alone approach me among the plants.
“Hey.” I smiled, picking up the intact jar. “I watered some flowers, I hope you don’t mind?”
He didn’t reply, just kept looking at me.
Oh, no. Had I violated another house rule? “Did I overstep? Deidre mentioned the garden is off limits to almost everyone, but I thought–you let me plant the edelweiss–I didn’t realize–”
He moved forward, never breaking eye contact with me. He slowly crossed the distance between us and carefully took the jar from my hand. He stood really close, and yet I didn’t think this was one of his dominance displays.
No, Karim watched me in what I could only describe as a soul-searching way. So I stopped my blabbering and kept my eyes locked with his.
“The garden is as sacred as the moss, Jasmine.”
My breath caught. Had I betrayed his trust? Ruined what was growing between us by invading his sanctum?
“I allowed you to plant a single flower in an emergency. Anything more is reserved for my braid partner. The one my braid will be linked to.”
“Oh gosh.” My hand went to my chest. “I’m sorry.”
“You didn’t overstep.” Karim placed his hand on top of mine, over my heart. His other hand reached for my hair, fingers threading through my curls. “You took what I was already prepared to give you. My heart to yours. My braid to yours… Temptress.”
My breath caught again, but this time for a whole different reason. His low voice, his touch laced with meaning, that intense look swirling in the dark pools of his eyes… He was not angry–my Prince desired me. And I wanted him, too.
My gaze slid to his silvery lips, and then Karim’s mouth was on mine. Hot, hungry, all-consuming. He tugged lightly at my hair, angling my head for full dominion over my mouth.
I moaned in between his hard kisses, my lips and skin burning already. My body was heating up in anticipation of what was to come. There would be no interruptions this time.
I tried to press myself fully into him, but he moved my hands away from his chest. His fingers in my curls kept me where I was, at a distance.
“Not before it’s done,” he warned.
Then his lips descended on mine once more, and I was lost in the feel of our breaths mingling, tongues joining in a lustful rhythm, just like our bodies would soon be one.
Very soon, I hoped, because even though nothing but our lips were in contact, his kisses alone were making me slick. My core pulsed with need. My head spun as if I were drunk on desire. No kiss had ever left me so heady with want.
I couldn’t imagine what Karim’s next moves would do to my body. Could I survive the full force of our desire combined?
I groaned in frustration when he pulled away, avoiding my attempt to cup his face. But it was to scoop me up and carry me toward the exit, so I could wait a moment longer. It was finally time to move things to the bed.
Or not. As soon as we reached the patch of grass in the center of the garden, away from any delicate plants, Karim lowered me down.
“You belong here, Jasmine. The most precious flower among these blooms.”
He gave me another long, deep kiss, then got up to remove his belt and dress.
Two heartbeats later, he was already on the soft grass, kneeling at my feet before I could feast my eyes on the whole of him.
The hungry look he was giving my toes made me bite my lip with a cheeky smile.
I had made sure to wash them after coming in.
I relaxed back into the grass as he brought my foot to his mouth. I’d never tried such foreplay, but if it gave him pleasure, I was down for–
“Aahh!” His mouth closed over my toe, hot and teasing, sending sparks straight to my core.
An electric zing shot through me, pleasure and desire making me lightheaded.
I was on the verge of coming, and Karim hadn’t even gotten me out of my dress yet.
I threw my head back on a gasp as he bit my toe playfully.
“You’re ready to continue, yes?”
“Yes!” Hell yes!
Elation shone in his eyes. “Don’t move.”
His claws caught hold of my dress just below the belt. The next thing I knew, the fabric was cut in two. With no undies on me, I was suddenly naked from the waist down.
“Karim!”
Surprise and shyness hit me at the same time. My pussy was right at his eye level, fully exposed to his gaze.
The tips of his fingers brushed over my curls, down and further down to where I was so wet and needed him the most. “Like a blossoming garden beckoning me to explore,” he whispered over my pussy. “And hiding a treasure I shall taste once it is done.”
After what was done?
I didn’t have time to ask that out loud. Karim moved lightning-fast again. One second his hands were cupping my ass and the next, I was being pulled down to his lap. And onto his silvery hardness.
I gasped at the sudden fullness as he entered me in one go. All the way to the hilt.
“I’m sorry.” He stilled, worry clear in his expression. “I did not know that humans–You’re so tight.” His voice was strained, filled with genuine surprise.
“It’s alright.” His cock stretched me and filled me completely, but I’d experienced only a twinge thanks to how wet he’d made me. However, in case this was a taste of the elves’ roughness that Deidre had warned me about… “Just be gentler with me, okay?”
He gave me a firm nod, like a solemn promise.
“Now move for me, my Prince.”
He nodded again, all seriousness. “Yes, my flower. It won’t take long.”
With those cryptic words, he lowered my back to the ground and fulfilled my wish.